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Build Like a Roman

Build Like a Roman

By: Darren McLean
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About this listen

Build Like a Roman is a podcast about how the Roman world was built.


Focusing on materials, craft, and construction, each episode explores the practical realities of Roman building — from stone, brick, and mortar to the organisation of labour and technical skill behind surviving structures.


Short, focused episodes introduce core building materials before diving deeper into how buildings were made, maintained, and understood in the Roman world.


For students of archaeology, history, and art history — and for anyone interested in how ancient buildings actually came into being.

North Africa and Western Asia are home to a multitude of Roman buildings. Some still used on a daily basis, others in ruins, but that's typically not the fault of the original builders. The fact that these still exist at all after 2,000 years or more is a testament to skill and creativity of the original builders.


There are some great Podcast which look at Roman politics, history, and architecture, however in this Podcast, we focus on Construction history, that being building materials, techniques and and the people who did the work!


From structures to frescos, we'll cover it all!


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Darren McLean Social Sciences World
Episodes
  • Roman Brick and Tile

    Roman Brick and Tile
    Feb 3 2026

    Ep. 003 - Introduction to Roman Brick and Tile


    This week, the Build Like A Roman Podcast episode is about fired clay, for bricks and roofs. the


    Photos of this episode: https://www.instagram.com/p/DUS--yyjTTR/


    Social Accounts:


    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/build_like_a_roman/


    BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/buildlikearoman.bsky.social


    Reading materials:

    Roman building: materials and techniques, Adam, JP (1994)

    Roman Building Techniques, Rook, T (2013)

    Roman Builders, Taylor, R (2003)


    Music:

    Roman Marching music loop with happy harp 6109353 -- https://freesound.org/s/363468/ -- License: Attribution 3.0




    Hosted by Darren McLean.


    Social Accounts:


    Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/build_like_a_roman/


    BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/buildlikearoman.bsky.social


    Music: Roman Marching music loop with happy harp 6109353 -- https://freesound.org/s/363468/ -- License: Attribution 3.0

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    23 mins
  • Stone: Tuff, Travertine and Marble

    Stone: Tuff, Travertine and Marble
    Feb 1 2026

    Ep. 002 - Rome began with wooden huts, then came stone


    This week, the Build Like A Roman Podcast introductory episode is about Stone, in particular Tuff, Travertine and Marble. While not used uniformly across the Roman empire, they were ubiquitous in the City of Rome and the surrounding region.


    Hosted by Darren McLean.


    Social Accounts:


    Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/build_like_a_roman/


    BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/buildlikearoman.bsky.social


    Music: Roman Marching music loop with happy harp 6109353 -- https://freesound.org/s/363468/ -- License: Attribution 3.0

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    13 mins
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