It's not always easy to learn about the ancient world. In the UK, the subject doesn't occur on many state school syllabi after a child turns 11, and it's even rarer for a state school or sixth forms to have the resources available to offer GCSEs and A levels in Ancient History, Latin or Greek. This means that for many, getting a place to study the ancient world at university simply isn't an option, and even then, can be a daunting experience.

A 2024 survey of Classics departments in UK universities found that in both student cohorts and faculty alike, people from a working class background are overwhelmingly outnumbered by those born into privilege, and had attended private schools. Students from state schools starting ancient history from scratch have to do a lot more work to catch up on that cushy private school foundation, which feel like climbing a mountain. For these students, our 101 episodes provide essential summaries of everything they might need to know.

And what about those who can't go to university, for a myriad of reasons, but still want to learn in their spare time? We rely on whichever books can be found on the high street, and the documentaries on television. But publishers and producers often assume that everyone wants the same three topics over, and over, and over again, until the narrow market is clogged with a dozen biographies of Julius Caesar and programmes about Pompeii. In addition, to be frank, the academic value of these TV shows often isn't great, because producers think that viewers need everything simplified right down. Fact checking is thrown out of the window, and context is left of the cutting room floor. There are some authors who prefer to turn their books into exciting adventure tales full of derring-do, even if that means mangling real events and missing out context in order to fit their narrative. These books have their place, but they don't tell the full story.

I realised that there must be thousands of people who would absolutely love the chance to be taught about the ancient world by bona fide academics, and I don't think that they need anything dumbing down. I think that, from whichever walk of life they come from, anybody is capable of learning and thinking about the real ancient world in the way a professional historian does - with plenty of context and a hefty dose of critical thinking. We don't think our listeners need patronising.

Studying the ancient world is for everyone, not just those with the privilege to pay for a fancy school or degree. That's why Ancient History 101 was created.

Whether you're a life-long learner wanting to augment what you've already studied, or a complete novice looking for a relaxed way to study trustworthy material under the tutelage of world experts, we hope you find a home here at History 101.