Listen Ad-free

Emperor Macrinus: Usurper of Rome

The Ancients

4d ago • 56 mins


Denzel Washington stars as Emperor Macrinus in the epic new movie Gladiator II, but who exactly was this shadowy ruler of Rome?


Join Tristan Hughes as he sits down with Dr Alex Imrie and Matilda Brown to explore the real story behind this lesser-known usurper of Rome, a North African-born knight who toppled the fratricidal tyrant Caracalla and took the throne for himself. Discover the dramatic and brutal events that shaped Macrinus' reign, including his conflict with the powerful women of the Severan dynasty and the fateful battles that sealed his fate.


Presented by Tristan Hughes. The producer is Joseph Knight, audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.


The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.


Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.


You can take part in our listener survey here.


All music courtesy of Epidemic Sound.

You Might Like

History Daily
History Daily
Airship | Noiser | Wondery
Lore
Lore
Aaron Mahnke
Dark History
Dark History
Audioboom Studios
The Ancients
The Ancients
History Hit
History That Doesn't Suck
History That Doesn't Suck
Prof. Greg Jackson
Aaron Mahnke's Cabinet of Curiosities
Aaron Mahnke's Cabinet of Curiosities
iHeartPodcasts and Grim & Mild
Noble Blood
Noble Blood
iHeartPodcasts and Grim & Mild
Ridiculous History
Ridiculous History
iHeartPodcasts
HISTORY This Week
HISTORY This Week
The HISTORY® Channel
Slow Burn
Slow Burn
Slate Podcasts
Tides of History
Tides of History
Wondery / Patrick Wyman
Gone Medieval
Gone Medieval
History Hit