Show Notes
In the seventh episode of Drunk On History, host Lauren Dogaer talks with Joshua Driscoll, an archaeologist specializing in Iron Age Europe. Together, they explore the diverse drinking cultures of Iron Age communities, from beer and mead to wine and other fermented beverages. They discuss how different drinks were produced, consumed, and associated with everyday life, feasting, ritual, and social status. The conversation then turns to the social importance of drinking and feasting. Lauren and Joshua examine how alcohol helped build relationships, reinforce alliances, and express wealth and power. They also explore the changing drinking practices that emerged as Celtic communities came into increasing contact with the Greek and Roman worlds. Drawing on archaeological evidence, they reveal a complex and diverse drinking culture that challenges the traditional divide between “Roman” and “barbarian” drinking practices, showing how local traditions and Mediterranean influences came together to shape alcohol consumption across Iron Age Europe.
More from Drunk On History
In the eighth episode of Drunk On History, host Lauren Dogaer talks with Jacob Damm, archaeologist and specialist in the ancient Levant, to explore the long and fascinating history of alcohol production and consumption in the region. Together, they examine archaeological evidence for brewing, from some of the earliest possible evidence at Raqefet Cave to Egyptian brewing traditions preserved at Jaffa and Iron Age fermentation technology. The conversation also explores how modern assumptions have shaped our understanding of ancient drinking cultures. Jacob discusses the debate over Philistine “beer jars,” the scientific analysis of ancient yeast, and why the distinction between beer and wine may not have been as clear-cut in the ancient world as we often assume. Lauren and Jacob then turn to the Hebrew Bible, exploring stories of Noah and Lot, as well as the biblical terms yayin and shekar. The episode highlights why combining archaeological, scientific, and textual evidence is essential to building a fuller understanding of ancient drinking cultures.
In the sixth episode of Drunk On History, host Lauren Dogaer talks with James McHugh, an expert in pre-modern India, Indian religion, and Sanskrit literature. Together, they explore what ancient Sanskrit texts reveal, and sometimes obscure, about alcohol consumption, moderation, and the remarkable diversity of intoxicating beverages in pre-modern India. Drinks such as sura and soma challenge the familiar beer, wine, and spirits categories often applied to other ancient civilizations. The conversation also examines the role of the state in regulating brewing, selling, and drinking alcohol, as well as how religious traditions including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism shaped attitudes towards intoxication. Who could drink, what they could drink, and in whose company were all influenced by religious and social norms. Although archaeological evidence is limited, Sanskrit literature offers a rich and fascinating perspective on drinking culture, one that is unlike any of the civilizations explored in previous episodes.
In the fifth episode of Drunk On History, host Lauren Dogaer talks with Emlyn Dodd, archaeologist and expert on ancient wine production in the Roman world. Together, they explore the central role of wine in Roman society, from everyday consumption to its importance as a marker of status, identity, and civilisation. They also discuss the wide variety of wines produced across the empire and how Roman tastes and drinking practices evolved over time. The conversation then turns to the production of wine itself. Lauren and Emlyn examine who made Roman wine, from small-scale farmers to wealthy landowners and imperial estates, and discuss the technologies and techniques that enabled wine to be produced and distributed on an unprecedented scale across the Mediterranean. Drawing on archaeological evidence from vineyards, wineries, and elite residences, they explore how wine was embedded in Roman economic, social, and political life. From lavish banquets and religious ceremonies to imperial displays of wealth, the episode reveals how wine became one of the defining features of Roman culture and helped shape an empire.
In the fourth episode of Drunk On History, host Lauren Dogaer talks with Morgan Moroney, Assistant Curator of Egyptian, Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Art at the Brooklyn Museum in New York. Together, they explore common assumptions about alcohol consumption in Ancient Egypt, including the idea that beer was the drink of the common people while wine was reserved for the elite. They also discuss the different scales on which beer and wine were produced during the Pharaonic period.
In the third episode of the Drunk On History podcast, host Lauren Dogaer and Professor Nadhira Hill of Randolph-Macon College delve into the fascinating world of ancient Greek drinking practices, particularly focusing on the symposium. Professor Hill explains that the symposium, an all-male drinking party, usually took place in an andron, a rectangular or square space at the home, with a raised platform for reclining couches. In addition, they explore the historical context in which these drinking parties took place, the structure and significance of the symposium, including activities that had nothing to do with drinking, such as reciting poetry or philosophical discussions. The conversation also touches on the role of Dionysus in Greek culture, the importance of moderation and the aspect of hybris, as well as the social dynamics within these drinking events. Through archaeological evidence, especially from Athens and the site Olynthos, and literary sources, they uncover the complexities of social interactions, hierarchies, and cultural aspects surrounding (group) drinking in ancient Greece.