Roberta Jones is an art historian, tour guide and futurologist: she looks at the past to see into the future. In an era in which our society's core values are falling apart and we're really feeling the need to totally shake up our basic beliefs, Roberta Jones dives into old monuments, traditions, myths, and customs to find elements that strongly resonate with our world today.
Using these ancient treasures to help us picture a world that's more in tune with what we really need.
This podcast was produced wit the support of the "Regione Lazio".
What do Julius Caesar, Mussolini, Margaret Thatcher and today’s political leaders have in common?
Power has never been just about ruling. It has always been about being seen.
From Caesar’s carefully constructed public image and the theatrical drama of his assassination to Fascist architecture, Hitler’s rehearsed gestures and Thatcher’s transformation of her voice and presence, this episode explores how art, performance and visual culture have shaped the way power presents itself.
Through paintings, monuments, photographs and political theatre, we trace a visual language born in ancient Rome that continues to influence leaders more than two thousand years later.
Because art doesn’t simply reflect power. It creates it.
If you enjoyed this episode and are coming to Rome, why not join us on a theatrical tour with a guide and actors in which we time travel to the Ides of March, the last Day of Julius Ceasar!
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27 Sept 2026
WHO’S AFRAID OF ART? From Rome’s Talking Statues to Modern Rebels
What happens when art stops decorating the world and starts talking back to power?
From the streets of Renaissance Rome to modern-day Moscow, artists and ordinary citizens have used creativity, satire and even their own bodies to challenge authority.
In this episode, we uncover the extraordinary story of Rome’s “talking statues” — ancient sculptures that became the anonymous voices of a city, covered with biting messages mocking popes, corruption and those in power. We meet Pasquino, the sharpest tongue in Rome, and the other members of the wonderfully named “Congregation of the Wits.”
But rebellion didn’t end with Renaissance Rome. From Pussy Riot and Femen to Banksy and Ai Weiwei, we travel across centuries to discover how art continues to provoke, ridicule and resist.
Because sometimes the most dangerous thing you can give a work of art is a voice.
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27 Apr 2026
TATTOOS ON STONE. The Body as Language from Laocoön to Today
What can a 2,000-year-old sculpture and a modern tattoo tell us about who we really are? In this episode, we travel from the Vatican Museums to a contemporary gallery in Milan, tracing a surprising thread between the ancient Laocoön and the tattooed bodies of today. Along the way, we meet Ötzi , Europe's oldest mummy and first known tattooed human, we explore how tattoos went from marks of shame to symbols of identity, and ask a question that's more relevant than ever:
in a world that tells us how to look, what does it mean to make our bodies truly our own?
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4 Feb 2026
Leda and the Swan, When Myth Hides Violence
Can there be consent for a swan?
In Greek mythology, Leda is a queen who is approached by Zeus, the king of the gods, transformed into a swan. What follows is a story told in many different ways: sometimes as seduction, sometimes as violence, sometimes as consent. From this encounter are born figures who will change history, including Helen of Troy.
In this episode, we explore how the myth of Leda and the Swan has been represented in art for centuries, from ancient sculpture to Renaissance painting, and why it has always been both beautiful and disturbing. Artists used this myth to show the female body, desire, and power—often hiding violence behind grace and elegance.
We then move to the twentieth century, where artists like Francesca Woodman break this tradition and use the myth to talk about vulnerability, control, and reclaiming one’s own body.
A conversation about myth, art, and why Leda still speaks to us today.
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1 Feb 2025
The Legacy of Hermaphroditus
Who decides what it means to be a man or a woman? And what happens when those definitions blur? In this episode, we explore the fascinating legacy of Hermaphroditus, the mythical child of Hermes and Aphrodite, whose story has challenged gender boundaries for millennia. From ancient Greek myths to Roman sculptures, from Renaissance intrigue to modern queer art, we trace how intersexuality and fluid identities have been represented, feared, and celebrated throughout history. With a visit to the Museo Palazzo Massimo in Rome, where the Sleeping Hermaphrodite lies in enigmatic repose, we unravel the deeper meanings behind this timeless figure—and what it reveals about our own world today.
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17 Nov 2024
MUSES or MASTERS? The journey of women in art
"Do women have to be naked to get into the Met Museum?” This bold question from the Guerrilla Girls kicks off our deep dive into the wild world of women in art. For centuries, women were painted, sculpted, and idealized—but rarely seen as artists themselves. So, what changed?
From Renaissance rebels like Sofonisba Anguissola to modern rule-breakers like Frida Kahlo, we’re shining a light on the trailblazing women who crushed stereotypes and smashed the glass ceiling or to be more precise smashed the painting frame! These aren’t just stories of paintings and sculptures—they’re about fighting the system, owning their identity, and proving art isn’t just a boys’ club.
Get ready for a journey through history, a bit of rebellion, and some serious girl power in art. It’s time to ask: What does it take to go from muse to master?
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12 Aug 2024
Witches, love potions, and the Mouth of Truth in Rome
In this episode, we explore the fascinating intersection of art and magic, beginning with the legendary Bocca della Verità in Rome—a stone face with a mysterious past. We delve into Renaissance paintings that depict witchcraft and sorcery, uncovering the darker side of art’s history. From ancient love potions to modern-day rituals, we trace the enduring power of magic in shaping human desires.
Finally, we touch on the contemporary intersections of art and magic with figures like Marina Abramovic and Alejandro Jodorowsky, who challenge our perceptions of reality through their ritualistic and psychomagic performances.
Join us as we unravel the secrets and stories that blend art with the supernatural across the ages.
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19 Jun 2024
Can the Machine become the Artist?
Join me on another time travelling journey into the evolving world of art and artificial intelligence in this episode on Art in the age of AI and NFTs. We start with a captivating tale of a mechanised Madonna created by Pieter Paul Rubens in Rome in the 17th century, a stunning blend of old-world artistry and ingenious engineering.
As we traverse from the cobblestone streets of historical Rome to the cutting-edge studios of today's digital artists, we explore how AI is redefining creativity. Hear about the groundbreaking sale of the AI-generated Family de Belamy portraits, sparking debates and awe across the global art scene.
Dive into the complex mechanics behind Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and their transformative role in art production. We'll also unravel the enigma of NFTs—how these digital tokens are turning virtual brush strokes into valuable assets, challenging our very notions of ownership and originality.
This episode is a portal to the future of art. Whether you're an art enthusiast, a tech geek, or simply curious about the creative frontier, there’s something here for you.
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7 May 2024
Artemisia Gentileschi's intimate revolution
In this episode, we explore the remarkable life and legacy of Artemisia Gentileschi, a pioneering 17th-century painter who overcame societal constraints and personal trauma to become one of the first acclaimed female artists. Born into a male-dominated Rome, Artemisia used her art to express the intimate experiences of women, including her own, in a way that challenged traditional narratives. We delve into how her personal ordeal, a highly publicized rape trial, shaped her portrayals of biblical heroines, imbuing them with a poignant mix of vulnerability and defiance. This episode also considers Artemisia's impact on the art world and the enduring relevance of her work, which continues to inspire discussions on gender and representation in art.
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21 Jan 2024
Ulpia Severina - The sole ruling roman empress?!
In this episode, we delve into the intriguing life of Ulpia Severina, a Roman Empress who stands out as a unique figure in the annals of Roman history. While the details of her life are shrouded in mystery, one aspect that sets her apart is the fascinating episode where she may have been the only Roman Empress and, at a certain point, minted coins featuring a transgendered version of herself.
Our journey begins by exploring the historical context of Ulpia Severina's reign, placing her within the complex tapestry of the Roman Empire during the tumultuous third century. As the wife of Emperor Aurelian, Severina's position was already noteworthy, but her potential solo rule as empress adds an extra layer of intrigue.
The heart of the episode unravels the enigma surrounding the minting of coins featuring a transgendered representation of herself. The discussion touches upon the possible motivations behind this unconventional numismatic choice, considering political, cultural, or personal factors that may have influenced this phenomenon.
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14 Mar 2023
Black Madonna
When people think of the Madonna, wherever in the world they happen to be – even in Africa or Mexico, they are unlikely to picture the Madonna as black or Asian, Indian or brown, as Western tradition has created a careful and lasting propaganda of the image of the Virgin Mary with flawless white skin. But actually, there are around 74o Black Virgin Marys in Europe alone and some other black virgin Marys in other parts of the world such as the famous virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico. In this episode I start our journey in Tindari, a town in Sicily because you can find there a very particular Black Madonna, representative of what the black Madonna has come to symbolise.
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16 Nov 2022
The Metamorphosis of Medusa
This podcast explores the myth and history of Medusa from Ancient Greece to the modern world; how she went from protective, caring goddess to horrifying evil monster! Her image has suffered a radical transformation over time because she was feared by men and couldn’t thrive in a patriarchal society. Fortunately, one more time Medusa has taken on another role; so much so that she has become the emblem of the female creative gaze. In this very special episode I've had the opportunity to talk to Luciano Garbati, the sculptor of the statue "Medusa with head", who tells me some pretty interesting facts on how his statue suddenly became a sensation and ultimately came to be associated with the #Metoo movement.
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26 Jul 2022
A Manifesto - Roberta Jones: Looking at the past to see into the future
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19 Jul 2022
The Palace of Knossos
Prepare to travel to Crete to discover the magical and incredibly advanced world of the Minoan civilization. You'll hear details about the mastery and engineering of the Palace of Knossos, the legend of the Minotaur, the Snake goddess and the Minoan women. You'll learn about the contemporary Minotaur and how we can gain inspiration from the Minoan civilization to build a more sustainable and equal society.
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12 Jun 2022
The Lupercal Cave
In this episode, Roberta Jones explores the mysterious and mythical past of an ancient cave situated under the Roman Forum, thought to be the site where Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were nurtured by a she-wolf. But the mystery doesn't stop there, you'll hear incredible stories about the fertility rituals that happened in the cave, and how it originally was a sanctuary where 1000s of years ago they practiced "sacred prostitution".
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