A Roman emperor terrifies his guests with a macabre dining room display. At a feast in Norway, drunk Vikings engage in a rap battle. A teenage Alexander the Great makes a scene at his dad’s dinner party. And partygoers in Victorian London get up close and personal with an unusual guest - an Egyptian mummy… A Noiser production, written by Roger Morris. For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started with a 7-day free trial. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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It's 338 BC.
We're in Macedon, a kingdom on the northern border of Greece.
Once Macedon was a relatively minor power in the region.
But that all changed when the current king, Philip II came to the throne.
Over the course of his reign, Philip has expanded expanded his kingdom into Thessaly and come to dominate the Greek city states.
Although those cities have continued to resist him, he recently won a decisive victory against them at the Battle of Chaeronea.
The triumphant king has returned to his royal palace in Aegae, the ancient capital of Macedonia, where a banquet is taking place.
The celebration is being held in honour of Philip's marriage to the niece of one of his generals, a girl called Cleopatra.
But it's not a wedding reception that we would recognize.
In fact, it's more like a stag or bachelor party.
All the guests are male.
The women that are present are enslaved or are entertainers.
The guests recline on couches to eat and drink.