Rome’s war of words

When an ambitious Seleucid king marched his vast army into Europe to challenge the Roman Republic for control of the Mediterranean world, it looked set to spark a violent clash of the ancient titans. Instead, as this Long Read written by Michael Economou reveals, the cunning Romans deployed another potent weapon: diplomacy.

Today's feature originally appeared in the November 2026 issue of HistoryExtra Magazine, and has been voiced in partnership with the RNIB.

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GO BEYOND THE PODCAST

Want to know more about the vicious civil wars, gruelling sieges and bloody battles fought by the Roman empire? Tune in to our first series of History's Greatest Battles, as Emily Briffett and historian Adrian Goldsworthy to look back at five of the most fascinating clashes of this ancient civilisation: https://bit.ly/3VK4twv

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