The podcast episodes provided cover two examples of ancient biographical histories - the introduction to Tom Holland's book 'Dynasty', which explores the lives of the first Roman Emperors, and a discussion of the life and reign of the Roman Emperor Julian the Apostate.

The 'Dynasty' episode Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the House of Caesar (Extract) provides a glimpse into Holland's work, which chronicles the 'dazzling portrait of Rome's first imperial dynasty'. Meanwhile, the 'Julian the Apostate' episode Julian the Apostate delves into the life and reign of the last pagan ruler of the Roman Empire, exploring his attempts to promote paganism and his ultimately unsuccessful campaign against the Sasanian Empire.

These podcast episodes demonstrate the rich insights that can be gleaned from ancient biographical sources, shedding light on the complex personalities and political machinations of key historical figures.