3. The Road through Turkey to Istanbul

Available for over a year

Bettany Hughes follows the ancient road from Rome to Istanbul. Tracing its route through Albania, Macedonia and Greece, she explores how the Egnatian Way helped to shape Europe and the Middle East. Founded in the second century BC, the Via Egnatia was a critical axis of the Roman Empire. It joined Rome to the riches of the east, and became the site of some of the most significant turning points of its history – the place where the forces of the Roman republic lost to the heirs of Julius Caesar, and the route on which St Paul brought Christianity to Europe. Later it was the route the Crusaders took to the holy land, a vital Byzantine communication link and the base from which the Ottoman Turks controlled their vast European holdings. In the third episode, Bettany completes the final section of the road through Turkey to Istanbul, tracking the movement of stories along the road and discovering the way the Ottomans adapted it to their new empire. Written and presented by Bettany Hughes. Producer: Russell Finch A Somethin’ Else production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2015.