The Story of the Roman Empire through Childbirth

On today’s pledge drive edition of A Public Affair, host Ali Muldrow is in conversation with scholar Tara Mulder about her new book, A Womb of One's Own: Lost Histories of Childbirth in Ancient Rome. Mulder tells the story of birth from pre-conception to post-partum based around women’s stories of trying to get pregnant, of being pregnant, of terminating pregnancies, and beyond. Her book is an alternative history of Rome–which is typically centered around war, death, and sex–through childbirth. Featured image of the cover of Tara Mulder’s book, A Womb of One's Own: Lost Histories of Childbirth in Ancient Rome.