toldinstone

I just finished leading my first group tour to Turkey. After starting in Istanbul, we visited the spectacular Roman walls of Iznik (ancient Nicaea), the awe-inspiring ruins of Ephesus, the travertine terraces of Pamukkale, and the subterranean cities and cave churches of Cappadocia.

It was an honor and a privilege to lead a group of fellow history enthusiasts to some of my favorite places on the planet. If anyone who joined me on the trip is reading this, thank you again.

If you would like to join me on a future trip to Turkey, Greece, or Italy, sign up to be notified here:

trovatrip.com/host/profiles/garrett-796zo

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1 week ago | [YT] | 1,492

toldinstone

Greetings from Turkey!

I'm currently in Istanbul, having spent the day leading a group of intrepid Toldinstone fans around Hagia Sophia and other historical wonders. (See the announcement from two weeks ago about my April 2025 tour, which will focus on Rome and Florence.)

In my free moments, I'm trying to keep up with my usual posting schedule. Tomorrow, I'll upload the latest "Rome in Review" episode on Patreon. This episode is about the 1979 film "Caligula," probably the most infamous movie ever set in ancient Rome. I reviewed the uncut 1979 version. Frankly, it's a mess, morally bankrupt and artistically incoherent. But it's an interesting mess - not because of what it is, but because of what it tried to be.

To watch my video about "Caligula" and all other "Rome in Review" episodes, sign up for the Toldinstone Patreon:

www.patreon.com/toldinstone

2 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 868

toldinstone

Which of these countries would you most like to visit?

As most of you know, I lead group tours to historical destinations around the Mediterranean. Last week, I launched my spring trip to Italy, which will visit Rome, Ostia, Tivoli, and Florence (see the previous announcement for more details). I'm currently planning my other 2025 trip, tentatively scheduled for September or October. Please tell me which of the following destinations interests you most, and feel free to provide additional detail in the comments!

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 293

toldinstone

About six months ago, I introduced the Toldinstone Museum, a series of virtual galleries filled with scans of ancient artifacts. The main gallery, which is open to all, is housed in a replica of the Pantheon. You can visit it here:

link.sagenverse.com/Yan25spbULb

Members of my Patreon have access to two additional galleries: the Premium Gallery (which has my best scans, arranged in a replica of Constantine's throne room at Trier) and the new Artifact of the Month gallery. The "Artifact of the Month" series, introduced as part of my recent update, is published on the Toldinstone Footnotes channel.

Today, I released the first artifact video, focused on the so-called Bikini Venus of Pompeii. You can watch that video on Footnotes now. And if you join my Patreon, you can see a hi-res 3-D scan (pictured) in the Artifact of the Month Gallery. Click here to learn more:


www.patreon.com/toldinstone

1 month ago | [YT] | 981

toldinstone

The long-promised update is finally here! In case you missed yesterday's video, the changes include:

- a swanky new studio (pictured)
- "Old News with Dr. Garrett Ryan" - a new series on recent archaeological discoveries
- "Artifact of the Month" - another new series on fascinating ancient objects
- "Rome in Review" - a Patreon-only series exploring movies and shows set in the ancient world

For full access to "Rome in Review," the Toldinstone Museum, and much more, you can visit my Patreon page here:

www.patreon.com/toldinstone

Thanks for your support,

Garrett

1 month ago | [YT] | 1,628

toldinstone

I was hoping to release a major channel update today. Unfortunately, my editor has come down with Covid, and we've had to delay the big announcement until next week. In the meantime, a sneak peak of yours truly in the new Toldinstone studio...

Have a great weekend,

Garrett

2 months ago | [YT] | 2,684

toldinstone

Another Turkish travel story...

During my first visit to Cappadocia, nearly a decade ago, I stayed in Göreme. The town is surrounded by "Fairy Chimneys," pinnacles of eroded rock that loom over the surrounding badlands. Beneath the chimneys are hundreds of artificial caves. Some were houses, others barns. A few were monastic cells or churches, still splashed with Byzantine frescoes. The densest concentration of cave churches is preserved as an open air museum just outside the town. But eager, as usual, to get off the beaten track, I decided to take a long walk through the valleys to the north. I spent the better part of a day hiking there, winding between fairy chimneys and exploring painted churches. I've attached a few of the pictures I took.

In October, I'm returning to Göreme as the leader of a tour exploring Turkey's fascinating history. If you'd like to join me, there are still a few places available:

trovatrip.com/trip/europe/turkey/turkey-with-garre…

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2 months ago | [YT] | 1,670

toldinstone

Back in 2013, I spent three months traveling around Turkey. I was doing research for my PhD thesis, and visited dozens of ancient sites (by my best estimate, about 75), taking pictures and measurements. It was hot, exhausting, and wonderful.

Around the middle of my trip, I spent a few days with the Austrian excavation team at Ephesus. The working day started at 6 AM, when the archaeologists headed to their trenches to avoid the heat. I went with them, and was able to spend hours wandering the site before it opened to the public. I've attached a few of the pictures I took then.

I've returned to Ephesus a few times since (I wrote a chapter of my thesis on the site), but the magic of those first summer mornings has never completely disappeared. It's part of why I'm thrilled to be returning to Ephesus in October as the leader of a tour exploring Turkey's fascinating historical heritage.

If you're interested in learning more, follow this link:

trovatrip.com/trip/europe/turkey/turkey-with-garre…

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3 months ago | [YT] | 1,610

toldinstone

While working on a video about the well-preserved Roman amphitheater of El Djem, Tunisia (live now on ‪@scenicroutestothepast‬), I was reminded of the Roman arena of Pergamum. As you can see from the attached pictures, taken during my last visit, it's an isolated ruin, almost untouched since late antiquity. I've never encountered another tourist there. This is one of the places that I must look forward to seeing again during my upcoming trip to Turkey. If you're interested in joining me there this October, sign up soon!

trovatrip.com/trip/europe/turkey/turkey-with-garre…

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3 months ago | [YT] | 975

toldinstone

Good morning!

As many of you know, I'm leading a trip to Turkey this October. (To learn more, follow this link: trovatrip.com/trip/europe/turkey/turkey-with-garre…. Over the next month or so, I'll start planning my itineraries for 2025. I hope to lead two trips - one in March and one in October.

Which of the following countries would you be most interested in visiting?

4 months ago | [YT] | 303