In the Duero Valley lie the ruins of a 4th-century Roman villa. In what used to be the home's entrance, there is an impeccably preserved mosaic of Pegasus.

But Pegasus has no wings.

Why?

This episode's character is a Latin translator who travels to the villa with his boss (and clingy romantic partner) for a work assignment, all while dealing with abnormal back pain. When he discovers a tablet with an ancient inscription, his boss strangely insists on ignoring it.

He also insists on our character never taking off the shiny black bracelet he gave him when they made things official. Even though it hurts his wrist.

It turns out the voices are trapped inside this bracelet. They take us back to 409 AD, where we meet the final owner of the villa, at a time when the Alans, Visigoths, and Suebi are overrunning Hispania.

But the owner of the villa isn't concerned. Because Rome is unbeatable...right?

The power of the Roman god Mars, Christian beliefs and AI collide in a story spanning millennia. Discover with our character the true nature of the black bracelet he is not allowed to remove, where his back pain comes from, and why Pegasus doesn't have any wings.

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1. Visit the Museo de las villas romanas website here.

2. Take a look at the series filmed at the reconstruction of the villa, El Corazón del Imperio. IMDb here.

3. I took images of the museum, the archaeological dig with the wingless Pegasus mosaic, and the reconstruction of the villa while researching and recording this episode. You can see them on Spanish Sundown’s webpage, or on Facebook, Instagram or Reddit, where you can also join our online community.

© 2025 Samuel Mattern. All rights reserved.

Lori Gerson voices our main character in Spanish Sundown's Episode 9 - María Pita: Swamp Breath.

Have you ever wondered what it's like to be an American immigrant to Spain? With so many listeners asking what it’s like to live abroad, we wanted to give you this special bonus episode where we chat about Lori's journey as a writer, translator, actress and model.

Join our discussion on cultural differences (like, personal space does not mean the same thing in Spain!), finding your voice in a different language (and what that means if you curse!), how to mingle with the locals…and some creepy Spanish traditions.

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1. Listen to the story starring Lori Gerson, Ep. 9 - María Pita: Swamp Breath here.

2. Check out Lori Gerson's modelling and acting work on her Instagram profile here.

3. Watch the Voice of Hind Rajab. IMDb page here.

4. Read about the history of the Church of San Nicolás. Wikipedia article in English here.

5. Listen to the creepy knife sharpener's tune on YouTube!

2-See the official webpage here.

Remember to follow our Spanish Sundown community on social media and join the conversation.

spanishsundown.com

Facebook, Instagram, Reddit

© 2026 Samuel Mattern. All rights reserved.

Who was María Pita?

In today’s episode, we travel to the city of A Coruña, in foggy, mystical Galicia. After purchasing an antique comb from a young immigrant man, Josefa witnesses a situation of injustice.

She is horrified to discover that a dark magic sludge has paralyzed her, preventing her from righting the wrong.

The voices trapped in the comb take her back to 1589, when Sir Francis Drake laid siege to the city. With the English forces outnumbering the townspeople by almost 30 to 1, even the women had to fight in a conflict that they were sure to lose.

Except that one of those women was María Pita, who singlehandedly changed the tide of this Anglo-Spanish War battle. Her story teaches Josefa how to finally break free from the cursed muck.

And how to right the injustice.

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1. Special thanks to guest star Lori Gerson for breathing life into multiple characters. Check out her other modelling, acting and language work on her Instagram profile here.

2. I hope you enjoyed the authentic sounds of A Coruña and the Galician Atlantic recorded while researching this episode in person. You can see original images of this on-site recording on Spanish Sundown’s webpage, or on Facebook, Instagram or Reddit, where you can also join our online community.

3. See the location of María Pita square here.

© 2025 Samuel Mattern. All rights reserved.