Roman Empire News
Caligula
The Roman historian and lawyer Suetonius wrote a biography of the mad Emperor Caligula. Even as a young man, Caligula was cruel and vainglorious. His character was evident during a campaign against the Britons.On arriving at the camp. in order to show himself an active general and severe disciplinarian, he cashiered the lieutenants who came up late with the auxiliary forces from different quarters. In reviewing the army, he deprived of their companies most of the centurions of the first rank, who had now served their legal time in the wars, and some whose time would have expired in a few days, alleging against them their age and infirmity; and railing at the covetous disposition of the rest of them, he reduced the bounty due to those who had served out their time ... Though he only received the submission of Adminius, the son of Cunobeline, a British king, who being driven from his native country by his fatherm came over to him with a small body of troops, yet, as if the whole island had been surrendered to him, he dispatched magnificent letters to Rome, ordering bearers to proceed in their carriages directly up to the forum and the Sentate-house, and not to deliver the letters but to the consuls in the temple of Mars, and in the presence of a full assembly of senators. |
12 Byzantine Rulers: Part 14 - Alexius
When the 24 year old Alexius Comnenus came to the throne, the glories of the Empire seemed long gone. Its "invincible" army had been smashed at the battle of Manzikert, the frontiers were collapsing, and enemies on every side threatened to overwhelm what was left. It would take an extraordinary ruler to salvage something from the wreckage much less restore Byzantine prestige. Join Lars Brownworth as he takes a look at Alexius Comnenus, the man who did just that, even as the First Crusade erupted around him.
Review; Roman Women
I had hesitated to purchase and review any book on women studies. In my opinion, usually the discipline is nothing but an excuse to indulge in obnoxious postmodern jargon and whiny deconstructionist tirades about oppression. However, the status of women in Roman society is something that does merit serious study. ...
12 Byzantine Rulers: Part 10 - Heraclius
In the years following Justinian's death, the empire was rocked from within and without. Barbarians pushed in on every border and the empire's ancient enemy Persia ravaged the East unchecked. The empire met this challenge with a series of weak and foolish rulers who squandered what resources they had, and crumbled before the Persian onslaught. By the start of the 7th Century, the emperor was a virtual prisoner in his own palace, the Persians were beneath the walls of Constantinople, and the rest of the empire was in the hands of rebels. It looked as if the end had come at last, and yet, against all odds, an Armenian general was to defeat the Persians, sweep away the old Latin traditions and reform the empire on a Greek model. Join Lars Brownworth as he looks at Heraclius, whose reign saw this glittering triumph yet ended in such tragedy.
Review; Twelve Caesar's
Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus was born around that fateful year of 69 CE. It was then that the Julio-Claudian dynasty finally collapsed without a direct heir. Senatorial commanders of provincial armies took to the battlefields to decide the issue of succession. Suetonius' own father, a military tribune, had fought at the ...
