After Trajan ascended to the throne in 98 AD he fought two wars against the Dacians, finally annexing the country in 106 AD.
Sun, 19 December 2010
After Aurelian's death, an old Senator named Marcus Cluadius Tacitus briefly reigned before the throne fell to Probus, who ruled from 276-282. |
Sun, 12 December 2010
Aurelian defeated the breakaway western provinces and reunified the Empire in 274 AD. The next year he was assassinated by officers who had been tricked into committing murder. |
Sun, 5 December 2010
In 272 Aurelian finally managed to bring the east back under Roman control by defeating Queen Zenobia of Palmyra. |
Sun, 28 November 2010
Aurelian became Emperor in 270 and immediatly faced an invasion of Italy by the Juthungi. After succesfully driving the Germans off, Aurelian turned his attention to building a new wall circuit around Rome to protect the capital in the future. |
Mon, 22 November 2010
Claudius Gothicus became Emperor in 268 and promptly lead the legions to victories against the Goths and the Alamanni. Unfortunately he died before he was able to reunify the Empire. |
Sun, 7 November 2010
The near simultaneous deaths of Gallienus, Odenathus and Postumus upset the political equilibrium in the late 260s AD. |
Sun, 31 October 2010
The 260s AD were bad for the Romans, but they could have been a whole lot worse had not Gallienus, Postumus and Odenathus each done their part to defend their respective corners of the Empire.
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Sun, 24 October 2010
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Sun, 17 October 2010
Valerian and his son Gallienus did their best to hold the Empire together through the 250s AD, but after Valerian was captured by the Sassanids things quickly spiraled out of control. |
Sun, 3 October 2010
After the Battle of Abrittus, Trebonianus Gallus was proclaimed Emperor. After reigning for two years he was ousted by Aemilianus, who lasted less than a month on the throne before being ousted by Valerian. |
Sun, 26 September 2010
In 249 AD Decius ousted Philip the Arab and ascended to the Imperial throne. Two years later though, Decius was dead after leading the legions to a massive defeat at the hands of the Goths.
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Sun, 19 September 2010
Gordian III died in 244 AD and was succeeded by his Praetorian Prefect Philip the Arab. While Philip dealt with internal revolts and external invasion, he found time to celebrate Rome's 1000th birthday in 248 AD. |
Sun, 12 September 2010
By August of 238, the other five men who had claimed a share of the purple were dead, leaving 13-year-old Gordian III as the last man standing. |
Sun, 29 August 2010
In 238, a revolt in Africa sparked a revolution in Rome that would eventually lead to six different men claiming the title of Augustus. |
Sun, 22 August 2010
After bungling a campaign in the east, Alexander headed to the Rhine where he was assassinated by Maximinius Thrax in 235 AD. |
Sun, 15 August 2010
Alexander was only 13 when he ascended to the throne in 222. With the help of his mother and a few key advisers, he managed to avoid being the kind of disaster that previous teenage Emperors had been.
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Sun, 8 August 2010
Elagabalus became Emperor in 218 AD at the tender age of 14. His short reign was defined by a scandalous private life and an obsession with the eastern sun god El-Gabal. |
Sun, 1 August 2010
Carcalla was killed by his Praetorian Prefect Macrinus in 217 AD. Macrinus then spent a troubled year as Emperor before the House of Severus came back to challenge his rule. |
Sun, 25 July 2010
Septimius Severus died in 211 while campaigning in Britain. He left the Empire to his sons, but their mutual hatred for one another meant that one of them was going to wind up dead. |
Sun, 18 July 2010
After defeating Clodius Albinus, Septimius Severus turned over daily administration of the Empire to his Praetorian Prefect Gaius Plautianus, while the Emperor himself went looking for further military vicotries in Parthia.
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Sun, 27 June 2010
Septimius Severus became the undisputed Emperor of Rome after defeating Pescennius Niger in 194 and Clodius Albinus in 197.
Direct download: 100-_Black_and_White_and_Severus_All_Over.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:35pm CDT |
Sun, 20 June 2010
After buying the Imperial throne, Didius Julianus only remained in power for 66 days before being ousted by Septimius Severus.
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Sun, 13 June 2010
After Commodus was assassinated, Pertinax reigned for 86 days. He was murdered by the Praetorian Guard in March 193 and the Imperial throne was auctioned off the highest bidder.
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Sun, 6 June 2010
Commodus went off the deep end around 190 AD and was finally killed by his inner circle in 192.
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Sun, 30 May 2010
The reign of Commodus turned on a botched assassination attempt orchestrated by his sister in 182 AD.
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Mon, 24 May 2010
Marcus elevated Commodus to the position of co-Emperor and then died a few years later while campaigning in the north.
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Sun, 16 May 2010
In 175 Avidius Cassius led a brief revolt in the east that forced Marcus to postpone his final triumph along the Danube.
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Sun, 9 May 2010
The Romans fought a series of campaigns against a coalition of German tribes from 167-175. They were on the verge of total victory when news arrived of a rebellion in the east. |
Sun, 25 April 2010
After some initial setbacks, Marcus sent Lucius east to deal with a suddenly critical war with Parthia in 162.
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Sun, 18 April 2010
Marcus Aurelius was destined to become Emperor, but his insistence that Lucius Verus share the honor came as a surprise to everyone.
Direct download: 091-_Marcus_and_Lucius_and_the_Parthians.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:58pm CDT |
Mon, 12 April 2010
Big question-time blowout!
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Mon, 5 April 2010
In which I talk for way too long about where the best tin deposits in the Roman Empire can be found.
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Mon, 22 March 2010
Life in Rome began at dawn and lasted until sunset. Work was done in the mornings while the afternoon was reserved for recreation.
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Mon, 15 March 2010
With Roman education leaving much to be desired, many citizens found
enlightenment in the eastern mystery cults or Greek philosophy.
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Sun, 7 March 2010
The Roman world was divided between slaves, freedmen, and free citizens of every economic class. Gross inequality though was the order of the day, with the Emperor himself controlling the lion's share of the Empire's wealth.
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Sun, 28 February 2010
Antoninus's reign is often pointed to as the golden age of the Roman Empire. In many ways the assessment is correct, though unresolved issues would come back to haunt his successors. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
After returning to Italy in 134 Hadrian spent a final few miserable years trying to plan the long term future of the Imperial dynasty before dying in 138. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
Hadrian's relationship with the teenage boy Antinous raised eyebrows even in permissive Ancient Rome. His relationship with the Jews raises eyebrows even today. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
Hadrian's reign got off to a rough start following the political murders of four ex-consuls. The new Emperor would eventually settle in though and set out on his first grand tour of the Empire in 121. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
Though Hadrian's career had long been guided by Trajan, when the Emperor died in 117 he still had not named Hadrian heir. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
Trajan greatly improved the infrastructure of the Empire and finished his reign by conquering much of the Middle East. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
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Sun, 28 February 2010
Nerva's brief reign was stormy, but his choice of Trajan as heir was inspired. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
After Saturninus's revolt in 89 AD, Domitian's paranoia increased. In 96 AD court officials afraid for their lives conspired to have the Emperor killed. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
Domitian attempted to emulate Augustus, but his heavy-handed treatment of the Senate earned him many enemies. Meanwhile, his focus on frontier defense brought charges of cowardice and his treaty with the Dacians was seen as a humiliation. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
Domitian had spent his life in the background, but in 81 AD he found himself Emperor and soon demonstrated that he had very strong ideas about how to wield power. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
Titus succeeded his father to the throne in 79 AD, but ruled for only two years before dying of a sudden infection in 81. Throughout the reign of the Flavians, Agricola campaigned in Britain to Romanize the island. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
Vespasian served as Emperor from 69-79 AD, stabilizing the Empire after a year of Civil War. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
Vitellius's reign was underminned by internal squabbling, allowing Vespasian's army to sieze Rome in December 69 AD. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
After murdering Galba, Otho ascended to the throne in January 69 AD. He immediately had to deal with Vitellius revolt and after suffering a defeat at Bedriacum in April, Otho committed suicide having served as Emperor for just three months |
Sun, 28 February 2010
Galba's refusal to pay off the Praetorian Guard came back to haunt him when Otho looked for accomplices to aid in his assassination plot early in 69 AD. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
Marriage was one of the key institutions of Roman culture and many of the traditions surrounding weddings persist today. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
The personalities of each of the men who vied for the throne in 69 AD had a major impact on how events unfolded. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
In 66 AD the Great Revolt broke out in Judaea, leading Nero to appoint Vespasian to crush the uprising. But the Emperor did not live to see the end of the conflict- in 68 AD he committed suicide after a palace coup. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
Nero's popularity with the people began to wane in the early 60s AD. Things got so bad that after the Great Fire of Rome swept through the city, many held Nero responsible. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
Between 58 and 63 AD Rome dealt with a major conflict over the Kingdom of Armenia and a revolt in Britain led by the warrior Queen Boudica. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
After Nero came to power he was dominated by Agrippina. But it didn't take long before the 16-year-old Emperor got tired of his mother telling him what to do. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
Claudius turned out to be one of the more successful Emperors in Roman history, but unfortunately in 54 AD he was assassinated to make way for one of the worst. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
Though Claudius had great success in his public life, his private life was a different story. Each of his marriages ended in either divorce or execution. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
Claudius became Emperor after the assassination of Caligula in 41 AD. Far from a bumbling fool, Claudius turned out to be capable and dedicated ruler. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
Caligula was insane. Luckily for the Romans, he wielded absolute power. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
After the death of Tiberius's son Drusus, Praetorian Prefect Lucius Sejanus's influence grew exponentially. Sejanus was the defacto ruler of Rome from 26 AD until his fall from power 5 years later. |
Sun, 28 February 2010
Tiberius's final years were consumed with treason trials and private licentiousness. After he died in 37 AD, the infamous Caligula ascended to the throne. |
Sat, 27 February 2010
The early years of Tiberius's reign were defined by his growing
jealousy of his nephew/adopted son Germanicus. After winning victories
on the far side of the Rhine, Germanicus was sent east, where in 19 AD
he died under mysterious circumstances.
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Sat, 27 February 2010
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Sat, 27 February 2010
The Julio-Claudian family was rife with conflict, but nothing compared
to the battle fought against the Germans in the Teutoburg Forest.
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Sat, 27 February 2010
Augustus promoted his steps sons Tiberius and Drusus to high office
long before they were technically eligible. He hoped they would share
power with him until Gaius and Lucius Caesar came of age, but Drusus
died young and Tiberius went into self-imposed exile.
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Sat, 27 February 2010
After attaining power, Augustus set about reforming the Empire.
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Sat, 27 February 2010
The Senate bestowed upon Octavian the title Caesar Augustus during the constitutional settlement of 27 BC. Four years later Augustus and the Senate altered their power sharing agreement.
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Sat, 27 February 2010
On Sept 2, 31 BC Octavian defeated Antony at the Battle of Actium.
Antony and Cleopatra fled back to Alexandria where they committed
suicide the next year, following Octavian's invasion of Egypt.
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Sat, 27 February 2010
After Antony failed to conquer Parthia, the Triumvirate partnership broke down, leading to a declaration of war.
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Sat, 27 February 2010
After winning the Battle of Philippi Antony and Octavian divided the
empire into two halves. Antony took control of the east where he formed
an alliance with Cleopatra, while Octavian commanded the west.
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Sat, 27 February 2010
In 43 BC Marc Antony, Octavian and Marcus Lepidus formed the Second Triumvirate. After initiating proscriptions to raise funds and purge their enemies, the Triumvirs headed east, where they defeated Brutus and Cassius at Philippi. |
Sat, 27 February 2010
Caesar posthumously adopted his great nephew Gaius Octavius and the
19-year-old was thrust into the center of Roman politics. In the months
following the assassination Octavian and Mark Antony vied for the
support of the legions.
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Sat, 27 February 2010
In the last months of his life, rumors swirled about Caesar's
monarchical ambitions. On the Ides of March 44 BC, a group of Senators
put the issue to rest by assassinating Caesar during a session of the
Senate.
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Sat, 27 February 2010
Caesar took the overland route back from Egypt back to Rome and along
the way pacified what little resistance he came across. After a brief
stay in Italy he sailed for North Africa where he defeated the
regrouped Republican army. Having emerged from the Civil War triumphant
he returned to Rome and began his ambitious reform programs.
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Sat, 27 February 2010
Following a setback at Dyrrachium, Caesar decisively won the Battle of
Pharsalus in 48 BC. After defeating Pompey, Caesar sailed for
Alexandria, where settled a civil war by placing Cleopatra on the
throne.
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Sat, 27 February 2010
In 49 BC Caesar led a single legion across the Rubicon River, sparking
a civil war that would lead to the death of the Roman Republic.
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Sat, 27 February 2010
While Caesar was fighting the Gallic Wars, events in Rome and beyond
exacerbated the political tensions that would eventually lead to Civil
War.
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Sat, 27 February 2010
From 57-52 BC Caesar slowly conquered Gaul. Along the way he crossed
into Germania twice and led the first Roman expedition to Britain.
Finally, the last Gallic army was forced to surrender at Alesia.
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Sat, 27 February 2010
After beginning his proconsulship of Cisalpine Gaul in 58 BC Caesar was
asked to halt the advance of a migrating Celtic tribe. He managed to
turn them around, but was immediately called to face an even deadlier
threat at the banks of the Rhine River.
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Sat, 27 February 2010
In 59 BC Julius Caesar served a controversial year in the consulship.
He pressed for land and administrative reforms the conservative Senate
opposed.
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Sat, 27 February 2010
Julius Caesar had an eventful career on his way up the Cursus Honorum. He won the Civic Crown in Asia, was captured by pirates on his way to Rhodes, and served as Governor of Hispania Ulterior. |
Sat, 27 February 2010
In 63 BC an embittered two-time consular candidate named Catiline
conspired to overthrow the Roman government. He was stopped by Rome's
greatest politician and orator, Marcus Tullius Cicero.
Direct download: 38-_The_Catiline_Conspiracy-_The_History_of_Rome.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 7:58pm CDT |
Sat, 27 February 2010
After clearing the Mediterranean of pirates in 67 BC Pompey was put in
charge of the war with Mithridates. He promptly conquered his way to
Jerusalem.
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Sat, 27 February 2010
From 73-71 BC a gladiator named Spartacus led a slave revolt in
southern Italy. Despite defeating the Romans on numerous occasions, the
slave army was eventually defeated by Marcus Crassus (with an
unsolicited assist from Pompey).
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Sat, 27 February 2010
After Sulla's death two men emerged as the vanguard of Rome's new
political generation: Marcus Crassus who would become Rome's richest
man and Pompey the Great, who would become Rome's greatest general. In
a few years these two men would join forces with Julius Caesar to form
the first Triumvirate.
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Sat, 27 February 2010
Sulla returned from the east and after winning a short Civil War was
made Dictator for Life. After purging his enemies and reorganizing the
consitution he inexplicably stepped down in 80 BC.
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It was inevitable that the Romans and Cartheginians would run into each other one day.
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Sat, 27 February 2010
Many of the traditions that surround modern Christmas have their roots in Saturnalia and the Feast of Sol Invictus.
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Sat, 27 February 2010
The Greek cities of southern Italy called on King Pyrrhus of Epirus to
protect them from Roman encroachment. Though Pyrrhus was undefeated in
battle, his victories were so costly that he was forced to withdraw
from Italy in 275 BC, leaving Rome in control of Magna Graecia.
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Sat, 27 February 2010
Rome battled a combined army of Samnites, Etruscans, Umbrians and Gauls
for control of Italy. At Sentinum, the two sides fought the largest
battle in Italian history up to that point.
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Sat, 27 February 2010
After a five year break, hostilities resumed between the Romans and
Samnites. Despite early setbacks, Rome eventually emerged victorious in
304 BC. During these years a controversial politician, Appius Claudius,
initiated a series of ambitious public works projects that advanced
Roman civilization.
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Wed, 24 February 2010
After a decade of peace, the Romans and Samnites returned to war. The
early years of fighting went well for Rome, but in 321 BC they were
handed a humiliating defeat at Caudine Forks.
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Wed, 24 February 2010
The Roman army abandoned the Greek phalanx in favor of a new system
based on a three line deployment organized by age and experience.
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Wed, 24 February 2010
For hundreds of years the Roman Army used the Greek phalanx, but during
the Samnite Wars they were forced to develop a new distinctly Roman
system.
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Wed, 24 February 2010
The Romans fought a final war against their Latin neighbors from
340-338 BC. The Romans won a decisive victory and the Latin League was
abolished once and for all.
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Wed, 24 February 2010
From 343-341 BC Rome fought a brief war against the Samnites, a
powerful hill tribe who would plague the Romans for the rest of the
century. The Romans won an inconclusive victory, but the war was only
the opening salvo in a long running struggle between the two peoples.
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Wed, 24 February 2010
In the decades after the Gauls abandoned Rome to its fate, the Romans
were forced to battle both external threats and internal sedition. The
Plebes, saddled with debt from the reconstruction, forced through
reforms in 367 BC that finally gave them access to the most powerful
office of state: the Consulship.
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Wed, 24 February 2010
Soon after the war with Veii, Rome was sacked by invading Gauls. The
event traumatized the Romans and left their city in ruins. It would be
the last time a foreign army breached the walls until the fall of the
empire 850 years later.
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Wed, 24 February 2010
Economic necessity forced a final conflict with Veii, Rome's Etruscan
rival to the north. After years of inconclusive fighting, Marcus Furius
Camillus was appointed dictator and lead the Romans to victory.
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Wed, 24 February 2010
The years after the creation of the Twelve Tables were hard. Political
discord, grain shortages and famine all conspired to weaken the city,
but the Romans soldiered on in the face of seemingly insurmountable
adversity.
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Wed, 24 February 2010
Cincinnatus was famously appointed dictator of Rome in 458 BC and then
resigned soon after, securing his place in history as a paradigm of
republican virtue.
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Wed, 24 February 2010
In 451 BC a committee was ordered to compile and then condense Roman
law into a single text called the Twelve Tables of Law. Despite
tyrannical machinations by the committee, the Twelve Tables secured an
objective rule of law for all Roman citizens regardless of wealth or
class.
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Wed, 24 February 2010
The infant Roman Republic faced many challenges as it grew into
adolescence, both internally and externally. Most significantly class
divisions led to a confrontation between patricians and plebs that
resulted in the creation of the office of Tribune.
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Wed, 24 February 2010
The monarchy had been overthrown and the Roman Republic was now
established. Despite the appearance of a free democratic republic, the
Romans were beset with economic and political divisions that threatened
the unity of the young State.
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Wed, 24 February 2010
The last days of the Roman Kingdom were ruled over by the three members
of the so-called Tarquin Dynasty: Tarquinius Priscus, Servius Tullius
and Tarquinius Superbus. The last proved to be such a tyrant that he
was overthrown and monarchy was forever outlawed by the Romans.
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Wed, 24 February 2010
This week we cover the first three of Romulus's successors to the
throne: Numa Pompulius, Tullus Hostilius and Ancus Marcius, who they
were and what affect they had on the evolution Roman law and culture.
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Wed, 24 February 2010
Last time we discussed the events that lead to the birth of Rome,
covering the arrival of Aeneas in Italy and the story of the twins
Romulus and Remus. Today we will cover the remainder of Romulus's life,
his questionable morality and ultimate disappearance from the world of
men.
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Wed, 24 February 2010
Welcome to The History of Rome, a weekly series tracing the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. Today we will hear the mythical origin story of Rome and compare it with modern historical and archaeological evidence. How much truth is wrapped up in the legend? We end this week with the death of Remus and the founding of Rome. |