This is John Batchster, continuing the conversation with Professor Ed Watts, his new book,

The Romans, the history of the Roman Republic, the kingship, the republic, and the empire all the way

to the end. We have reached the point the year of four emperors 69 AD when the final choice is made by Vitellius to try to turn the empire back to the

Republic, back to the Senate, and it fails, and Rome burns. And after this, there's never an

attempt to bring forth the Republic again.

Not until 2,000 years later when the United States of America,

in direct following of the Roman Republic,

births the version that we call Congress.

Here's Ed talking about those moments before the Capitoline burned.

Much more of this tonight.

And in coming weeks, there's much more to the Roman story.

We have a thousand years to go.

Here's Ed.

The Capitoline Hill Burns.

But I think what's so interesting about that moment is when Vespasian takes the city, the temple of Jupiter Burns.

And the moment before Vespasian takes the city that I think is even more remarkable is the Emperor Vitellius tries to return power to the Senate and step down because he does not want a

massacre and he is not allowed to do it because the Praetorian guards realize if they allow him to do this,

then their position will be endangered and he is not allowed to step down and this leads to this

massacre that results in the burning

the Capitoline Hill. And then ultimately, you know, Vespasian seizing the Palatine. But when Vitellius

tries to step down, he goes down into the forum to try to do this. And he's forced back up into

the Palatine to just wait for the city to fall.

...