This is the History of the World Podcast with me Chris Hasler

And you're listening to volume three the classical world

episode 43

the Fl Flavian Dynasty. So, During the last episode we described the story of the first five

emperors of Rome with particular focus on the differences in success of each

one and how they managed to balance the needs of the empire with the many

different establishments and their own personal desires. Augustus brought stability to the empire following on from the continuous civil wars and disputes of the final decades of the Roman Republic.

Rome never really found anybody as good as Augustus throughout the years

of the Giulio-Claudean dynasty. Tiberius lacked the charisma to be an effective politician, allowing stronger characters

to dominate him.

Both Caligula and Nero was somewhat despotic, thinking very little of condemning their political opponents to death.

Claudius was competent but unwilling to maintain any kind of strong diplomatic bond with the Roman Senate.

Out of these five Giulio-Claudean dynasty emperors, Nero was the final one. Nero had upset many and this led many to gun for

him. Nero was all too aware of this when he committed suicide in the year 68.

The Praetorian Guard had openly declared their approval of the His governor Galba and had convinced the Senate to recognize

him as Nero's successor and this was all while Nero was still alive, so it was clear that Nero's reign was no longer going to be tolerated.

Galba was an elderly aristocrat without children.

So it may well be that the Praetorian Guard saw someone who would empathise with them

as individuals much better than Nero could.

And the Senate saw someone who they could dominate and potentially try to eliminate the

existence of a dynastic monarchy as the position of Roman Emperor had become.

Galba had his own clear ideas about governing and he was mean and miserly choosing not to pay soldiers

...