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The History of Rome

The History of Rome

Mike Duncan

History, Education

4.813.2K Ratings

Overview

A weekly podcast tracing the history of the Roman Empire, beginning with Aeneas's arrival in Italy and ending with the exile of Romulus Augustulus, last Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Now complete!

193 Episodes

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Transcribed - Published: 5 November 2024

The Storm Before The Storm: Chapter 1- The Beasts of Italy

Audio excerpt from The Storm Before the Storm: The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic by Mike Duncan. Forthcoming Oct. 24, 2017. Pre-order a copy today! Amazon Powells Barnes & Noble Indibound Books-a-Million Or visit us at: revolutionspodcast.com thehistoryofrome.com

Transcribed - Published: 27 July 2017

Revolutions Launch

Available at revolutionspodcast.com, iTunes, or anywhere else fine podcasts can be found.

Transcribed - Published: 16 September 2013

Update- One Year Later

Next show coming soon!

Transcribed - Published: 30 May 2013

179- The End

The history of The History of Rome...Why the Western Empire Fell when it did...Some thoughts on the future...Thank you, goodnight.

Transcribed - Published: 6 May 2012

178- Not With A Bang But A Whimper

In the last few years of the Western Empire a series of Emperors came and went. The cycle finally ended in 476 with the exile of Romulus Augustulus.

Transcribed - Published: 30 April 2012

177- The Burning Ships

In 468 the two halves of the Empire combined forces to dislodge the Vandals from North Africa.They failed spectacularly.

Transcribed - Published: 22 April 2012

176- The Quote Unquote Emperor

From 461-465 the Western Empire was ruled by Ricimer through a puppet Emperor named Libius Severus. Not everyone in the west was supportive of the new regime.

Transcribed - Published: 16 April 2012

175- Trying to Take It All Back

From 457-461, Majorian marched around trying to reassert Imperial authority over the provinces while Ricimer remained in Italy.

Transcribed - Published: 9 April 2012

174- The Sack of Rome Part II

Following the death of Valentinian III there was an Imperial power struggle in the West. In the midst of this struggle, the Vandals sacked Rome in 455 AD.

Transcribed - Published: 2 April 2012

173- The Broken Bow

In the early 450s a string of deaths changed the political dynamic of Roman world. Between 450 and 455 Galla Placidia, Aelia Pulcheria, Atilla the Hun, Flavius Aetius and Valentinian III would all die- leaving the stage wide open for the next generation of leaders. Also, an announcment.

Transcribed - Published: 25 March 2012

172- Showdown

In 451 Atilla the Hun invaded the West. He was repelled by a coalition of forces lead by the General Aetius.

Transcribed - Published: 19 March 2012

171- The Gathering Storm

After placating Atilla with yet another indemnity, Theodosius II fell from his horse and died in 450, leaving the Eastern throne vacant.

Transcribed - Published: 11 March 2012

170- Atilla Cometh

In the 440s, the Huns began to direclty attack the Roman Empire.

Transcribed - Published: 19 February 2012

169- Huns and Vandals and Goths, Oh My

In the 430s the Romans dealt with increasingly agressive and confident barbarian tribes living both inside and outside the traditional borders of the Empire.

Transcribed - Published: 12 February 2012

168- The Rise of Aetius

In the late 420s AD, the Roman General Flavius Aetius connived and backstabbed his way up the chain of command.

Transcribed - Published: 5 February 2012

167- Exploiting the Opportunity

The Emperor Honorius died in 423, leading to a brief civil war between the Theodosian dynasty and a self-proclaimed Imperial regime in Ravenna.

Transcribed - Published: 29 January 2012

166- As Long As She's Nice To Look At

Constantius III continued to lead the Western Empire as its defacto Emperor until 421, when he was officially elevated to the rank of Augustus. Unfortunately, this elevation was not recognized by Cosntantinople.

Transcribed - Published: 22 January 2012

165- Reviving the Roman Name

Between 412 and 415 relations between the Romans and Goths shifted back and forth between alliance and antagonism.

Transcribed - Published: 15 January 2012

164- The Sack of Rome

After failing to secure a deal with Honorius, Alaric sacked Rome in August of 410. It was the first time the Eternal City had been sacked in 800 years.

Transcribed - Published: 9 January 2012

163- Theodosius's Walls

Following the death of Eudoxia, the Praetorian Prefect Anthemius took control of the Eastern Empire and ran it wisely for the next decade. Meanwhile in the West, anti-barbarian policies will lead to the invasion of Italy by Alaric.

Transcribed - Published: 18 December 2011

162- Opening the Floodgates

On New Year's Eve 406 a horde of barbarians crossed the lower Rhine into Gaul. Their arrival would have severe consequences for the Western Empire.

Transcribed - Published: 12 December 2011

161- The Swamps of Ravenna

Alaric and his Goths invaded Italy in 402. After they were pushed out, Stilicho moved the seat of the Western Imperial Court to the city of Ravenna.

Transcribed - Published: 5 December 2011

160- East vs. West

In the late 390s, the generals and ministers who dominated Arcadius and Honorius battled with each other for control of the Empire.

Transcribed - Published: 28 November 2011

159- The Divine Winds

After winning the Battle of the Frigidus River, Theodosius stood alone as the last sole ruler of the Roman Empire. He would be die just four months later.

Transcribed - Published: 21 November 2011

158- An Imperial Suicide

In 392 Valentinian II was found hanged in his bedchamber, paving the way for another Roman Civil War.

Transcribed - Published: 14 November 2011

157- Only the Penitent Man Shall Pass

After defeating the usurper Maximus in 388 AD, Theodosius found himself facing an even greater opponent in Ambrose of Milan.

Transcribed - Published: 31 October 2011

156- Jockeying for Position

From 383-387 the tense quasi-partnership of Maximus, Valentinian II and Theodosius ruled the Roman Empire. During those years Bishop Ambrose and Nicean Christianity pushed themselves to dominance over their Arians rivals.

Transcribed - Published: 24 October 2011

155- The New Bishop of Milan

In 383 the General Magnus Maximus rose up in revolt against Gratian. The power sharing agreement that followed Maximus's victory would be negotiated in part by St. Ambrose, the influencial new Bishop of Milan.

Transcribed - Published: 16 October 2011

154- The Gothic War

Following Adrianople, Theodosius was brought in to salvage the situation. After determining that he could not beat the Goths in battle, the new Emperor was forced to sign a peace with the barbarians that treated them as, gasp, equals.

Transcribed - Published: 10 October 2011

153- Adrianople

Operating with faulty intelligence and desperate to defeat the Goths on his own, Valens forced the disasterous Battle of Adrianople in August 378.

Transcribed - Published: 2 October 2011

152- The Storm Before the Storm

In 375 the Huns exploded into Gothic territory, sending refugees fleeing for the saftey of the Roman Empire.

Transcribed - Published: 25 September 2011

151- Bursting a Blood Vessel

Valens spent the late 360s and early 370s dealing with hostile Goths in the north and hostile Persians in the east. In 375 he would be left to face these threats alone when Valentinian suddenly died.

Transcribed - Published: 11 September 2011

150- The Perils of Mismanagement

in the late 360s and early 370s AD Roman mismanagment of three different regions in the Western Empire led to armed conflict.

Transcribed - Published: 4 September 2011

149- The Great Conspiracy

In the winter of 367 Britannia was hit from all sides by a coordinated barbarian invasion. It would be more than a year before the Romans were able to reassert control over the island.

Transcribed - Published: 29 August 2011

148- The Cousin's Cousin

Shortly after Valentinian and Valens ascended to the throne, one of Julian the Apostate's maternal cousins seized control of Constantinople.

Transcribed - Published: 22 August 2011

147- Capitulation

Jovian extracted the Roman legions from the east at a heavy price. He then ruled the Empire for eight months before suddenly dying on his way to Constantinople in early 364.

Transcribed - Published: 15 August 2011

146- The Spear of Destiny

In 363 Julian launched an invasion of Sassanid Persia. He would die in battle just three months later.

Transcribed - Published: 8 August 2011

145- Julian the Apostate

Julian came to power in late 361 and immediately set about trying to turn back the clock on both Church and State.

Transcribed - Published: 31 July 2011

144- The Road to Constantinople

Once he was established as a force to be reckoned with in the west, Julian revolted against Constantius II in 360 after the Emperor ordered half the Gallic army redeployed to the eastern frontier.

Transcribed - Published: 25 July 2011

143- Julian the Pre-Apostate

After a childhood spent mostly in exile, Juian was elevated to the rank of Caesar in 355. His first assignment was to clear Gaul of Germanic invaders.

Transcribed - Published: 10 July 2011

142- You've Earned It

After two years of sporadic war, Constantius II defeated the usurper Magnentius in 353. Following his victory the Emperor let his advisors talk him into executing first Gallus in 354 and then Claudius Silvanus in 355.

Transcribed - Published: 4 July 2011

141- Blood and Water

Constantius and Constans shared the Empire for a decade until Constans was overthrown by a rebel general named Magnetius in 350 AD.

Transcribed - Published: 27 June 2011

140- My Three Sons

The three sons of Constantine took control of the Empire following the death of their father and the murder of most of their extended family.

Transcribed - Published: 20 June 2011

139- Wash Away Your Sins

Constantine was baptized on his deathbed after arranging a plan for succession.

Transcribed - Published: 13 June 2011

138- The New Rome

Live and direct from Old Rome!

Transcribed - Published: 30 May 2011

137- The Christian Emperor

This episode brought to you live and direct from Constantinople! After defeating Licinius, Constantine found his dream of a united Christian Empire foiled by a very disunited Christian Church.

Transcribed - Published: 15 May 2011

136- Let This Be Our Final Battle

War between Licinius and Constantine flared up again in 324 AD. This time Constantine would finish the job.

Transcribed - Published: 1 May 2011

135- Brothers in Name Only

Constantine and Licinius split up the Empire following the death of Maximinus Daia in 313. It did not take long for relations betweent the two Emperors to turn sour.

Transcribed - Published: 25 April 2011

134- And Then There Were Two

In 313 AD, Maximinus Daia and Licinus fought for control of the Eastern Roman Empire.

Transcribed - Published: 18 April 2011

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