Cleopatra - Hail Caesar! - Extra History - #2
Added 2020-10-02 17:30:16 +0000 UTCMan we gotta get around to that Caesar series one of these days.
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Comments
Thanks for so much more about Cleopatra. And as a bonus, the crepuscular (sunrise or sunset?) ship on the Nile picture is the most gorgeous slide I can recall you creating. And of course I loved seeing Zoe peeking out from bedsheets. :)
Bill Lemmond
2020-10-14 04:00:28 +0000 UTCThe Siege of Alexandria is a pretty fascinating turning point in western history. Speaking of which - Arsinoe shouldn't be forgotten here, since she was used as an implicit threat to Cleopatra's rule by Rome for years after this event.
Brian Rose
2020-10-02 22:42:18 +0000 UTC"Brusband." XD
ThePrederick
2020-10-02 20:00:22 +0000 UTCCleopatra's son with Caesar was technically named Ptolemy XV, but everyone called him Caesarion both then and now. I'm sure this will come up in the Lies episode.
Joshua Evans-Lowell
2020-10-02 18:34:54 +0000 UTCAre you fellows going to go into full Shakespearean verse at any point during this series or am I going to have to do it for you? [there is a Shakespeare play called Antony and Cleopatra.] 650 BC In the Kingdom of Lydia, King Gyges of Lydia Introduces the World’s First Standardised Monetary System, in the Form of Electrum Coins Stamped with the King’s Seal. This Idea will Eventually Spread throughout the World, and Replace the Bartering Economies with Money Economies. 606 BC In the Egyptian Empire, Pharaoh Harsiese, in Temporary Control of Phoenicia, Hires Phoenician Shipwrights to Build a Fleet of Ships for the Purpose of Exploring the Coastline of the Mediterranean Sea. 603 BC In the Egyptian Empire, the Egyptian Exploratory Fleet, being Constructed at an Egyptian Port on the Mediterranean Sea by Phoenician Engineers on the Orders of Pharaoh Harsiese, sets Sail. The Fleet, Crewed by a Mix of Egyptian and Phoenician Sailors, Sails along the Mediterranean Coast. Every Autumn, they come Ashore and Plant the Land in whatever Part of the Coast they have reached, and there await the Harvest. Then, having Gathered the Crop, they Move on. And so, in this Manner, they are Able to Circumnavigate the Mediterranean Sea. 600 BC In the Egyptian Empire, the Rediscovery of Ophir Leads to a Reorientation of Egyptian Foreign Policy and Military Activity which will Last for the next Two Centuries. During this Period, Harsiese and his Successors will not Attempt any new Conquests in Asia but will Remain on the Defensive there. Instead, they will Focus on Expansion Southwards into Africa with their newly ~ Reorganised Army, which they Recognise as the Source of their Wealth. The Great March South has begun. 500 BC In the Republic of Ionia, Pythagoras, a Greek Philosopher and “the Father of Numbers,” Preaches that a Vegetarian Diet is Healthier for the Body and the Spirit. Later Greek Philosophers will Learn from him and, in turn, will Extoll the Benefits of Vegetarianism. Vegetarians, though not a Majority, are still an Important and Sizable Minority. 400 BC In the Republic of Malla, Gautama Buddha Passes away at the Age of 80 in the Town of Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, from a Common Illness: Food Poisoning. He will be Remembered by Future Historians as the Founder of the Fourth largest Religion in the World: Buddhism, whose Teachings will come to be Followed by 520,000,000 People Worldwide, Adapting Different Forms wherever it takes Root. Some Buddhist Denominations will Preach that the Buddha was a Magical Being who Consorted with Gods and Performed Miracles. Others will Argue that he was no more than a Human Being, which, they say, will Add Power to his Message. 399 BC 15th February In the Athenian Republic, the Greek Philosopher Socrates is Sentenced to Death by the Athenian Authorities on Charges of Atheism and Corrupting the Youth of Athens. He Refuses to Flee into Exile and Instead Commits Suicide at the Age of 71 by Drinking Hemlock. He will be Remembered by Future Historians as One of the most Widely Known Figures in Traditional Western Philosophy, as well as being its Founding Father. His Teachings will continue to be Taught in Classrooms and in Law Schools well into the 24th Century. 336 BC In the Kingdom of Macedonia, Basileus Philip II is Assassinated by One of his Own Royal Bodyguards, Pausanias of Orestis, during the Celebrations of the Marriage of his Daughter, Cleopatra of Macedonia, and King Alexander of Epirus, at the City of Aigai, Emathia. He will be Remembered by for Gaining Dominion over a large Part of Greece [in the Form of the Hellenic League] through Conquest and Diplomatic Means, Restoring Internal Peace to his Country as well as laying the Foundations for its Expansion under his Son, Alexander the Great. Pausanias is Executed on the Spot while trying to Flee from the Assassination by Several of Philip’s Bodyguards. In the Kingdom of Macedonia, Prince Alexander Succeeds his Father, Philip II, as Basileus of Macedonia at the Age of 20. 326 BC In the Macedonian Empire, Basileus Alexander “the Great” Astonishes everyone by Announcing his Conversion to Buddhism, and Proclaims himself the next Buddha. This Surprise Conversion Shocks his closest Advisors, some of whom even Convert to Buddhism themselves. 323 BC 28th May In the Macedonian Empire, Basileus Alexander “the Great” Collapses during a Prolonged Night of Drinking with his Generals in the Palace of Nebuchadnezzar II in the City of Babylon, Satrapy of Mesopotamia. He Develops a Fever, which worsens, leaving him Bedridden and unable to Speak. 322 BC In the Macedonian Empire, having mostly Recovered from his Illness, Basileus Alexander III “the Great” Departs Babylon with an Army, Intending to Conquer the Arabian Peninsula. This Army is very Different from the One which he had Departed Macedonia with 12 Years before. The Core of the Army is Built around Macedonian Veterans of the Lydian and Persian Campaigns but were mostly Persian Horse Archers and Mercenaries in Order to quickly March through the largely Arid Peninsula. 311 BC 9th April In the Macedonian Empire, Basileus Alexander III “the Great” Passes away from a Fever inside the City of Rome, Province of Latium. He will be Remembered by Future Historians as One of Antiquity’s Greatest Generals, a Successful Military Commander who not only Completed his Father’s Conquest of the Greek City States [thus Unifying the Greeks as a Single Political Entity for the very First Time] but also Destroyed Greece’s most Hated Foes, the Persian Empire, as well as bringing the Arabian Peninsula and much of Southern Europe into the Greek Fold. His Battles and Tactics will be Required Courses at most Military Academies, and he will Remain a National Hero in Greece and in the Diadochi Kingdoms, the Roman Republic, and in both the Byzantine Empire and the Republic of Greater Italy. For Buddhists, as the First European King to Convert to Buddhism, Alexander will be a Revered Figure [almost as much as Siddhartha Buddha in some Denominations] ~ looked up to as the Ideal Buddhist King for having Turned a Tradition into an Official State Ideology ~ and his Tomb in the City of Pella, Macedonia, will become a Place of Buddhist Pilgrimage. Judeo-Christians will also Honour Alexander for Sparing the Holy City of Jerusalem and Granting their Religion his Patronage and Protection, although he never Actually Converts. Zoroastrians and Persians will Remember him in a more Negative Light, although Acknowledging him as a Famous Military Leader, for Destroying their Ancient Civilization, Burning their Holy Book [the Avesta] and Persecuting their Followers. Islam will Remember Alexander as Dhul-Qarnayn, who Travelled East and West and Built a Wall between Mankind and Gog and Magog, whose Release will Signal the beginning of the End of the World. In the Macedonian Empire, the Shock of Basileus Alexander’s Early Death and his Lack of a chosen Successor sends Shockwaves throughout the Hierarchy of Satraps and Generals who Attend him. Almost Immediately, the Various Generals begin to Squabble. None of Alexander’s Heirs are of Age. Some, such as Perdiccas, Support the Natural Succession of Macedonia, others, such as Cassander, Believe Nicarchides, to whom Alexander had Entrusted his Ring, is the True Heir of Alexander's Realm. In short, the Chaos begins even before Alexander the Great’s Body has gone Cold. 216 BC In the Roman Republic, Honouring their Treaty Commitments, the Egyptians send an Invasion Force to Italy by Sea. The Egyptian Fleet Escorting the Invasion Force is Intercepted by that of the Romans off Tarentum, and a Naval Battle Occurs. Egyptian Archers Rain Flaming Arrows down on the Roman Vessels, setting many of them Ablaze, and those that do Manage to get in close enough to drop their Corvuses find they do not Work due to the new Railings Installed on the Egyptian Vessels. The Romans Suffer a Bloody Defeat and the Egyptians are Able to Land on Italian Soil. 215 BC In the Roman Republic, Rome Finally Surrenders to the Combined Egyptian and Carthaginian Armies after the Egyptians Transport over a Siege Train and bring it up to the Gates of Rome. Hannibal wants to Burn Rome to the Ground, Kill all the Males and Sell the Women and Children into Slavery, however Pharaoh Necho III, Horrified by the Thought of Destroying an Entire City just for the Sake of Revenge, Persuades Hannibal to show Mercy to the Defeated Romans. Rome is, instead, Stripped of all her Territories outside of Italy, which are given to Carthage, and Crushing War Reparations, Shared between Carthage and Egypt, are Imposed. The Second Punic War is over and Carthage and Egypt are now the most Powerful States in the Mediterranean World. 100 BC In the Roman Republic, a Son, Gaius, is Born in Rome to Senator Gaius Julius Caesar III and his Wife, Aurelia. 78 BC In the Roman Republic, Learning of the Death of Lucius Cornelius Sulla, Julius Caesar Feels Safe enough to Return to Rome. Lacking any Financial Means, he Acquires a Modest House in Suburra, One of Rome’s Lower ~ Class Districts. He Turns to Legal Advocacy and becomes Known for his Rousing Oratory Accompanied by Dramatic Hand Gestures.
Martin Verran
2020-10-02 17:50:08 +0000 UTCFinally! At last a fellow who's been a hero to me since I was about 10 gets to appear on EH!
Martin Verran
2020-10-02 17:40:05 +0000 UTC
