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The History of Rome

The History of Rome

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The History of Rome posts

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

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Revolutions Launch

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

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Update- One Year Later

Next show coming soon!

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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.  

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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. 

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177- The Burning Ships

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

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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. 

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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. 

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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. 

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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. 

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172- Showdown

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

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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.

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170- Atilla Cometh

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

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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. 

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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. 

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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. 

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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.

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165- Reviving the Roman Name

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

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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. 

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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.

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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. 

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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. 

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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. 

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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.

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158- An Imperial Suicide

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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