Roman Empire News
12 Byzantine Rulers: Part 4 - Constantine - Part 2
Constantine has achieved supreme power and made one of the most momentous decisions in history, that of founding a new capital and rescuing a faith seemingly on the brink of schism. However, his megalomania undid most of his work unifying the church and threatened the very stability of the state. Does such a man truly deserve to be called great? Join Lars Brownworth as he looks at the apogee of Constantine's career and his impact on history.
12 Byzantine Rulers: Part 1 - Introduction
What is the Byzantine Empire? Why would a Byzantine citizen call himself Roman and not know what the Byzantine Empire was? In this introduction to Byzantine history, Lars Brownworth describes where Byzantium came from and why defining Byzantium is a murky and difficult task.
12 Byzantine Rulers: Part 11 - Irene
When the weak, ineffectual emperor Leo IV died in 780, he left the empire divided and in the hands of an orphan from Athens; the beautiful and grasping Empress Irene. 17 years later she was crowned as sole ruler after murdering her own son to take his place. It was hardly an auspicious start, beset by enemies on every border, the empire was now facing its most serious internal threat; the terrible iconoclastic controversy. Successive emperors had neglected the frontiers to concentrate on the war against icons, and in the process had not only weakened the state, but had destroyed some of the finest works of art the Byzantine world ever produced. Even worse, an emperor had at last returned to the long vacant throne of the West, to challenge Byzantium's claim of universal temporal domination. If ever the empire had needed strong leadership, it was now. Join Lars Brownworth as he looks at the reign of Irene; the only woman to rule the empire, not as Queen or Regent, but as a King.
The Golden Rule
| Treat your inferior as you would wish your superior to treat you. .... Remember, if you please, that the man yo call slave sprang from the same seed, enjoys the same daylightm breathes like you, lives like you, dies like you, You can as easily conceive him a free man as he can conceive you a slave. - Seneca |
The Satyricon - Petronius
One usually begins these writings on Roman literary works with an introduction to the author of the said work. In the case of The Satyricon, however, matters become complicated. Scholars have only a single name connected with the work: Petronius. While they cannot say with certainty who this Petronius is, ...
