(1) Derek Days (Literal):Having traveled through many peoples and many seasI arrive at these miserable offerings to the dead, brother,So that I might bestow you with the last gift of deathAnd that I may talk to silent ashes in vain.Since Fortune stole you, your very self, from me.Oh, sad brother, taken away from me indignantly,Now …
Historia Augusta
Roman history is generally marked by the renowned and accurate scholarship from ancient sources, such as Livy and Tacitus. There is a relatively in depth understanding of the general mythology surrounding the founding of the Kingdom of Rome, the later republic, and early Roman Empire from these sources. The written sources decline in quality, depth, …
Aurelian’s Reign: The End of the Crisis of the Third Century
Introduction: Emperor Aurelian and the Crisis of the Third Century The Crisis of the Third Century (235-285 CE) was the combination of administrative incompetence, foreign invasions, and the fracturing of the Roman Empire into three self-governing states which nearly collapsed the Roman Empire. However, the empire was able to recover and survive for nearly another …
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Aurelian’s Administrative Reforms in the Crisis of the Third Century
The Crisis of the Third Century (235-285 CE) was the combination of administrative incompetence, foreign invasions, and the fracturing of the Roman Empire into three self-governing states which nearly collapsed the Roman Empire. However, the empire was able to recover and survive for nearly another 1,200 years, in large part due to Emperor Lucius Domitius …
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Inflation in the Late Roman Empire
One of the most noticeable characteristics of the later Roman Empire was the heavy inflation they faced. For 2 centuries after Augustus became emperor, the Roman Empire was able to maintain two separate currencies: gold and silver. The silver coin, or denarius, was the standard currency. Small change was done in copper or bronze coins, …
On Aurelian
Just recently, I devised a back-of-the-napkin metric for historical influence: [Years of Continued Influence Following Death]/[Years Active]. Here’s how it’d work for Jesus. Jesus died in 33 CE, and no doubt this kick-started his greatest claim to fame. Last time I checked, Christianity was still relevant, so let’s make his years of continued influence 2022 …
Sports in Classical Antiquity
In today’s world, we enjoy making fun of barbaric Roman gladiator battles and laughing at the naked statues of Ancient Greek athletes. In terms of historical accuracy, these two examples are pretty truthful. In terms of self reflection, however, we might find these examples uncomfortably familiar. To better understand this and inflict insecurity in your …