Adrian Goldsworthy

So in every respect, things are getting weaker. The emperor is in many ways more distant, but the commanders that the emperor requires and relies upon but also fears, because they're effectively the kingmakers. They're the ones that can get rid of you. If they are confident enough they can replace you, they might.

So in every respect, things are getting weaker. The emperor is in many ways more distant, but the commanders that the emperor requires and relies upon but also fears, because they're effectively the kingmakers. They're the ones that can get rid of you. If they are confident enough they can replace you, they might.

And you are trying to play one off against another because you don't want one man to have basically had a sword over your head saying, well, you know, obey me or you're gone. But again, that competition is disruptive. It's again, the perspective of the emperor is staying alive, which means staying emperor. That is the priority.

And you are trying to play one off against another because you don't want one man to have basically had a sword over your head saying, well, you know, obey me or you're gone. But again, that competition is disruptive. It's again, the perspective of the emperor is staying alive, which means staying emperor. That is the priority.

And you are trying to play one off against another because you don't want one man to have basically had a sword over your head saying, well, you know, obey me or you're gone. But again, that competition is disruptive. It's again, the perspective of the emperor is staying alive, which means staying emperor. That is the priority.

It isn't about the other things you might feel are good things about governing well, keeping the empire prosperous, but you are so removed from that and the empire is so small. And there is so little you can really do by this time because your warlords, yes, you can repulse Attila in a confused battle.

It isn't about the other things you might feel are good things about governing well, keeping the empire prosperous, but you are so removed from that and the empire is so small. And there is so little you can really do by this time because your warlords, yes, you can repulse Attila in a confused battle.

It isn't about the other things you might feel are good things about governing well, keeping the empire prosperous, but you are so removed from that and the empire is so small. And there is so little you can really do by this time because your warlords, yes, you can repulse Attila in a confused battle.

You can hold things together, but it's a question of patching up the cracks and then moving to the next one. and then hoping that the first crack hasn't broken out again before you've had time to come back and deal with that again. You are fighting fires at every stage. So they are struggling to do their job. They have less with which to do it.

You can hold things together, but it's a question of patching up the cracks and then moving to the next one. and then hoping that the first crack hasn't broken out again before you've had time to come back and deal with that again. You are fighting fires at every stage. So they are struggling to do their job. They have less with which to do it.

You can hold things together, but it's a question of patching up the cracks and then moving to the next one. and then hoping that the first crack hasn't broken out again before you've had time to come back and deal with that again. You are fighting fires at every stage. So they are struggling to do their job. They have less with which to do it.

And they're weaker as is this more removed, more distant, more symbolic emperor.

And they're weaker as is this more removed, more distant, more symbolic emperor.

And they're weaker as is this more removed, more distant, more symbolic emperor.

Yeah, in many respects. I mean, you can see, even if it's very limited success, Honorius, Valentini III, they are successful because they live a long time and they stay in power a long time. Some of their favorites, their generals rise and fall, and that allows them to continue. But when you have The system sort of running wild where nobody's lasting a long time. The Embrace aren't lasting.

Yeah, in many respects. I mean, you can see, even if it's very limited success, Honorius, Valentini III, they are successful because they live a long time and they stay in power a long time. Some of their favorites, their generals rise and fall, and that allows them to continue. But when you have The system sort of running wild where nobody's lasting a long time. The Embrace aren't lasting.

Yeah, in many respects. I mean, you can see, even if it's very limited success, Honorius, Valentini III, they are successful because they live a long time and they stay in power a long time. Some of their favorites, their generals rise and fall, and that allows them to continue. But when you have The system sort of running wild where nobody's lasting a long time. The Embrace aren't lasting.

The Favorites aren't lasting. People like Rissom are pulling the strings, but they're not achieving too much. Their main aim does seem far more about staying in control and power. You can see more of a serious effort to do things in a Mastilico or some of these earlier leaders, Aetius even.

The Favorites aren't lasting. People like Rissom are pulling the strings, but they're not achieving too much. Their main aim does seem far more about staying in control and power. You can see more of a serious effort to do things in a Mastilico or some of these earlier leaders, Aetius even.

The Favorites aren't lasting. People like Rissom are pulling the strings, but they're not achieving too much. Their main aim does seem far more about staying in control and power. You can see more of a serious effort to do things in a Mastilico or some of these earlier leaders, Aetius even.