Ad-Free History of Rome Patreon
05 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Become a patron and get the entire History of Rome backcatalog ad-fre, plus bonus content, behind th...
The Storm Before The Storm: Chapter 1- The Beasts of Italy
27 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Audio excerpt from The Storm Before the Storm: The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic by Mik...
Revolutions Launch
16 Sep 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Available at revolutionspodcast.com, iTunes, or anywhere else fine podcasts can be found.
Update- One Year Later
30 May 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Next show coming soon!
179- The End
06 May 2012
Contributed by Lukas
The history of The History of Rome...Why the Western Empire Fell when it did...Some thoughts on the ...
178- Not With A Bang But A Whimper
30 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
In the last few years of the Western Empire a series of Emperors came and went. The cycle finally en...
177- The Burning Ships
22 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
In 468 the two halves of the Empire combined forces to dislodge the Vandals from North Africa.They f...
176- The Quote Unquote Emperor
16 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
From 461-465 the Western Empire was ruled by Ricimer through a puppet Emperor named Libius Severus. ...
175- Trying to Take It All Back
09 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
From 457-461, Majorian marched around trying to reassert Imperial authority over the provinces while...
174- The Sack of Rome Part II
02 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Following the death of Valentinian III there was an Imperial power struggle in the West. In the mids...
173- The Broken Bow
25 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
In the early 450s a string of deaths changed the political dynamic of Roman world. Between 450 and 4...
172- Showdown
19 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
In 451 Atilla the Hun invaded the West. He was repelled by a coalition of forces lead by the General...
171- The Gathering Storm
11 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
After placating Atilla with yet another indemnity, Theodosius II fell from his horse and died in 450...
170- Atilla Cometh
19 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
In the 440s, the Huns began to direclty attack the Roman Empire.
169- Huns and Vandals and Goths, Oh My
12 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
In the 430s the Romans dealt with increasingly agressive and confident barbarian tribes living both ...
168- The Rise of Aetius
05 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
In the late 420s AD, the Roman General Flavius Aetius connived and backstabbed his way up the chain ...
167- Exploiting the Opportunity
29 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
The Emperor Honorius died in 423, leading to a brief civil war between the Theodosian dynasty and a ...
166- As Long As She's Nice To Look At
22 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Constantius III continued to lead the Western Empire as its defacto Emperor until 421, when he was o...
165- Reviving the Roman Name
15 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Between 412 and 415 relations between the Romans and Goths shifted back and forth between alliance a...
164- The Sack of Rome
09 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
After failing to secure a deal with Honorius, Alaric sacked Rome in August of 410. It was the first ...
163- Theodosius's Walls
18 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Following the death of Eudoxia, the Praetorian Prefect Anthemius took control of the Eastern Empire ...
162- Opening the Floodgates
12 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
On New Year's Eve 406 a horde of barbarians crossed the lower Rhine into Gaul. Their arrival would h...
161- The Swamps of Ravenna
05 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Alaric and his Goths invaded Italy in 402. After they were pushed out, Stilicho moved the seat of th...
160- East vs. West
28 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In the late 390s, the generals and ministers who dominated Arcadius and Honorius battled with each o...
159- The Divine Winds
21 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
After winning the Battle of the Frigidus River, Theodosius stood alone as the last sole ruler of the...
158- An Imperial Suicide
14 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In 392 Valentinian II was found hanged in his bedchamber, paving the way for another Roman Civil War...
157- Only the Penitent Man Shall Pass
31 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
After defeating the usurper Maximus in 388 AD, Theodosius found himself facing an even greater oppon...
156- Jockeying for Position
24 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
From 383-387 the tense quasi-partnership of Maximus, Valentinian II and Theodosius ruled the Roman E...
155- The New Bishop of Milan
16 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In 383 the General Magnus Maximus rose up in revolt against Gratian. The power sharing agreement tha...
154- The Gothic War
10 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Following Adrianople, Theodosius was brought in to salvage the situation. After determining that he ...
153- Adrianople
02 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Operating with faulty intelligence and desperate to defeat the Goths on his own, Valens forced the d...
152- The Storm Before the Storm
25 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In 375 the Huns exploded into Gothic territory, sending refugees fleeing for the saftey of the Roman...
151- Bursting a Blood Vessel
11 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Valens spent the late 360s and early 370s dealing with hostile Goths in the north and hostile Persia...
150- The Perils of Mismanagement
04 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
in the late 360s and early 370s AD Roman mismanagment of three different regions in the Western Empi...
149- The Great Conspiracy
29 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In the winter of 367 Britannia was hit from all sides by a coordinated barbarian invasion. It would ...
148- The Cousin's Cousin
22 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Shortly after Valentinian and Valens ascended to the throne, one of Julian the Apostate's maternal c...
147- Capitulation
15 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Jovian extracted the Roman legions from the east at a heavy price. He then ruled the Empire for eigh...
146- The Spear of Destiny
08 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In 363 Julian launched an invasion of Sassanid Persia. He would die in battle just three months late...
145- Julian the Apostate
31 Jul 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Julian came to power in late 361 and immediately set about trying to turn back the clock on both Chu...
144- The Road to Constantinople
25 Jul 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Once he was established as a force to be reckoned with in the west, Julian revolted against Constant...
143- Julian the Pre-Apostate
10 Jul 2011
Contributed by Lukas
After a childhood spent mostly in exile, Juian was elevated to the rank of Caesar in 355. His first ...
142- You've Earned It
04 Jul 2011
Contributed by Lukas
After two years of sporadic war, Constantius II defeated the usurper Magnentius in 353. Following hi...
141- Blood and Water
27 Jun 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Constantius and Constans shared the Empire for a decade until Constans was overthrown by a rebel gen...
140- My Three Sons
20 Jun 2011
Contributed by Lukas
The three sons of Constantine took control of the Empire following the death of their father and the...
139- Wash Away Your Sins
13 Jun 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Constantine was baptized on his deathbed after arranging a plan for succession.
138- The New Rome
30 May 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Live and direct from Old Rome!
137- The Christian Emperor
15 May 2011
Contributed by Lukas
This episode brought to you live and direct from Constantinople! After defeating Licinius, Constanti...
136- Let This Be Our Final Battle
01 May 2011
Contributed by Lukas
War between Licinius and Constantine flared up again in 324 AD. This time Constantine would finish t...
135- Brothers in Name Only
25 Apr 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Constantine and Licinius split up the Empire following the death of Maximinus Daia in 313. It did no...
134- And Then There Were Two
18 Apr 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In 313 AD, Maximinus Daia and Licinus fought for control of the Eastern Roman Empire.
133- The Milvian Bridge
11 Apr 2011
Contributed by Lukas
On October 28, 312 AD Constantine and Maxentius fought a battle at Rome's doorstep for control of th...
132- In This Sign
04 Apr 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Prior to the Battle of the Milvian Bridge Constantine experienced visions and dreams that promised h...
131- The New Game in Town
28 Mar 2011
Contributed by Lukas
With the Tetrarchy in shambles, Diocletian will be called out of retirement in 308 AD to help broker...
130- Lost in Transition
14 Mar 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Less than two years after Diocletian's abdication, the Tetrarchy was left in shambles following the...
129- Abdication
07 Mar 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In 305 AD, Diocletian and Maximian voluntarily abdicated the throne, handing power over to Galerius ...
128- The Great Persecution
28 Feb 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In 303 AD Diocletian initiated the last and greatest of the Christian persecutions.
127- Commanding The Economy
21 Feb 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Rome's economy was in disarray when Diocletian came to power and he initiated major overhauls to get...
126- All The King's Men
14 Feb 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Over the course of his reign Diocletian overhauled the government, transforming it into a centralize...
125- The Best Defence is a Good Defence
07 Feb 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Over the course of his reign Diocletian instituted a number of reforms to the military structure tha...
124- The Tetrarchs at War
31 Jan 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In the mid-to-late 290s the Imperial Tetrarchy was at war on multiple fronts. In the west Constanti...
123- The Tertrarchy
24 Jan 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In 293 AD Diocletian and Maximian invited Constantius and Galerius to share in their Imperial burden...
122- Jupiter and Hercules
16 Jan 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Immediatly after becoming the undisputed Emperor in 285, Diocletian elevated Maximian to serve as hi...
121- Phase Three Complete
10 Jan 2011
Contributed by Lukas
The Crisis of the Third Century finally ended with the mini dynasty of Carus and his two sons. In 28...
120- Interregnum
20 Dec 2010
Contributed by Lukas
After Aurelian's death, an old Senator named Marcus Cluadius Tacitus briefly reigned before the thro...
119- Restitutor Orbis
13 Dec 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Aurelian defeated the breakaway western provinces and reunified the Empire in 274 AD. The next year ...
118- The Palmyrene Wars
06 Dec 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In 272 Aurelian finally managed to bring the east back under Roman control by defeating Queen Zenobi...
117- Aurelian's Walls
29 Nov 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Aurelian became Emperor in 270 and immediatly faced an invasion of Italy by the Juthungi. After succ...
116- Here Come the Illyrians
22 Nov 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Claudius Gothicus became Emperor in 268 and promptly lead the legions to victories against the Goths...
115- Phase Two Complete
08 Nov 2010
Contributed by Lukas
The near simultaneous deaths of Gallienus, Odenathus and Postumus upset the political equilibrium in...
114- The Nadir of Our Fortunes
01 Nov 2010
Contributed by Lukas
The 260s AD were bad for the Romans, but they could have been a whole lot worse had not Gallienus, P...
113- Three Empires
24 Oct 2010
Contributed by Lukas
112- Captured Alive
18 Oct 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Valerian and his son Gallienus did their best to hold the Empire together through the 250s AD, but a...
111- Phase One Complete
04 Oct 2010
Contributed by Lukas
After the Battle of Abrittus, Trebonianus Gallus was proclaimed Emperor. After reigning for two year...
110- A Gothic Horror
27 Sep 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In 249 AD Decius ousted Philip the Arab and ascended to the Imperial throne. Two years later though,...
109- The New Millenium
20 Sep 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Gordian III died in 244 AD and was succeeded by his Praetorian Prefect Philip the Arab. While Philip...
108- Gordian's Knot
13 Sep 2010
Contributed by Lukas
By August of 238, the other five men who had claimed a share of the purple were dead, leaving 13-yea...
107- The Year of the Six Emperors
30 Aug 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In 238, a revolt in Africa sparked a revolution in Rome that would eventually lead to six different ...
106- Barbarian at the Gate
23 Aug 2010
Contributed by Lukas
After bungling a campaign in the east, Alexander headed to the Rhine where he was assassinated by Ma...
105- The Last Princeps
16 Aug 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Alexander was only 13 when he ascended to the throne in 222. With the help of his mother and a few k...
104- Here Comes the Sun
09 Aug 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Elagabalus became Emperor in 218 AD at the tender age of 14. His short reign was defined by a scanda...
103- The Equestrian
02 Aug 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Carcalla was killed by his Praetorian Prefect Macrinus in 217 AD. Macrinus then spent a troubled yea...
102- The Common Enemy of Mankind
26 Jul 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Septimius Severus died in 211 while campaigning in Britain. He left the Empire to his sons, but thei...
101- And All Was of Little Value
19 Jul 2010
Contributed by Lukas
After defeating Clodius Albinus, Septimius Severus turned over daily administration of the Empire to...
100- Black and White and Severus All Over
27 Jun 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Septimius Severus became the undisputed Emperor of Rome after defeating Pescennius Niger in 194 and...
099- What Evil Have I Done?
21 Jun 2010
Contributed by Lukas
After buying the Imperial throne, Didius Julianus only remained in power for 66 days before being ou...
098- Purchasing Power
14 Jun 2010
Contributed by Lukas
After Commodus was assassinated, Pertinax reigned for 86 days. He was murdered by the Praetorian Gua...
097- The Fall of Hercules
07 Jun 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Commodus went off the deep end around 190 AD and was finally killed by his inner circle in 192.
096- The Most Aptly Named Emperor
31 May 2010
Contributed by Lukas
The reign of Commodus turned on a botched assassination attempt orchestrated by his sister in 182 AD...
095- The Beginning of the End
24 May 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Marcus elevated Commodus to the position of co-Emperor and then died a few years later while campaig...
094- Revolt and Meditations
17 May 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In 175 Avidius Cassius led a brief revolt in the east that forced Marcus to postpone his final trium...
093- The Marcomannic Wars
10 May 2010
Contributed by Lukas
The Romans fought a series of campaigns against a coalition of German tribes from 167-175. They were...
092- The Parthian War
26 Apr 2010
Contributed by Lukas
After some initial setbacks, Marcus sent Lucius east to deal with a suddenly critical war with Parth...
091- Marcus and Lucius and the Parthians
19 Apr 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Marcus Aurelius was destined to become Emperor, but his insistence that Lucius Verus share the honor...
090- The Hundredth Episode
12 Apr 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Big question-time blowout!
089- Provincial Matters
05 Apr 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In which I talk for way too long about where the best tin deposits in the Roman Empire can be found.
088- A Day in the Life
22 Mar 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Life in Rome began at dawn and lasted until sunset. Work was done in the mornings while the afternoo...
087- Thinking and Feeling
15 Mar 2010
Contributed by Lukas
With Roman education leaving much to be desired, many citizens found enlightenment in the eastern my...
086- Wealth and Class
08 Mar 2010
Contributed by Lukas
The Roman world was divided between slaves, freedmen, and free citizens of every economic class. Gro...
085- Antoninus the Dutiful
01 Mar 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Antoninus's reign is often pointed to as the golden age of the Roman Empire. In many ways the assess...
084- Longing For Death
01 Mar 2010
Contributed by Lukas
After returning to Italy in 134 Hadrian spent a final few miserable years trying to plan the long te...