Comments on: Consequences of the Middle Republic Wars — lecture #4

By: tiberius gracchus | Sports-and-recreation

tiberius gracchus | Sports-and-recreation — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 05:41:46 +0000

[...] of the city of carthage. …Western Civilization - http://usmphilanthropia.blogspot.com/|||Consequences of the Middle Republic Wars 鈥?lecture #4Inner Strife and the Dynasts of the Late Republic. (This post is based on a lecture held by Jan [...]

By: Dread Pirate Terje

Dread Pirate Terje — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 10:53:51 +0000

“Flamen Dialis (”high priest of Jupiter”, if you want), not Pontifex Maximus (”Chief Pontiff”). He DID become Pontifex Maximus, though, much later, but that’s completely unrelated to this. And I don’t think there was any condition - that’s why I asked. As I’ve gathered, Sulla nulled his appointment like so many others, ceased his family assets like so many others, and would likely have had him proscribed like so many others if he hadn’t fled the city without returning before Sulla’s death. I don’t think the removal of the office was a condition in any way for Caesar surviving, that was just one of the many things Sulla did to him as he did to many other Marius-supporters.”

You know, this sounds a more likely scenario, but what I wrote was what Jan Frode Hatlen told us during a digression in this lecture, so I’m not really sure what to think. (No texts on our pensum go into much detail on this.)

But Mr. Frank Riber, you were at the lecture, weren’t you? (In addition to being a well-informed guy in general, I mean.) What do you think?

By: Dread Pirate Terje

Dread Pirate Terje — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 09:29:31 +0000

All of which can be summed up by the sentence “Augustus monopolised the patronage of the Roman people and the means to control this patronage”, of course.

By: Loki

Loki — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:31:24 +0000

Oh, and on a more serious note, maybe the gradual blending of Augustus’ personal funds with the funds of Rome that we spoke of in the comments on a previous post could also be added to that list.

By: Loki

Loki — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:30:00 +0000

Son in law, son, step-son, grandson, there’s hardly a term that’s not applicable to their relation by the end of the thing.

By: Martin Riber

Martin Riber — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:00:59 +0000

A couple of comments concerning the intstitutes of Augustus.

First off Augustus also introduced the Preatorian Guard in Rome (origionally the title signified an honorary guard detatchement for the commander in camp). This is not so significant early on, but will lead to great consequences later.

Secondly he established the gradual piling up of offices and titles as the means of succession during the principate. Starting with his best general Agrippa and ending (after a few accidents or murders, whichever you prefer) with his son in law Tiberius.

By: Loki

Loki — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 17:33:27 +0000

Cicero really shines in season 2. Lucius and Pullo keep going as they did in 1 - they’re maybe a tad better, but I’d say that that’s mostly just the tad that’s natural when considering the added character-growth an entire new season gives them. They were so brilliant already, season 2 is simply what’s to be expected: more of the same, built on the foundations of the old.

Octavian, well, it depends on what you think of the actor-switch (that they obviously had to do). I thought it was nice and well done, but I must admit a certain affinity for the kid-version compared to the grown-up.

By: Amras Elensar

Amras Elensar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 17:12:03 +0000

And Lucius and Octavian and Cicero. Frickin’ awesome show so far (2 eps in).

By: Loki

Loki — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 09:57:54 +0000

Mark Anthony is - for obvious reasons - much more centre stage in season 2, so you should enjoy it, then.

By: Amras Elensar

Amras Elensar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 09:36:26 +0000

I swears to come back read ‘em after I’m done with Rome, season 2.

Titus Pullo is teh man and Marc Anthony, too