105- The Last Princeps

Alexander was only 13 when he ascended to the throne in 222. With the help of his mother and a few key advisers, he managed to avoid being the kind of disaster that previous teenage Emperors had been.

105- The Last Princeps

Comments

[Michael]

G'day Mike. Love your podcast...something interesting for me to listen to at work. Thanks for putting this out.

[Charles]

REALLY oh man. What would I give to go to Rome again, this time with you as my guide. I would consider it an honor and a privilege of the highest order. Looking forward and saving money on it right now.

[Rob in Maine]

Charles, you can go there on the cheap. Look up the book "Ancient Rome on Five Denarii a Day"

[Snakus Viper]

Another great show mike! The History of Rome tour? Sounds awesome! For all my fellow ancient history fans, I've found something really good. The Apple iBookstore, which you can use if you have an iPod touch, iPhone or iPad, and maybe other things, i'm not sure, has the full 6 volume set of "The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" by Edward Gibbon, for free! It also has ancient historys, like Suetonius's Twelve Caesars. Hope you all enjoy :)

[Kathryn]

Despite making my way through a degree in Classics I've never been to Rome – a History of Rome tour sounds like the perfect visit! As long as the package isn't too restrictive (I'll be coming from the UK, not from the US) I'll start saving now. Do you have any idea of the price range?

[Foxericf]

Oh man, how fantastic would it be to tour Rome with Mr. History of Rome and fellow history nerds! I hope I can scrape the money together.

[DrsD]

Mike,

Great show have been listening to it for the past months (while doing the dishes late late at night) .... i have recently entered the stage where i have to wait a whole week for the next one ... keep up the good work.

[spahrtacus]

Hey DrsD, I have a solution for you. Listen to the whole thing again! :D

[Carl_inc]

I find the tour idea to be really, really good. I'd love to participate... I hope we'll hear more about this soon... That's really great.

[Andrew]

It would be so interesting to go to Rome with fellow enthusiasts. I was planning on going to Japan that year too...

[Wintermute Tessier-Ashpool]

Seeing Rome through your eyes would be quite an experience. Sign me up!

For those of us that live in Europe, it probably would be best if you could make any airplane tickets for the trip optional.

It would be really cool if you would put up a few maps with sites so that we could all do our own reading about them before we go.

[borodude67]

Great idea for a Rome tour Mike.

I'd certainly be up for it.

Was in Rome a couple years ago, but only for a day.

[Sebeil]

Hey Mike,

I've been listening a long time to your show now. You keep improving yourself, cheers for that! You've grown from a small hobby podcast to a professional one and that will show what passion can do.

I will keep following the podcast, although somehow the decline of Rome makes me feel sad and not as enthusiastic about it as the rise :-(

I am going to Rome next September for the third time; have to go regularly :-) would love to join in May 20111, consider me highly interested!

Regards,

[David "Antonius"]

I had no set plans for a trip to Rome... But this might be something I coudn't pass on. Eagerly looking forward to the details! This news has truly brightened my day!

[Lloyd Deane]

Hi Mike, I'm a big fan of your excellent podcast and you've whetted my appetite for more. Looking forward to hearing more details about the upcoming trip. Cheers!

[Brandi]

Really looking forward to more details about the trip to Rome!

[Jacob P]

I would be HIGHLY interested in the Rome tour, eagerly waiting for information on this one.

In regards to the episode, Alexander is one of my favorite emperors, he is probably the last emperor when the empire as a whole can be described as "prospering".

Also, i don't think Alexander can be called the last princeps, there were certainnly others after him. Im not sure who exactly was the last one, perhaps Tacitus (275-276)? I do know that the princeps didn't "officially" die until Diocletian.

[EricaGlasier]

Agree with Sebeil above; there have been several bummer emperors in a row. I'm missing me some Julio-Claudians right about now.

Dan Carlin's Hardcore History (the one with the wicked 3-episode series on the Punic Wars) just did a 1.5 hr show on the the transition of the republic into an empire.

We need some sort of sign-up for the tour NOW so no one gets left out! Will it be short, Mike, like a week (easier for people to work into their schedules)?

[Atomicrobot.wordpress.com]

A tour is a great idea!

[Kent Stater]

Hey Mike ...

I started listening to your wonderful podcast about 3 weeks ago and have been listening to it non stop!
I have just caught up with the latest episode. Let me tell you this, I hate having to wait for the next one ;)! I have been spoiled by an uninterrupted stream of podcasts!

[Stephen Cronin]

Dear Mike,
What an episode on which to catch up with! I've been listening for the past few months and have enjoyed your company immensely.
I'd love to be on the tour, but as someone else mentioned, we're not all Stateside. If there was a "flightless" package organised that would be ideal, since I'd be preferably flying from Ireland!

Ná lag Dia do lámh (nó seans, glór!).

[Luise (Tasmania, Australia)]

Hello All
Have just started reading Gibbon's Decline and Fall, I'm several pages in and am finding it quite enjoyable so far.

‎"Another damned, thick, square, book! Always scribble, scribble, scribble! Eh! Mr. Gibbon?" William Henry, Duke of Gloucester

found at...
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/spqrpage.html

Found this quote and thought I'd share it with you all, I'm sure it sums up what many would think on seeing the book! Don't let the size deter you! A THoR Tour of Rome! Count me in!

[Michael Fairfax]

Very excited about the proposed History of Rome trip to Rome. Was there last year, and would really love to go again. Beautiful city.

[Robert]

Salve Mike, I think that HoR trip is really a great idea. Looking forward to hearing more details.

[Corey Dulecki]

I would absolutely love to go to Rome with you as a guide, I'll start learning Italian right away! The only thing you might have to plan for is more demand than might make sense for one tour - perhaps you might have to do more. :)

[Steve M]

My wife and I were already planning a trip to Italy in May of 2011. How many people do you think you can take on the tour?

[Arthur]

The Roman tour sounds pretty awesome. I hope it will not just be Rome - but it would be pretty sweet to visit some of the provinces. 8 years ago I toured a bunch of Roman cities in Wales, England, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Germany and Switzerland. It would be nice to see the other parts of the empire as well.

I am definitely interested in going back though - even if it is just Rome.

[Edward]

Mike... going to Rome... Europe in general! is a huge part of my dream to travel around the world. This tour is an amazing idea, and a beacon of hope as I enter junior year next year in High School.

However, I'm concerned that at in May, I'll still be at school and it might hamper with my schoolwork and grades. Is it possible to reschedule to summer? I would think that it's more logical in a way because more students and more people will have a lot more free time during summer.

Thanks anyway Mike, and I'll probably go on tour anyway even if it's on May.

[Michaeljon]

Great Pod casts Mike, My job takes me from Cartagena to Sagunto each week and i couldnt find better company for the trip, i swear i've seen Legions on the march and a handfull of elephants in my rear view mirror on occasions. Thanx

[Cato the Modern]

Mike, I'd be interested in the tour of Rome as well. I've been a faithful listener to the podcast for over a year. Enjoy it greatly! Thanks for all the effort you put into it!

[cphi]

re tour - fantastic idea - a suggestion though - for those aren't able to attend perhaps you could record it and release it as a self-guided tour?

[Don E]

I've been wondering....how did the Romans communicate with the people from different parts of the empire?

For example, recall the captured tribal chief from Britain who save his life by his eloquent appeal to the Roman senate. I don't imagine he learned Latin well enough to give auch an impressive speech. It's also doubtful that the Roman senators spoke English, or whatever language this captive spoke.

[Soup]

Could Mike do a virtual tour of Rome for us poor college students? :D

[martin]

Greetings all,

About the History of Rome tour.
I just want to remind everyone that there are tons and tons of excellent 'Roman' sites which are not in the city of Rome or even in Italy.
I had gotten my fair share of amphitheaters, battle fields, walls and ruins years before I ever set foot in Rome proper.
Germany, Croatia, Swiss, Spain, France (etc) all have excellent sites which are well worth the detour.

and Mike-love the podcast

[Louis-Philippe]

I am interested to go to Rome with you guys too. Just say the price, and count me in!

[Ben Warsop]

Another European very interested and very excited about the idea of a History of Rome tour. Any chance of including Herculaneum too?

Ben

[Rob Mankiewitz]

A THoR tour - sounds brilliant

[Conrad]

After listening to your podcasts, I would so love to see a tv series about the Severans they way 'Rome' and 'I, Claudius' cover the last days of the Republic and early days of the empire. Julia Maesa seems perhaps to fit the mold of Robert Graves Livia more than the historical Livia does.

[cheap jordans]

The rains really don't depart until late September or early October. Sometimes it stays longer.
That's why I remember standing in the rain and feeling (and smelling) like a wet dog during the days Don Shula and Jimmy Johnson were the Dolphins coaches -- because both coaches forced their teams to practice in the elements. And the media had to stand there and watch.
Shula would contend practicing in the rain would prepare his teasdfms for dealing with the rain when it came down during the regular season. Johnson believed the practices in the rain toughened up his team.