Jump to content
UNRV Ancient Roman Empire Forums
  • Guest

    Anthemius

    By Guest, in News,

    Guest biography contribution on the late western emperor Anthemius by forum member "Honorius".

     

    "Anthemius came to power through merit and family influence. While a notable general, he was also the grandson of the infamous Anthemius, builder of the Theodosian walls and a notable philosopher. Perhaps most importantly he had the support of the emperor of the East, Leo.

     

    Anthemius marched on Rome with a substantial army that he had been appointed to his command by the eastern emperor and was quickly draped in the purple of the emperors on 12 August 467 AD. Despite the rapid acceptance, Anthemius was being watched with much suspicion by the Suevian count Ricimer, who had effectively been king maker in the Western Empire for many years and had been responsible for the accession of this new emperor from the east. Despite his suspicions, Ricimer accepted Anthemius as the new western emperor. He had desperately needed Leo?s support against the newly established Vandal kingdom in North Africa after the failure of Majorian's expedition. However, even with the support of the Eastern Empire, the largest ever Roman expedition failed under the incompetent Basiliscus. The Vandal scourge continued to plague the West, further undermining Anthemius? rule."...

     

    Anthemius

    Guest
    "Lucid" is how I would describe Southern's work, employing the same adjective the publisher used in the back cover promotion. David Potter's Roman Empire at Bay was an informative study of the same time period, but so packed with academic postmodern jargon that is was distracting. Southern definitely writes for the general reader, not an academic audience. The University of London graduate was educated in history and archaeology, but is quite adept at conveying the information presented by the evidence in a deftly simply manner. Such is the clarity that I believe a promising high school student could easily devour this work...
     
    Read "Ursus'" full review of The Roman Empire: from Severus to Constantine by Pat Southern.
    Guest

    The Hun - Scourge of God

    By Guest, in News,

    Review by forum member "Caldrail"
     
    "The Scourges of Gods Fury" - So named by Bishop Isidore of Seville in the 7th century, the Huns gained a fearsome reputation as merciless invaders that survives in popular culture to this day. They are described as "Repulsively ugly, their hideous faces scarred by gashes made in their youth to destroy the roots of the beard, the Huns spread terror where-ever they went". This sort of thing is typical of modern opinion. After all they're often credited with the fall of the Roman Empire. Were they such fierce destroyers of civilisation? The fact is, and this is underlined by the author, the Huns left no written record about themselves. All we know is what has been passed down from Greek and Latin sources. Even then, so much has been lost. Entire histories that dealt with the Huns have disappeared forever....
     
    Read the full review of
    The Hun, Scourge of God by Nic Fields and Christa Hook
    Guest
    "Does the world need yet another book on the Caesars and the fall of the Republic? Well, yes, actually, as long as it is written with the clarity and probing analysis of Phillip "Maty" Matyszak. In The Sons of Caesar, the good Cambridge doctor of history offers a penetrating study of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, the convoluted and dysfunctional family that presided over Rome's transition from Republic to Empire"...
     
    Continue reading the full review of The Sons of Caesar.
     
    Follow the review with some personal insight, in an interview with the author, Dr. Phillip Matyszak.
    Guest

    Roman Life

    By Guest, in News,

    A Review by "Ursus"...
     
    "Romanophilia admits to myriad interests, both subtle and gross. For some the chief interest in Rome is the grand politics of a long-lived civilization etched out by personalities ranging from noble to psychotic. Others see in Rome the austere majesty of the legions and the mystique of ancient warfare. A third camp explores culture and daily life. While having an interest in all areas, it is the latter that has always especially captivated me and continues to do so. From the silent majesty of architecture to the din of the gladiator games, from the sacredness of a religious ceremony to the sumptuousness of the dinner table, I feel both vexed and comforted by the quotidian experiences of our esteemed forebears."
     
    Read the full review of Roman Life by John R. Clarke...
    Guest

    Severus' Administration and the Legions

    By Guest, in News,

    A continuation of the historical narrative:
     
    Ultimate victory over rivals Pescennius Niger and Clodius Albinus allowed Septimius Severus to focus his attention addressing legionary reform and engaging in military endeavors against external threats. Having already reformed the praetorian guard, who were responsible for the murder of Pertinax and the auction of the empire to Didius Julianus, Severus raised the pay scale by one half of the standard for legionaries, allowed more opportunities for promotion and in AD 197 legalized marriage for soldiers...
     
    Severus' Administration and the Legions
    Guest
    Another thought-provoking review by "Ursus"...
     
    "I am greatly surprised I have not heard more about this work. It is one of those studies I describe as intelligent but not pretentious. By that I mean it is rooted in sound scholarship (the author being a history professor at the University of Amsterdam), but written clearly enough that one need not be a diehard Romanophile or even an university graduate to appreciate its erudition. It is a fast enough read - I finished it in half a day - and yet every page is crammed full with useful info. The subject matter is itself a survey of one of the most infamous phenomenon of ancient history, a blood soaked pastime that has captivated many who otherwise might not have any use for Roman culture. Given all this I find it strange, and yet also quite exhilarating, that I am the first writer of UNRV to grace my comrades with word of this worthy tome."...
     
    Read the full review of The Gladiators: History's Most Deadly Sport by Fik Meijer
    Guest
    Forum leader "Ursus" presents the following review:
     
    "One of UNRV's more accessible resources is the smattering of bona fide scholars and authors that grace our fora. Our longest serving resident scholar is the venerable Andrew Dalby, an Oxford trained scholar on the classical world with interests in language and food. Two of my esteemed fellow moderators have submitted reviews on Dalby's works, each choosing a subject near and dear to their heart. The delightfully gastronomic Pertinax devoured Dalby's Empire of Pleasures, while the deeply Hellenophile Pantagathus sung odes for Dalby's Rediscovering Homer. My own special interest is Greco-Roman mythology and religious cult. It was thus a pleasant surprise when I discovered Mr. Dalby had written a retelling of Bacchic myth. Not to be outdone by my two erudite legati colleagues, I immediately crafted the following review as a prelude to an interview with Mr. Dalby."
     
    Continue reading the review of Bacchus: A Biography and the accompanying interview with author Andrew Dalby.
    Guest

    Rome Total War Review

    By Guest, in News,

    A review of an ancient world classic PC game by "Ursus"...
     
    "A review should be reflective of the medium under study. I'm not reviewing a scholarly book or even a classic film, but a popular piece of gaming entertainment. So let us drop all literary pretenses and get down to business! Whether you are an eager gamer of 16 or 60, you probably want a basic assessment to determine if the game is worth purchasing. To that end, I present The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of "Rome Total War: Gold Edition." The Gold Edition offers the original "Rome Total War" (RTW) as well as the "Barbarian Invasion" (BI) expansion pack..."
     
    Read the full review of Rome Total War: Gold Edition
    Guest

    Political Violence in the Roman Republic

    By Guest, in News,

    This table compiles names of prominent individuals who were victims of political violence in the Roman Republic. The term is used loosely and includes those killed in civil war, exiled and/or convicted on various politically inspired prosecutions, as well as those proscribed and otherwise murdered.
     
    This compilation highlights the period from the Gracchi to the Death of C. Iulius Caesar (132 - 44 BC). Parts 2 and 3 (detailing the early Republic and the period from Caesar to the 3rd Augustan settlement) will follow later.
     
    Political Violence in the Roman Republic
×
×
  • Create New...