WotWotius

Yes, I admit it was a tad over-simplistic, but Nero, at least in my opinion, was in fact a 'spoilt brat' towards the end of his reign. And the reason the influence of his advisors was not shown was because the show started in 64 AD; this new docudrama got to grips with a man who was beginning to realise just how much unconstrained power he had.

I work in one of those, and I cannot find there. But thank you, second-hand book shops are brilliant. Yes, H H Scullard's From the Gracchi to Nero is the book that single-handedly got me interested in all things Roman; I suppose that's why I'm so eager to get one of his other books.

I have found the funniest place name ever. Click here.

Another 'I should really get out more' minute error that I picked up was Nero's reason for kicking Poppaea to death. According to Suetonius it was because she nagged him about staying out at the games for too long. Instead she is killed because Nero suspected her of open criticism.

I also have another faultfinding point: acourding to sources (their credability may be questionable), rather than using a dagger, Nero stabbed himself with a pen.

I would like to come at this at a different angle, and give my simplistic reason for the demise of the Republic: Rome expanding her overseas provinces. The great influx of slaves Rome experienced as a result of her foreign wars meant that Rome's workforce was now saturated with free labour; this subsequently lead to the rise of Latifundia (large slave run prairie farms owned by senators, rich from Rome expansion), and before you knew it, Italian farmers were forced off their land into over-crowded cities; this social injustice at the hands of the nobility then instigated the ideologies which internally wounded the Republic (e.g. Opimates Vs Populares). Additionally, the rise in Rome's territories meant that armies on the frontlines were great distances from Rome, and were often on campaign for a longer amount of time. The expansion of provinces would mean a greater amount of warfare. If a successful general led the troops, warfare would mean booty. Booty would mean loyalty to the general rather than Rome. These ambitious generals therefore, could use their troops dissociation with Rome, and subsequent loyalty to them, to their advantage: if they wanted them to (as the events of the Later Republic proved), generals could persuade their troops to march on Rome.

Obviously a hairy barbarian thought it was not wort stealing!

It was excellent in many respects. However, I always imagined Nero's artistic inclinations as being a fa

The swastika is a sacred symbol in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism alike. My city (Leicester, UK) houses the only Jain temple in Europe, and it is covered in swastikas. Likewise the Buddhist societies in Leicester additionally use the symbol; so Favonius Cornelius was correct in saying that the swastika has associations with Buddhism. It is not as simple as Hitler stealing the symbol straight from India

That is because we do not see them until episode two: Attia offers Pullo dormice when both he and Vorenus return young Octavian to her.

...as is yours.

A library? Nope, Leicester

I was looking through Northern Neil's aerial photos of various amphitheatres, and I came across one located in Naples. http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...=si&img=807 I have been to Naples once before, and I must have missed this gem of a sight. Does anybody have any on-ground photos of it? It would be interesting to see just how much of this sight still remains.

To quote Robert Lane Fox's Alexander '...Arabia, Carthage, Sicily, the Caspian, none was as wild an ambition as the first invasion of Asia with few ships, money or men.' If Alexander could bring victory with little supplies in Asia, he would have been able to bring victory in Africa.

So has anybody found a cheap copy of the H H Scullard book?

I was in bed last night, and once again, I was woken abruptly by a noise. This time I wasn't my brother (he was in Spain at the time), but the sound of a window smashing in the building apposite my house. Already content with staying in bed, and safe in the knowledge that the building was in fact a derelict hall of residents

I picked up on a two very minor points: Julia, the wife of Pompeius Magnus and Daughter of Caesar, actually died while Caesar was busy campaigning in Britannia. Lucius Vorenus referred to his marriage as a 'special commission' for his services as Roman Primus Pilus. However, in a later episode it comes up in conversation that Vorenus and his wife were married before he joined the army. Surely Vorenus would have entered the army as a mere Tirones, and therefore would not have received a special marriage commission. It just seems like the writers hurriedly put in a reason for his marriage when they found out legionaries of Rome could not marry.

This is indeed a good read, though as stated earlier, his attempt to depict Scipio as the world's greatest general is crammed full of revisionist zeal; his apparent superiority over Napoleon, and modesty as a general are highlighted, but his assessment of his flawed political career is a bit thin on the ground. However, I am quite inclined to believe that this is one of the best books on Scipio: Hart sheds light on a man little known outside of historical circles, and even though at the end of the book I felt Hannibal was still the greater man, he brings a unique view of Scipio to the public. Though having said this, I am still yet to read HH Scullards' Scipio Africanus: Soldier and Politician as I am in fact having trouble finding a copy under

...hehe

Yes, Scipio Aemilianus was in fact Aemilius Paulus' son. He was also present at Pydna, and, according to Plutarch, he fought exceptionally well on the cavalry wing: Well, then, when it was already late and he was almost despaired of, he came in from the pursuit with two or three comrades, covered with the blood of the enemies he had slain, having been, like a young hound of noble breed, carried away by the uncontrollable pleasure of the victory. This was that Scipio who, in after times, destroyed Carthage and Numantia, and became by far the most noble and influential Roman of his day. Thus Fortune, postponing to another season her jealous displeasure at the great success of Aemilius, restored to him then in all completeness his pleasure in his victory. -Plutach, life of Aemilianus Paullus, 22 Some sources (I cannot remember which) place the blame of Aemilianus' apparent murder on the shoulders of his wife, Sempronia

Alex Ferns as in Trevor...

The RTW engine was also used in the show Decisive Battles, on the History Channel. Another military History program which uses credible computer graphics (though it does not used the RTW engine), is Battlefield Britain: presented by the father and son historian duo, Peter and Dan Snow.

...or the militant crusher of Boudicca, Suetonius Paulinus.

I would additionally recommend H H Scullard's From the Gracchi to Nero: History of Rome from 133 B.C.to A.D.68 , which, as well as looking at the Julio-Claudian period, also deals with the build up to the Principate.

If you want to get an insight into the personality of the Emperors, you need the The Twelve Caesars , written by the contemporary biographer, Suetonius. Alternately, you could read it online here. I hope that was of some use to you.