What Is Your Favorite Era Of Roman History?

[senatus populusque romae]

Punic wars...clearly it's understandable what era is that:-)

[metforce]

Late empire, from Valentinian to Justinian.

[Ursus]

I'll answer my own question. I've always seen the Republic as something of a prologue to the Empire, and my interests usually focused on the rise of Caesar through the early empire. I marked "principate." However, that subject has been well debated on this site and elsewhere. Lately I've taken an interest in the later empire as a fresh new ground of study. I'm pleased there are others who are interested.

[M. Porcius Cato]

From the royal rule of Caesar in the first century BC to the second decade of the 20th century--when the last Kaisar and Czar were deposed--Europe was plagued by kings.

 

In the history of mankind, republics have been rare and brief, but the precious freedom they have offered has always moved us forward with a matchless dynamism and energy. Surely the small band of aristocrats who overthrew the kings that ruled Rome never could have imagined what they would unleash (and many more surely wished to have had a return to the monarchy), but for a brief interlude in human history, the many had a participation in government that was never before afforded on such a scale and would be not be matched again until nearly the 18th century. By providing a democratic check on the power of the few, the republic created the political conditions for a legal code that was more just, for a set of human rights that was more moral, and for an economy that was more capable of meeting the basic needs and higher aspirations of its citizenry. (And, yes, I know the system wasn't perfect.)

 

For me, the 500 years of republican government that the Romans established was a marvel--perhaps a hopeless one--but a marvel nonetheless. Within those years, the Roman Republic unified almost the whole Mediterranean world, solved thorny problems of political science that continue to inform statecraft today, and spread the light of Hellas to even the darkest corners of Europe. In my opinion, the slow unravelling of that beneficent (though imperfect) system was one of the most consequential series of events in human history.

 

That's why I think the late Republic is so interesting, and that's why I voted for it.

Edited May 6, 2006 by M. Porcius Cato

[Ursus]

My, you do go on at times.

[M. Porcius Cato]

My, you do go on at times.

I felt inspired--sorry for offending anyone's laconic leanings.

[phil25]

I'll put in a word for monarchy - in the UK, for instance, it has provided a reasonably flexible institution (at least as flexible as, if not more so than an elected head of state) in ensuring continuity and acceptance of fairly radical change in society in a short period.

 

The German monarchies expressed the will of those nations at the time. Was the kaiser that much more bellicose than his chum, Theodore Roosevelt?

 

Italy was able to unite under a monarchy in the C19th.

 

And I'd just point out that future generations may be as critical of inefficient democracy, as some today are of monarchy. few republics in history have actually been remotely free - most (as in Rome) were feudal oligarchies.

 

Today, given modern communications and the size of populations, democracy is a myth - and is leading to nations becoming ungovernable - viz US, France and maybe the UK.

 

I could go on.

 

Phil

[Virgil61]

If cornered to make a choice then it would be the whole republican period. At it's idealistic best the Republic set a benchmark for centuries on what a social contract between government and the citizenry should be set up as per Cato's post. At it's worst it showed how human failings could tear those ideals and their implementation apart. Add to that the concurrent expansion and then appearance of Rome as one of the definitive world powers in history and it makes for pretty heady stuff.

[Ursus]

I could go on.

 

 

Interested parties may continue the debate on the relative merits of a monarchy (and other contemporary political trends) on the Afterhours forum. Thank you.

[tflex]

I voted for the late republic, because it was such a mess with all the Chaos. Without Chaos, things can be pretty boring.

[Julian]

Dominate into Byzantine for me. For reasons previously mentioned by others.

[coolgolfer]

A toss-up between the Dominate and the Byzantine period, but in the end, I think that the Byzantine period is more fascinating.

 

 

More Fascinating how??? Why would you say that the Byzantine period was more fascinating then any other the periods??

 

I voted for the late republic, because it was such a mess with all the Chaos. Without Chaos, things can be pretty boring.

 

You may be right about the fact that there was alot of choas in the late republic, but would you agree that the dominate was more interesting and also had choas and intrigue more so then the time-frame of the late republic?

[Lex]

Things that I find quite fascinating (or entertaining) about the Byzantine era are the villains, the intrigue, the back-stabbing, the cruelty, and even the sheer arrogance and cultural isolation of the Byzantines. I don't mean this in a negative way though, it just makes the period more interesting for me. I also find it fascinating to see how the Roman state evolved, still calling itself 'Roman', yet having evolved into something so different...yet still legally the Roman successor state.

 

The way the Greeks regarded the Westerners or 'Franks' is also quite amusing since they viewed them as crude barbarians even though they weren't really, since the Byzantines viewed anything from the West, especially the culture as inferior. The absolute image projected by the Emperor and the extremely complicated court procedures and the fancy titles, uniforms and diadems makes the their state seem quite unique to me.

 

For long they were quite weak, relying mostly on mercenaries, yet projected themselves as superior to all other nations or kingdoms, even though they might have been weaker and eventually poorer. They had a lot of dignity. And they recovered from so many disasters and unstable periods and made quite a few (albeit temporary) comebacks. Their recovery from the Fourth Crusade is a true inspiration for me, since their government was virtually destroyed and their capital taken...yet they managed to eventually reclaim what was theirs!

Edited May 16, 2006 by Lex

[coolgolfer]

I have to say that after reading your response to my question, now I do understand why you find the Byzantine period very interesting. Your are right about events and how they viewed and protrayed themselves compared to other cultues or societies. I like both periods, but I find myself continues drwan back to the Roman Empire. I have too get myself to read more about the Byzantine period. I've been so busy ready about the roman empire.

 

 

 

Things that I find quite fascinating (or entertaining) about the Byzantine era are the villains, the intrigue, the back-stabbing, the cruelty, and even the sheer arrogance and cultural isolation of the Byzantines. I don't mean this in a negative way though, it just makes the period more interesting for me. I also find it fascinating to see how the Roman state evolved, still calling itself 'Roman', yet having evolved into something so different...yet still legally the Roman successor state.

 

The way the Greeks regarded the Westerners or 'Franks' is also quite amusing since they viewed them as crude barbarians even though they weren't really, since the Byzantines viewed anything from the West, especially the culture as inferior. The absolute image projected by the Emperor and the extremely complicated court procedures and the fancy titles, uniforms and diadems makes the their state seem quite unique to me.

 

For long they were quite weak, relying mostly on mercenaries, yet projected themselves as superior to all other nations or kingdoms, even though they might have been weaker and eventually poorer. They had a lot of dignity. And they recovered from so many disasters and unstable periods and made quite a few (albeit temporary) comebacks. Their recovery from the Fourth Crusade is a true inspiration for me, since their government was virtually destroyed and their capital taken...yet they managed to eventually reclaim what was theirs!

[Favonius Cornelius]

Early to middle Republic, when men were men, and dignitas meant something.