We all know about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE, which obliterated several towns in southern Italy � such as Pompeii and Herculaneum.
My firsWe all know about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE, which obliterated several towns in southern Italy � such as Pompeii and Herculaneum.
My first Robert Harris novel and I enjoyed it. He integrated the factual aspects of this event with a cluster of characters which provided a personal perspective of this tragedy.
Attilius is our main character � he’s an engineer of the extensive, and remarkable Aqua Augusta, that provided water to numerous towns in southern Italy during this period. This aqueduct was an engineering masterpiece. As you’d expect, with Mount Vesuvius getting all excited and all, there was a great deal of subterraneous activity, resulting in water supply restrictions to towns, homes, and businesses.
Attilius is new to the area and must deal with local politics, he is viewed with suspicion. Particularly by Ampliatus � an ex-slave who has become a major player in local business and politics. Ampliatus is a nasty piece of work, but he has a beautiful daughter called Corelia. Attilius fancies her (of course) but he needs to sort out this water problem first. So, he heads towards Mount Vesuvius, with a team of recalcitrant characters, to determine the source of the problem with an aim to fixing it.
Well, we all know � Vesuvius blows her stack. There is nothing anyone can do, and this turns into a big-screen disaster movie. This is how it felt. Sure, the whole romance thing was a bit much for me � but I suspended corny belief, to ‘enjoy� the spectacle. Harris really painted a colourful picture of the lives of ordinary people in antiquity. This I liked. This I liked very much.
I also enjoyed the appearance of the real character � Pliny the Elder (who was older than Pliny the Younger), he was an admiral and a genius naturalist. His observations of this event were later used by Pliny the Younger (who was younger than Pliny the Elder) as a contemporaneous account of this event.
Yes, this was good. Yes, this was exciting � a bit like Titanic, we know ‘she’ll blow� but we’re invested in the stories of the characters. Poor Jack.
Augustus by John Williams, is an epistolary account of the life of perhaps the greatest emperor of Ancient Rome. Born as Gaius Octavius he lived from Augustus by John Williams, is an epistolary account of the life of perhaps the greatest emperor of Ancient Rome. Born as Gaius Octavius he lived from 63 BCE � 14 CE. He ruled between 27 BCE � 14 CE. This book commences when Octavius was a boy, and the first letter is from Julius Caesar to Octavius’s mother, Atia � ordering her to send the boy to the military college at Apollonia.
We not only read the letters of people involved and close to the life of Augustus, we also read their memoirs, poems and official documents. The majority of these written accounts are by everyone other than Augustus. This way we see, how the world perceives the man. It is fascinating. Giants, such as Caesar, Agrippa, Mark Antony, Cleopatra, Piso, Seneca, Horace, Virgil and my favourite (swoon) Julia, Augustus’s daughter.
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Augustus…………�.oh, err, I mean � the Beautiful, Julia the Elder ♥️
Notwithstanding the superb writing of Williams, at one stage I was a wee bit concerned this was more a story about Julia than Augustus. But John Williams eventually addresses this superbly, and this book well and truly deserves the title. Augustus’s wife, Livia is superbly cast as the pantomime villain, ably supported by her unpopular son, Tiberius.
If you have even the slightest bit of interest in this period of history, I strongly recommend you read this. It is a deeply immersive account of the man responsible for creating the Roman Imperial System. You will get a feel for how he did this. You will also see how his contemporaries feel and think about him (friend and foe), and importantly, you will take away some insight into the great man himself � how he lived, thought and loved. You may even reflect on your own life and loves � as I did.
These letters/writings, like any historical fiction, are based on real events and much is taken from real historical events. But they are fictional � like all good historical fiction, which breathes life into fascinating characters of the past � this is a brilliant way to learn about history.
The only slight misgiving I have is, the book does not cover the huge amount of changes Augustus implemented, to give the Senate and other officials the belief they still ran the show, when in fact he was the man in charge. He manhandled them with kid gloves � allowing for some atrocities of course. However, this book is not supposed to be a dry account of how good an administrator and leader he was � it is intended to be about him, the man. Other books serve that purpose.
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Augustus was a man of his time, and a colossus of antiquity.
5 Stars
My enjoyment of this book was increased many times over by fellow buddy readers Emperor Dave (who ran the group) and fellow Plebians Lisa and Debi � all threw around perspectives that always seem to pass me by and made this experience so much richer.
The Byzantine Empire by: A Complete Overview of The Byzantine Empire History from Start to Finish by Eric Brown is a heroic effort. Why? The book is oThe Byzantine Empire by: A Complete Overview of The Byzantine Empire History from Start to Finish by Eric Brown is a heroic effort. Why? The book is only fifty pages and covers a period from the fall of the Western Roman Empire (in 500 CE) to the fall of the Eastern (Byzantine) Empire in Constantinople in 1453 CE.
That is a lot of time, a lot of wars, it involves countless emperors � and there is skullduggery on every page (almost). So, the action here comes at you think and fast. It is also confusing � but the presentation here is as straight forward as you can get. But you need to strap in.
I listened to this on the audio version, perhaps the hard copy has maps and timelines � I don’t know. I reckon that may help.
This is a good introduction. Also, it may be something to keep on hand when reading more detailed studies. So, if you have had your fill of Romulus and King Superbus from the Republican period, Augustus, Nero, and Hadrian from the Imperial period � you may want to dip your toe into the Byzantine period, this is a good introduction book for you.
Health Warning: As well as staying hydrated, looking after your gut biome, getting plenty of sleep and eating well � do not, I REPEAT, do not, read this in conjunction with other Byzantine material..
I made this mistake of trying a total immersion treatment on this topic. I read this book at the same time as listening to a Byzantine podcast and reading a Byzantine book. All moving at different chronologies. I have to say, I disappeared up my own backside a number of times, it was messy, I got my Justinian’s confused with my Basil II’s and was so confused where I was, I expected General George Patton to enter proceedings. Blood and snot everywhere.
If you want to start your learning of the already confusing (but fascinating) Byzantine Empire � just read this book on its own. Then drill down to what interests you. Do not gorge.
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Regards Markus Maximanius Maniakes the Hyperbolic, Pius III (July 2nd, 2pm, 623CE- July 2nd, 2.35pm, 623CE)
As an introduction, this audiobook is worth 4 Stars....more
Pax: War and Peace in Rome’s Golden Age by Tom Holland covers the Pax Romana era of ancient Rome. This period commences from the reign of Augustus andPax: War and Peace in Rome’s Golden Age by Tom Holland covers the Pax Romana era of ancient Rome. This period commences from the reign of Augustus and ends at the death of Marcus Aurelius. So, we are talking about 27 BCE to 180 CE. This is considered the time the empire was at its greatest. Sure, there were wars and conflicts both within and without, but compared to the Republican period before, and the rest of the Imperial period after, Pax Romana was a time of relative tranquillity. The empire also covered the most territory at this time, during the reign of Trajan (the bloke I have an unhealthy fascination about), the Romans were � ‘large and in charge�, to be sure.
There were some notoriously bad emperors during this time � the likes of Caligula, Nero, and Domitian were strutting their stuff. There was also the incredible sh*tshow called, the year of the five emperors, following Nero’s death (Galba, Otho, Vitellius and Vespasian). However, on the other hand there was the period of the five good emperors � Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius. For me, this is the true Golden Period. It is worth noting Pax Romana ended abruptly with the reign of Marcus Aurelius� son � Commodus. He was certainly one of the worst.
Many significant events occurred, such as, the sack of Dacia, Jerusalem, Mt Vesuvius covering Pompeii and Herculaneum in ash, the conquest of those pesky Brits � so we see Hadrian’s wall. The stories relayed by Tom Holland (I listed to the audiobook) was riveting during the conquest of Jerusalem as was the account of Mt Vesuvius� eruption..
However, I did find Holland’s delivery, overall, to be flat and a bit too academic for my liking. Maybe I am still under the seductive spell of Mary Beard? I listened to her audiobook Emperor of Rome a few months ago, an audiobook experience extraordinaire!!!! Unfortunately, Pax did not reach those heights. Pax also lacked a seamless narrative, I found it difficult to follow at times.
There is enough here to learn new material for those who love this topic (e.g. Pliny makes some memorable appearances), but for the newbie � I would suggest something a little more engaging.
Emperor of Rome by the wonderful Mary Beard is essential reading for lovers of Roman antiquity, but ALSO for those who are hanging out for an introduc Emperor of Rome by the wonderful Mary Beard is essential reading for lovers of Roman antiquity, but ALSO for those who are hanging out for an introduction to this incredible period of human history. This account covers the period from Augustus (27 BCE) to the teenage Elagabalus (reign ended 222 CE).
Usually, any account of the Emperors of Rome is chronological. You know, Augustus (the great), Tiberius (the miserable), Caligula (the nutter), Claudius (the unexpected), Nero (the ginga ninja � but also a nutter)�.and so on. Well, Professor Beard here, tackles this lot of Emperors differently. That is, by Topic. Food, slaves, succession, administration and so much more.
The section on Imperial Dinners was brilliant. Caligula used to nip off with the wives of male guests, have sex with them, return the poor woman to the table and proceed to demean her and her husband. Elagabalus used to have colour themed dinners � the black ones were sure to scare the guests, he also introduced “whoopee cushions� to the world at his dinners � this gender fluid emperor was a genius!! Skin flint, Tiberius, served up yesterday’s leftovers for a ‘feast� the following day � bahahaha. The fact is, Imperial dining is a particularly revealing lens into the world of the emperor from Sadism to generosity, luxury to terror. The imperial dining room was a site of danger as well as pleasure for the unsuspecting guests.
Poisoning had an uncanny close relationship to cookery.
There’s a chapter on the Job Description of an emperor. They had so much correspondence, it makes one wonder how they go through it. They probably had their minders reply to much of it. But one thing that struck me was the ‘light touch of power� in the empire. There was only 1 administrator for every 300,000 people � amazing!
Succession was another wonderful chapter � the complexities involved. Also, the importance of adoption in determining who would be heir. Many, or most adoptions involved an emperor adopting an adult male as son. It does seem to me, that adoption (i.e.. selecting an individual with the right skill set) was far more successful in producing decent heirs than by birth. For example, the year of the 5 Good Emperors - Nerva (was appointed by the senate after Nero), Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius, all adopted, were considered good, great, emperors. However, Marcus Aurelius allowed his biological basket-case of a son, Commodus, to take over after his death, and that ended in tears, to put it mildly.
The chapter on women was enthralling. Women of the Imperial House helped to both guarantee succession and simultaneously threaten to disrupt it. Messalina’s intrigues with one of her aristocratic lovers (for apparently she had many) who were apparently ready to stage a coup - resulted in her being put to death on her husband’s � Claudius � orders with him quipping � “Am I still Emperor, am I still emperor?� Brutal stuff.
The equally promiscuous daughter of Augustus, Julia, who was known for having a keen sense of humour only took on a lover when she was pregnant to her husband. She was quoted as saying “I never take a passenger on board, except when the hold is already full�. That is brilliant � I hope it’s true!
Interestingly, Mary Beard starts this book and ends it with a discussion on Elagabalus. He’s a little-known emperor. He reigned 218 CE � 222 CE. He was only a boy, aged 14 � 18 years during his reign. He was from Syria and came to be emperor due to some tenuous link with the royal bloodline. This young boy was responsible for a massive empire. Imagine that? I was squeezing pimples at that age and arguing with mum and dad about how long I could stay out with my mates - he was ‘large and in charge� of an empire! He was also different, he dressed flamboyantly, much to the horror of the Roman Conservatives, he was a follower of the Sun God (hence the name), in fact he installed Elegabal as the chief deity, thus causing religious difficulties in Rome, not helped by his marriage to a Vestal Virgin!! Yes, a Vestal Virgin!!!! But importantly, Mary Beard paints a picture of a human being, a person, a young boy � probably gender fluid. Notably, he even asked one of his surgeons to cut him a vagina.
Mary Beard humanises these people. She brings them into your lounge room, she introduces us them as folks, and I love her for that. If you have even slightest inkling to know more about this crazy gang � read this. If you want an extra-sensory experience, listen to Professor Beard’s audiobook as I did � it is quite simply, magic.
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Elegabalus……poor lad (my opinion) � executed to make way for Severus Alexander.
Caligula by Suetonius is one entertaining read. It is worth mentioning the author here, as he writes in a style that anyone would find accessible and Caligula by Suetonius is one entertaining read. It is worth mentioning the author here, as he writes in a style that anyone would find accessible and entertaining.
Biographer of the first twelve Caesars, Suetonius, is the most utilised source of the life of Caligula (b. 12 AD d. 41AD) There are others, mainly Tacitus and Dio Cassius, but in the case of Tacitus his work is incomplete, and Dio wrote a few centuries later. Suetonius was a secretary for emperor Hadrian (reign 117AD � 138AD � he’s one of my favourites) and had access to all the records of previous Emperors. One thing about Suetonius that makes his work so accessible to anyone, is his writing. It is sensationalist, it almost reads like a London daily tabloid rag. It is said, he also relied on gossip and other informal sources, but historians (or the ones I listen to anyway) suggest he is an excellent source.
Gaius Caesar or, Caligula (emperor # 3), was well-bred to be sure, having direct links to both the Julio and Claudian bloodlines. Hi father was the pin-up boy Germanicus, who was touted to be Emperor one day, but a suspicious death in Syria put paid to that. Agrippina was Caligula’s Mum, Augustus his great grandad, Livia his great grandmother. Talk about royal blood!
Unfortunately, his two older brothers were executed, probably by the taciturn, perverted Tiberius (emperor # 2) � in fact, as a late teenager, Caligula was put under the care of Tiberius on the island of Capri. Sounds nice doesn’t it? Not until you know what went on in Tiberius� lair � it really sounds like a horrible place to be. After his mum, Agrippina, was exiled and killed, this poor young lad was left with three younger sisters. All of whom he was later to have sex with. However, he was particularly devoted to Drusilla � to the point of deifying her.
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"The love of Caligula’s life � his sister Drusilla"
The first third of this biography covers Caligula’s childhood and the early part of him being emperor. He was initially popular, largely due to the unpopularity of the detested Tiberius. But things started to turn rotten soon into his brief four-year reign when he became uber-cruel and increasing extravagant with the Empire’s money.
Suetonius writes, only on page 20 of 50:
”So much for Gaius (Caligula) the emperor; the rest of this history must deal with Gaius the Monster�
What follows is quite simply a litany of atrocities. I won’t detail any of them here, many of you will be aware of much of his behaviour, but there will be others you will learn about fir the first time. If you want to know the details you may want to read this biography, it is as interesting as it is shocking.
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"Let them hate me, so long as they fear me"
Caligula was eventually killed by a mob of elites, in a stabbing frenzy. It seems Caligula’s total disrespect for the Senate and other powerful people was too much. His uncle, Claudius, succeeded him � reluctantly. It’s interesting to note that Caligula, liked to keep Uncle Claudius around his court, as a butt for practical jokes � his uncle had a bad limp, a speech impediment and was a bit of a nerd.
If you read this, I know you won’t regret it.
Simply brilliant.
5 Stars
Fun Fact Those of you who are interested, may note Caligula, as emperor #3 - and Tiberius as #2 - meaning Augustus was #1. Where does that leave Julius Caesar? Well he wasn't an emperor, merely a dictator - the joint was still a republic when he was large and in charge. But he paved the way for Augustus' impressive reign, perhaps the most impressive reign of all? ...more
Caesar’s Women, #4 in the Masters of Rome Series by Colleen McCullough was one hell of a work-out. This is my least favourite of this series, but I stCaesar’s Women, #4 in the Masters of Rome Series by Colleen McCullough was one hell of a work-out. This is my least favourite of this series, but I still loved it. Let me explain.
Caesar’s Women isn’t the best title. Sure, there are numerous key women in this instalment, and many bump into the rake-like Julius Caesar, many even partake in horizontal refreshments with the man. In fact, Caesar uses this act, putting his ‘body on the line� if you like, to cuckhold various political opponents. He was prolific in this regard.
The three prominent women in his life, and in this story, were his mother Aurelia (a wonderful, strong, no-nonsense type, a true Matriarch), Julia (Caesar’s beautiful daughter, perfect in every way � betrothed to an acne ridden, uncertain, young Brutus, and later handed over to Pompey the Great � some 30 plus years her senior), and his main lover Servilia (Caeser’s main sex interest � vampish, sexy, an absolute Machiavillianette, oh and she's Brutus� mum, a political player extraordinaire).......yes, THAT Brutus.
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Servilia � Brutus� mother, Caesar’s primary lover
So yes, there is a focus on some significant women in Caesar’s life here BUT, this is really ALL about politics. In other words, the political rise of Julius Caesar. The juror, orator, charmer, looker, senior consul, fixer � and let’s not deny it, well hung Patrician. Sure, he’s had some minor military success in the East as a young man, but his major military campaigns � eight years of genocide in Gaul, are yet to come � this will be the story of #5 in the series Caesar I expect.
But heck � this was so, so heavy on politics.
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Aurelia � Caesar’s mother, what a woman � this lady was ‘large and in charge�
My word I miss the gargantuan characters of Marius and Sulla in previous instalments, the wars, the military shenanigans with only a dash of politics � that’s my ideal cocktail. If you read this episode, you’ll have none of those famous military campaigns, none of the slashing and burning, the fights within and without. This is about the Senate, the Tribune of the Plebs, the Equestrian class, Consuls, Magistrates, Praetors, Governors, and law courts the list goes on. But we meet interesting characters like Cato, Cicero (oh what a wordsmith � he could filibuster with the best of them, and he knew it), Catilina, Hybrida, Curio, Bibulus, Crassus, Ahenobarbus (Nero’s ancestors � the real Ginger Ninjas, a horrible lot really), Piso and so many more. Put it this way, there were around 600 Senators � I think I met half of them.
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Cicero � one of Caesar’s political foes. Cicero was fundamental in exposing the Catiline Conspiracy, which resulted in the execution of the conspirators � without trial (massive scandal). This famous incident is covered in this book
So, this was dry at times � perhaps too often. You know the type of book when you pick it up and one’s eyelids become heavy within 5 minutes. Yes, that riveting. But it was wonderful � the amount of research Mrs Mac must have done would’ve been colossal. The 200-page appendix is a testament to that.
But, slogging through this one has been well worth it � I feel this fascinating period of pre-Imperial Rome is very much embedded in my marrow now. Something that can only be attained by spending too much time absorbing material such as this. Sure, this is historical fiction, and Mrs Mac takes liberties, but when one randomly checks the main story points � to be sure, they did happen.
Once a year we have a massive, like GIANT, second-hand book sale in Cairns, held by St Vinnies de Paul. We can grab a bag of books for 10 bucks. So, wOnce a year we have a massive, like GIANT, second-hand book sale in Cairns, held by St Vinnies de Paul. We can grab a bag of books for 10 bucks. So, when we’ve been rummaging through boxes, sweating and squirming past fellow bibliophiles for a couple of hours � there is always a space in the top of your canvas bag that must be filled � well this was a book I stuffed into that space.
So, I was wandering around the dining room a couple of weeks ago and yeah, I was bored. Tired of the company of the Pups � I’m over the constant yapping about, which rubber ball belongs to who (it’s endless) so I chose a random book from my bookcase and shoved the little buggers outside � anyway I swore to myself I would read the book I chose.
Luckily it was Rome � from its origins to the present time � and the Vatican - true story!
600 grams 260 mm long 200 mm wide 10 mm deep 120 pages.
This will fit into any suitcase. Or even strapped to your body (remember Midnight Express?) � this is something I will take with me on my next trip to Italy for sure. It details 8 itineraries, containing the history with glossy pictures of the sights to be seen. There are also fold out maps. This is not a travel book alone. It is educational and useful � I can’t believe this was in my bookcase and I forgot about it.
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It’s not all about ancient history, e.g., you can learn about this magnificent structure. It’s at one end of the Forum, you will see this easily, it dominates � it’s modern and massive. The Vittorio Emanuele II was built to commemorate Italian unification and completed in 1889.. This is not something I paid attention to on my first trip to Rome, as it isn’t from antiquity. But next time I will. Because of this book.
The photos are and high quality and numerous, the paper is glossy and heavy/thick. It isn’t cheap. Well, it was but, you know what I mean.
The history and descriptions are serious and scholarly. But most importantly, the itineraries are logical, pragmatic, and followable.
If you’re going to Rome and/or are interested in Roman history or the city � try and find this.
4 Stars
Fun fact: Great thing about 2nd handbooks is � there was a random leaflet in contained within, presumably used as a bookmark - it was about a local Yoga Meditation Group in the City. The things one finds. Maybe..... ...more
Firstly � a quick recap of the first two books in the Masters of Rome series by Colleen McCullough.
The First Man in Rome is #1 in this series (110-100Firstly � a quick recap of the first two books in the Masters of Rome series by Colleen McCullough.
The First Man in Rome is #1 in this series (110-100 BCE): /review/show...
This book introduces the reader to Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius Sulla. Marius, the legendary military hero and consul and Sulla his offsider - dashing, cavalier and a brutal military leader.
The Grass Crown is #2 in the series (97-86 BCE) /review/show...
We continue to see Marius and Sulla run rampant throughout the provinces, but importantly and super-interestingly, we see their relationship start to deteriorate. This ends up being bloody, nasty, and very interesting indeed. We first see Julius Caesar, as a young, bright, shiny little boy.
Fortunes Favourites # 3 in the series (83-69 BCE) � mostly covers the post-Marius period (he died in 86 BCE), the poor guy finally succumbed to a couple of strokes. Young Caesar looked after him during his period of sickness. Sulla is old, haggard, toothless, bald (red, curly wig � yes!!) and drunk. But he still has his wits about him, and he ends up marching on Rome (a big � no, no) and makes himself Dictator. Now dictatorship is incompatible with Rome’s Republican model (Senate, Consuls, Legates, Censors, plebs etc) as it places the power in the hands of one man � in this case, Sulla. Dictatorship is usually reserved for times of calamity, as is the case now. The Roman Republic is a mire of corruption and is not functioning as it should.
Without delay Sulla creates a list of proscriptions � those who need to die (usually because they were allies of Marius) and, importantly, have their assets seized by the state to fill Sulla’s pockets and the pockets of his sycophants. This is a comprehensive (�.and loose) list and is acted upon with violent relish. Sulla introduces draconian changes to the political system and judiciary. He installs numerous standing courts for specific crimes, Senators are forced to sit on more juries, the Assembly of the Plebians is dismantled among many. All memory of Marius is cancelled � a process known as, Damnatio memoriae. Here, statues and images of the great general and seven-time consul are destroyed, the Marius hard-drive is erased. However, many citizens still love him.
In addition to the expansive geographical scope covered, here is a massive cast in Fortunes Favourites - the most significant three (for me) are:
Julius Caesar: In his twenties. He holds a massive intellect, and his oratory skills are second to none (except for Cato perhaps). He also develops into a powerful political player, a go-to-man, if people want things fixed, or problems sorted � they see Caesar. His relationships with women (his mother, auntie, wife, daughter, and his scores of lovers predominate � he often cuckolded rival politicians � “taking one for the team�. Caesar is uber-Machiavellian.
Pompey: Perhaps the most arrogant, self-assured, but capable General one could come across. His troops love him, the populous adore him. He earns his stripes leading battles in Africa and Sicily. Pompey does, however, eat some humble pie when he gets a spanking in near Spain later in the book. But Pompey being Pompey � he comes back better than ever. Oh, he’s good looking too.
Crassus: A dour, meticulous, capable military leader. Crassus had blue blood coursing through his veins. He was instrumental in the defeat of Spartacus in the Third Servile War a conflict that caused considerable embarrassment to the Rome. The space McCoullough spends on the “Spartacus Incident� is the size of a novella, this is the beauty of McCullough’s penchant for writing massive books � it has it all!!!
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They will become the first triumvirate in times to come
Apparently, Pompey was handsome. Now, I'm no Robert Redford, but Pompey - handsome???
Crucifixion is explained in detail, a punishment used by Crassus when punishing the runaway slaves in the Spartacus revolt. Details such as � if the victim was scheduled for a quick (merciful) death � their legs were broken, thus prohibiting the person to support themselves with their feet � they would therefore hang from their arms and hands and die within hours. However, if one really wanted to make a point � no bones were broken, and the victim would support themselves with their feet and legs and die slowly over several days. Crassus crucified over six thousand slaves after defeating Spartacus, by placing crosses everyone hundred feet along one side of the Appian Way from Rome to Capua. An intimidating sight to be sure.
Crassus also felt the need to ‘decimate� his legions as they were inexperienced and often fled the arena of battle in the early days of his command. This involved groups of ten soldiers drawing lots and the unlucky one was beaten to death by the others. Apparently, this improved morale.
McCullough’s research is colossal and discussed in the Author’s Afterword. There were times I needed to check if events in these books happened and yes, they did happen. She includes mentions of her references and a two-hundred-page glossary which is interesting reading. Oh, and one other thing � there are maps galore!
Roman Myths by Martin J Dougherty provides the reader with an informative journey through the history of Rome with a focus on Roman Mythology. I reallRoman Myths by Martin J Dougherty provides the reader with an informative journey through the history of Rome with a focus on Roman Mythology. I really enjoyed the fact this book didn’t only discuss Mythology as it can become a little too ‘unreal� � however, the author here also talks about real Roman history and weaves mythology into the events, days, and lives of Rome during antiquity.
In addition to this, and this is something that always gets me a little animated, is this book contains brilliant visuals. The photos of artefacts and paintings dispersed throughout this piece are numerous, illuminating and are high quality.
Like this one:
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Botticelli’s Birth of Venus The most widely known depiction of this Goddess.
The link with Greek Mythology (The Greeks called him Zeus and us Romans called him Jupiter) is clearly described, but the Romans also had lots of other deities they prayed to � like gods of entries, windows � you name it. Fascinating stuff. Imagine trying to leave for work on time: Packed lunch �, keys to the chariot �, feed the dogs �, then pray to the Gods of plants, doors, food, honey, the seasons, disease (blight) to name a few. You’d have trouble getting to work by home time!
The book ends by reminding us of the influence of mythology on us modern day people � e.g., the names of the planets, constellations and even things like rockets we send into space.
If you look carefully, you’ll see the influence of mythology all around us. This was really enjoyable.
4 Stars
Many thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book, in exchange for my review....more
Empire by Steven Saylor is right where I want to be, all the time.
I’ve heard good things about this author and now I know why. This story doesn’t mesEmpire by Steven Saylor is right where I want to be, all the time.
I’ve heard good things about this author and now I know why. This story doesn’t mess around, in fact he races through time � he covers the period from Augustus to Hadrian (14CE to 141 CE) in only 700 pages. (note: Colleen McCullough uses over a 1000-pages to cover just 20 � 30 years when she writes about Sulla and Marius).
So, Empire is a bit different, not only in substance but in style, compared to other HF works I’ve encountered about Rome. Saylor really does rattle through a lot of stuff here.
There are plenty of sources for Saylor to draw on relating to this period. Reliable sources are obviously the biggest challenge when writing about antiquity, but the period of the Emperors is quite rich in various material. Historians, letters, poems and relics abound.
The author uses a patrician family of Augurs (religious officials) to tell this story. He starts with Lucius Pinarius and we proceed through the generations. This family go all the way back to the period before Rome was Rome. The Pinarii are also distantly related to the royal-bloodline � and are close enough to the Imperial Circle that we can follow the real stars of the show, that is � the Emperors, their families, hangers-on, Senators, Philosophers, Praetorians, Architects � the lot.
As the story is based in Rome, the characters often traverse through familiar places like the Roma Forum, the via Sacra, the Pantheon, the Colosseum (the Flavian Amphitheater), Hadrian’s mausoleum, Trajan’s Column (my favourite � I almost cried when I first saw this treasure), various other Fora and Arches, and so many other sites, too many to mention.
I really enjoyed learning about how those clever people built these structures and how they enjoyed or used them. Also, learning about sites that no longer exist, like the Colossus of Nero was fascinating. Oh, there are also fascinating maps at the beginning of the book of Rome and of the Empire.
Because of the amount of information packed into this effort, and the author’s obvious desire to mention everything noteworthy (things we may already know from our own learning) he contrives situations to make situations happen. Initially I found this a little off-putting and a tad obvious, but once I knew what the author was up to, I was belted in for the ride and loved it. If a reader is vaguely familiar with some of the quotes or happenings of these times, you can see how the author is creating the scene to make it happen � I still enjoyed that. Maybe a bit like someone who has watched Star Wars for the upteenth time, waiting with anticipation for a scene they know is just about to come about, and they can mouth the words. Magic!
I highly recommend this book, this series, and this author to anybody who is interested in Ancient Rome. It’s particularly good for the uninitiated, because it touches on so many significant characters � and if one of them takes your fancy you can focus on them for further reading.
Gods of Rome, Rise of Emperors by Simon Turney and Gordon Doherty describes the monumental clash between Emperors Constantine and Maxentius, the winneGods of Rome, Rise of Emperors by Simon Turney and Gordon Doherty describes the monumental clash between Emperors Constantine and Maxentius, the winner taking control of the Western Roman Empire and Italy. This story takes place during 312 CE.
I spend most of my time in antiquity mucking around with that crazy gang of Julio-Claudians, I now think I need to spend more time residing in the Tetrarchical madness of the late 3rd and early 4th Centuries CE.
Here we start with Constantine taking his armies from Britain and Gaul to invade Maxentius� forces in Italy. Maxentius is a self-declared Emperor of Italy during the messy time of the post Diocletian Tetrarchy. Constantine’s forces are much smaller than Maxentius� but far more loyal and battle hardened. He takes his legions through the Italian Alps and takes Turin, Milan, and the heavily fortified Verona. Maxentius� forces are on the run and hightail back to Rome ready for a siege. In the meantime, Constantine takes forces through the Via Flaminia eventually leading to the Milvian Bridge (now destroyed) on the River Tiber. Maxentius inexplicably, leaves the safety of the walls of Rome to encounter Constantine in what is famously known as The Battle of the Milvian Bridge.
This terrific story is not only a wonderfully detailed recounting of the military action and descriptions of the people making up the forces of each faction. But more importantly, it is the story of two men and their own personal struggles as human beings � each with relatives, wives, children, colleagues, allies and enemies within. The authors really put you in the place of each man, there is no attempt to make either on a hero nor a villain � I certainly went some way to feeling how they must’ve felt. Even just a little bit.
We experience the tensions within their armies � particularly with the internal conflicts between those who have adopted the Christian Faith and those who follow the Pagan Gods of Traditional Rome. Each camp also has their fair share of treasonous members, some closer to home than one would think Volusianus and Fausta are classics in this regard.
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My favourite statue of Constantine the Great - wow
The action is brutal and realistic (lots of ‘puffs� of red on impact), the fictional parts (where the authors need to fill-in due to a lack of historical evidence) are credible. In fact, the authors describe their reasoning behind some of the decisions they made in an excellent Epilogue. Turney used an Epilogue to do the same on the one other book I have read of his and it ties the story up very nicely.
Of course, the focus here is the gigantic presence of Constantine � just prior to his ascension to Constantine I or Constantine the Great. The man who really brought Christianity to the Western World. Yes, there’s great debate about how he came about being a Christian and when � but regardless, he was tolerant of the faith, tolerant of all faiths in fact � and allowed the Church to thrive. A true giant of history.
The Gods are on the side of the strongest Tacitus
To make this a totally immersive Romatherapy experience, I concurrently read the relevant sections of Gibbons� volumes 1 and 2 and listened to the appropriate episodes of the Podcasts History of Rome and 12 Byzantine Rulers. I recommend both wherever you cast your pods. I’ve had an absolute ball.
For anyone interested in Historical Fiction of Ancient Rome, I can’t recommend these authors enough � they really do humanise the main characters and paint a vivid picture of the times.
5 Stars
Many, many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for my review...more
Caligula, by Simon Turney was very, very enjoyable. As most of us know, Caligula (Gaius Julius Caesar) was one of the most infamous Emperor’s from antCaligula, by Simon Turney was very, very enjoyable. As most of us know, Caligula (Gaius Julius Caesar) was one of the most infamous Emperor’s from antiquity. His antics and propensity for violence were legendary, but many wouldn’t be aware � there are only two contemporaneous sources of Caligula’s life (Seneca and Philo), most historical accounts are taken from Suetonius and Cassius Dio who wrote many years after Caligula. Much was written at the time, but sadly, most has been lost � for example, his Machiavellian sister Agrippina the Younger wrote an account of his life, but it no longer exists. Imagine finding that?
So, Caligula was the progeny of real Roman Royalty, more specifically the Julio-Claudian dynasty. This Blueblood was the son of the pop-star popular, and immensely capable, General Germanicus - who in turn was the adopted son of the gruesome Emperor Tiberius. Caligula’s Great Grandfather (by adoption) was Augustus no less, with Julius Caesar being his Great Great Grandfather � no less, no less!! Oh, and Emperor Claudius was his uncle and Claudius� successor Nero was Caligula’s Nephew. He had 3 sisters (Drusilla, Julia Livilla and Agrippina the Younger) and 2 brothers (Drusus and Nero � not THE Nero).
This story is told via the narration of the baby sister, Julia Livilla. The author explains his reasoning for this � he needed someone close to Caligula and someone who lived until his death, no small feat. The author also needed to employ some clever tactics during Livilla’s time in exile (twice!) as she wasn't around the Emperor. For Caligupa to survive and thrive in this family is no easy task as any who have even the scantest knowledge of the Julio-Claudians would be aware these guys ate each other for breakfast. You certainly needed to sleep with one eye open. Scary stuff.
Presently, Tiberius broke out into every form of cruelty, for which he never lacked occasion - Suetonius
Due to the lack of historical sources this author has plenty of scope to introduce fiction between undisputable facts. But to be fair, I believe he introduces educated fiction, there seems to be sensible rationale for the story he presents here � in fact, he does explain why he presented what he did, at the end of the book. This story is clearly well researched and well thought out.
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”Caligula could hardly have been the monster he is painted as, for while those powerful Senators and nobles managed to remove him, the ordinary people of Rome held him up as their Golden Prince and the Army remained his.�
I am happy to challenge this quotation from the Author � I believe history is littered with despots who are popular with the people, one such example is Adolf Hitler. One could even say the 45th President of the USA was and is still popular, there are many who would say he has tyrannical tendencies. I’m not so sure popular appeal is any reliable gauge of the decency of a leader.
Put simply, it appears (not only from this book) that Caligula was a bright, resourceful intelligent fella who managed to survive in the court of the nastiest of the nastiest � Emperor Tiberius. He not only managed to survive that, he prospered and succeeded him, in what were very unlikely circumstances. The first half of his short 4-year reign was, by all reports, quite good. He did the usual things, spent on infrastructure and the military, entertainment for the masses but an illness was the turning point, after which he became INSANE, as mad as a cut-snake! This is the period he is remembered for, this author includes most of his mad stories � such as his relationship with his privileged horse Incitatus, his incestuous relationships with his sisters, the murders, his appalling treatment of the Senate, the frivolous waste of resources such as the ‘floating bridge� and his obsession with sex to name a few.
But, if you are after a detailed account of all these nasties, you may be a little disappointed. This author doesn’t focus on them and doesn’t spend too much time on this behaviour. In fact, if you had no prior knowledge of Caligula, after reading this book you may think he was a half-decent chap. A man who was the victim of a couple of conspiracies, a hostile senate and some poor health. Now this all may very well be true, but I have been hard-wired into believing he was much crazier and nastier than that. But it is good to read a more balanced account of his life. I mean, how do we know what is true?
I really, really loved this � notwithstanding the author’s decision to present the better side of this man. As a lover of this period of history with some rudimentary, non-academic knowledge of Ancient Rome, this type of historical fiction is a real joy. This is as good as Colleen McCullough’s Historical Fiction work of the period, perhaps a little easier to read and a little less complicated.
For all lovers of the Roman Empire � read this author’s work. You must!!!
The Twelve Caesars by Suetonius is a classic. Suetonius was the son of a Roman Night who was born towards the end of the reign of Vespasian (69 CE) aThe Twelve Caesars by Suetonius is a classic. Suetonius was the son of a Roman Night who was born towards the end of the reign of Vespasian (69 CE) and died sometime after 122 CE. He wrote this collection of biographies during the reign of Emperor Hadrian.
He intended to write memoirs rather than a detailed history of events such as significant battles and civil wars. It seems he concentrated on the person, the type of thing we all wonder about when thinking about a significant figure of history. What was this person like? What were their peccadilloes, perversions and atrocities?
Well Suetonius certainly has a unique style, it’s a bit ‘tabloid� for want of a better word and there’s countless stories, bits of gossip, hearsay, and rumour � this all makes for a juicy read. For those who would like to enter this crazy world of Roman Emperors, this might be a good place to start � it’s not dry, it’s engaging.
An example of this style, when discussing Tiberius:
�..marrying Augustus’s daughter Julia. But this he did with extreme reluctance; for, besides having the warmest attachment to Agrippina, he was disgusted with the conduct of Julia, who had made indecent advances to him during the lifetime of her former husband
When discussing Nero:
Petulancy, lewdness, luxury, avarice, and cruelty he practised at first with reserve and in private, as if prompted to them only by the folly of youth
When discussing Vespasian:
Afterwards he got by lot, the province of Africa, which he governed with great reputation, excepting that once, in an insurrection at Adrumetum, he was pelted by turnips
The great shame about this turnip anecdote is (and I have heard scholars on podcasts state this with some degree of frustration) � nobody seems to know why Vespasian was pelted with turnips. It all sounds a bit odd as this Emperor was very good. Also, when he was describing Vespasian he writes:
He was broad-set, strong limbed and his features gave the idea of a man in the act of straining himself
I don’t know about you � but I reckon that’s a hilarious description of a person.
When describing Vespasian’s son, Titus:
Titus, who had the same cognomen with his father, was the darling and delight of mankind; so much did the natural genius, address, or good fortune he possessed tend to conciliate the favour of all
What a great wrap!! He was good � but he wasn’t around that long (around 2 years), so who knows what he might’ve turned into if he reigned for a longer time.
The 12 Caesars were � Julius Caesar (Dictator) then 11 Emperors - Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Galba, Otho, Vitellius, Vespasian, Titus and Domitian. There’s plenty of interesting stuff about all of them � perhaps, one of the things I enjoyed the most was the good coverage he gave of the seldom heard Emperors Galba, Otho and Vitellius. This trio had very short reigns, their show was a bit of a disaster until Vespasian came along and showed everyone how it was done.
In summary, this was a lot of fun to read and I loved it.
5-Stars
NB: I edited this review from a wholesome 120,000-word effort to a workable, kindly and easily digestible 524 word summary. Let me know if you want the longer version. ...more
How to Survive in Ancient Rome by L.J. Trafford is a snappy, all encompassing digest of Ancient Rome during the reign of Emperor Domitian (81-96 CE). How to Survive in Ancient Rome by L.J. Trafford is a snappy, all encompassing digest of Ancient Rome during the reign of Emperor Domitian (81-96 CE). Our hosts are a former imperial slave and now secretary to Domitian and a 'lady of leisure' one of the ultra-rich ruling elite. It would've been nice to have the perspective of a slave or a low-born Roman Citizen from the Subura - but the sources are a bit light on with first hand accounts from this cohort.
This is a good, basic introduction to pretty much everything. Typical chapter headings include Family, Housing, Clothing, Food, Shopping, Entertainment, Medicine, Religion - the lot! Hence, the book doesn't go into any great detail - but that's the the purpose of this book. The many sources quoted in the Bibliography are sound, and the facts as stated, seem consistent with other readings. There are numerous illustrations, but I would have liked to have seen even more, particularly more coloured pictures and maps. These would really help, there are lots of wee "Did You Know?" boxes throughout and these are always good, they keep things lively.
The book doesn't only discuss life during the period of Domitian (he was one of the bad ones by the way) the author also goes back and forwards in time. We learn about Rome from the very beginning, yes - Romulus and Remus. We also read a nice summary of the period before the Republic, ie. the period of The Kings. My favourite being Tarquinus Superbus (534 BCE - 510 BCE) - largely because of that cracking name.
This is perfect for those who are new to the subject or school kids. It would be a good coffee-table book.
Did You Know?The poet Martial knew of a man who hung around the public latrines all day in the hope of securing a dinner party invitation..
Apparently, public toilets were great places to chat, gossip and make friends.
[image] A place to sit and chat
Overall, this was good fun.
3 Stars
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for a review....more
Marcus Aurelius (121 � 180 CE) was the last in line of the five good Emperors (Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus).
Fun Fact 1: funny tMarcus Aurelius (121 � 180 CE) was the last in line of the five good Emperors (Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus).
Fun Fact 1: funny thing is, they were all adopted by their predecessor. The next Emperor after Marcus was Commodus, he was a son of Marcus and was a complete Muppet, nasty too � hence the start of a period of volatility after his death. An argument against hereditary ascension to a throne to be sure. This is not the only instance of hereditary ascension being a complete disaster in the Roman Empire.
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Marcus Aurelius � didn’t he look curious?
Now Marcus was not only the guy in charge of the Roman Empire he was a Stoic Philosopher. I am a tad conflicted about an Emperor being a Stoic. In my mind a Stoic, is calm, happy with his or her lot, does not want for much, but on the other hand an Emperor is grab, grab, grab and kill, kill, kill. When he wrote this � he was on the frontline of the war with the Germanic Tribes in 170-180 CE. So that does not lie straight with me � however, he did not live lavishly.....apparently. But to be fair, he was part of a machine, and in charge of it � he could very well have been (and I believe it to be so) a decent, intelligent man.
Either way Meditations is a piece of work that endures to this day. Imagine that it still holds up. Meditations was first printed in 1559 CE; Marcus originally wrote this work in Greek � the language of the intelligentsia of the time. It is also believed; these writings were not intended to be published. He wrote these for himself. Yes, just he � and we have been gorking at these writings for centuries � academics and lay people alike � it is respected, it has stood up.
Don’t you think that is amazing?
You cannot finish a book like this � it needs to be kept on one’s bedside table, to be referred to every now and then, maybe scribble your own notes (while listening to Enya) and reflect. This is what I do with my favourite Stoic work by one of my heroes � Seneca � his work On the Shortness of Life is my favourite. My review of this classic can be found here /book/show/9.... So, Seneca’s and Marcus� books are in my Man Bag. Stick them in yours too!!!!! Or handbag of you are a lady ...more
First read and reviewed in 2020, this review can be found below
Second read 31st October 2023
I have nothing to add to the initial review. This is just First read and reviewed in 2020, this review can be found below
Second read 31st October 2023
I have nothing to add to the initial review. This is just as amusing and clever the second time. Poor Claudius.
Apocolocyntosis (The Pumpkinification of Claudius) by Seneca is a short satirical farce, written after the death of Emperor Claudius.
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Seneca the Stoic Philosopher
But firstly, a little of the man himself. Seneca was born in Spain in 4 BCE and died by his own hand under the direction of Emperor Nero in 65 CE. Little is known of his childhood, but he did eventually end up in Rome and was a very capable Senator with outstanding oratory skills. He was also a prolific writer of letters, plays (Tragedies mainly) and his stoic philosophical works � one of which sits comfortably in my Man Bag for quick reference On the Shortness of Life, it’s quite short and I highly recommend it for those looking for some words of inspiration from time to time. Many believed he was a hypocrite though, as he espoused stoicism, whilst being one of the wealthiest men in the Empire.
It’s reported Caligula wasn’t a real fan of Seneca. But it was the “Mad Emperor’s� successor, Claudius, who ended up exiling Seneca to Corsica due to accusations he was with Caligula’s and Agrippina’s (the younger) sister Julia Livilla. Agrippina the Younger eventually recalled Seneca from Corsica � which apparently wasn’t such a bad place to be exiled, but Seneca thought it was hell on earth � to mentor and educate Agrippina’s young son, the monster in waiting Nero. You could argue he didn’t do a particularly good job there.
Anyway, onto this piece. It’s a satire about Claudius� entry into heaven. Seneca not only writes a piece which clearly denigrates the stuttering, bumbling, club-footed Claudius, he also falls over himself to flatter Nero, yes Nero. He refers to Nero as ”Bright and shining, with a face that lights up the atmosphere, whilst his hair ripples in waves down his lovely neck�. If anyone has seen busts of Nero and his neckbeard, you’ll probably arrive at a different conclusion.
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Nero and ‘that� Neck Beard
Seneca even refers to Claudius� life as “worthless� and quotes the Emperor’s last words as ”Oh dear, oh dear, I think I’ve soiled myself� because he believed Claudius made a mess of everything. (NB: He didn’t by the way � he was considered quite a good Emperor by many sources).
Claudius is greeted in heaven by numerous Gods. For example, Hercules � who was frightened by the creature Claudius, who according to him had ”a voice like no creature on earth�. Other deeds Claudius is accused of by Seneca, is turning Rome into a ‘rotten place� and he pokes fun of the fact the ‘savages� on Britain worship him. For they know no better. He’s accused of being a murderer � make no mistake, Claudius was responsible for many deaths, including amongst his own family and friends.
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Claudius
The list of Gods who make an appearance is endless, even the deified Augustus chips in � his summation of Claudius is scathing. Mercury is tasked with dragging Claudius down to Hell, Claudius� gout does cause him some discomfort as he’s rushed down Mount Olympus. In Hell, he meets up with those who were condemned by him, nice types like Messalina and other family members and friends. He was even greeted at the gates by Cerberus. This little piece really is a ‘who’s who� of mythology and ancient history.
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Cerberus, the three-headed dog, guarding the gates of hell with Hades - nasty stuff
This Kangaroo Court charged Claudius of murdering 35 Senators, 221 Roman Knights and ‘as many others as there are grains of sand on the seashore�. In the end, they invented an enduring punishment for the hapless Claudius. Aeacus eventually ruled that Claudius was to rattle dice in a shaker with no bottom, so the poor wretch would spend eternity fruitlessly searching for the dice, which always slipped through his fingers. Poor bastard!
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Gambling Dice from Ancient Rome � no doubt Claudius is still frantically searching for these
This is an amusing piece, and Seneca makes no bones of the fact that he couldn’t stand the man. He is particularly vicious about his physical deformities and speech impediment � using what appears to be contemporary humour, I did find this a little bit uncomfortable. But there is so much about this period, many of us would find uncomfortable.
For anyone interested in a short, punchy farce from antiquity riddled with history and humour, I highly recommend this.
I can’t recall how I stumbled across Pope Formosus, but I’m glad I did.
Pope Formosus (real name Laurentius) was elected Pope on October 6th 891 CE, hI can’t recall how I stumbled across Pope Formosus, but I’m glad I did.
Pope Formosus (real name Laurentius) was elected Pope on October 6th 891 CE, he reigned until his death on April 4th 896 CE. His reign occurred during a particularly turbulent period (turbulent, even for turbulent periods, type of turbulent) for the Holy Roman Empire. As the Churches based in Rome and Constantinople were in constant dispute and the region in general was in continual conflict, with the Kingdom of Francia always threatening from the North and the Saracens rattling their sabres in the East.
The Christian church had been in conflict since Constantine the Great tried to achieve some sort of agreement in the Christian World by convening the First Council of Nicaea in 325 CE. A couple of the main sticking points included the issue of whether Jesus was a man or if he and God were one of the same. Another bone of contention was the issue of when to celebrate Easter � heady stuff!
Nearly 2,000 Bishops from across Christendom attended this meeting � apparently Constantine was heard nattering to one of his retinue during a cigarette break “Jesus Christ, this is like herding cats!!�, or something like that. You can only imagine how difficult Constantine would have found it to achieve consensus on theological issues. These types of difficulties eventually lead to the Great Schism of 1054 CE, whereby the Churches split into the Western Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church.
The Death and Trial of Pope Formosus by Joseph Dispenza is a 90-minute play written by Brother Joseph during his time at St Edward’s University, Texas, in 1968. During the short time of Formosus� reign, he made some decisions which were later considered to be dodgy. To be fair, the 9th Century was such a dreadful time both in a religious and a political sense � I don’t know who could have safely navigated these times.
Some of the bones of contention included:
1. Formosus, inviting Arnulf of Carinthia (Western Francia) to invade Italy so he could crown him Emperor. Keep in mind the Western Roman Empire at the time was very much a duumvirate, power shared between the Pope and the Emperor. This action offended a significant number of Bishops and others. Of significance, one of Formosus� successors, Stephen VI, was particularly miffed. 2. Formosus struck up a relationship/alliance with the Patriarchate of Constantinople (Photius I), this also offended much of his court. 3. According to the play, he also promised to support Stephen VI’s elevation to the papacy once Pope Adrian or Pope Stephen V died. However, this didn’t happen, and Formosus snaffled the power all for himself.
There were other matters, but the three issues above were those depicted is key issues in this play.
The play is very easy to read and a doddle to understand, and I urge any of you who may be interested in this period and the dramas associated with this case to have a go. The play includes some wonderful Director’s Notes, describing how the action is to be split between the 3 stages � left, right and centre. The notes even state how the lighting should be employed (bright, dim etc). It really does provide a great mental picture of the play in one’s mind’s eye.
So, after the eventual death of Formosus, he was buried as you’d expect. However, after only 9 months of rest, Stephen VI dug him up, dressed him in papal attire, stuck him in a chair (strapped his chin up apparently � we wouldn’t want him to speak out of turn) and presented the allegations of perjury and illegal ascension to the papacy � this process was also referred to as the The Cadaver Synod.
Talk about holding a grudge!!! I mean, what happened to the Christian virtue of forgiveness?
Naturally, Formosus couldn’t present his side of the story, so a Deacon spoke on his behalf. The poor bastard was convicted and condemned to Damnatio Memoriae, on other words, he was deleted from all official accounts � like he never existed. This wasn’t enough however, as he was then stripped of his Papal robes, and Stephen apparently - he was a hands-on type guy - hacked off 3 of the fingers on Formosus� right hand (the 3 they use to bless people). The corpse was then buried, but he was dug up for a second time and was then unceremoniously chucked into the Tiber. Apparently, Stephen VI had his hands dirty following this second exhumation!
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I’ve been sniffing around looking for more information about this play and Pope Formosus, so you can imagine my delight when I found a video of the ACTUAL PLAY!! Yes, this is in black and white, its production is pretty shoddy, and due to this, it looks like it was really made in the late ninth century. It really does, if you have a spare 90 minutes have a look:
I’ve spent the last couple of days immersed in Formosus� life and the times he lived in. Even the life of Brother Joseph is interesting. He wrote 16 books and was very active in theatre.
This play is really a 3-star effort, however, the amount of fun I’ve had with this is no less than 5-stars. So, to be fair I’ll have to average these values to arrive at 4.
4 Stars
Footnote: Pope Formosus� body is now interred in St Peter’s Basilica. RIP....more
A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a deliciously wicked look at the interesting topic of murder in Ancient Rome. Emma Southon is an ancA Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a deliciously wicked look at the interesting topic of murder in Ancient Rome. Emma Southon is an ancient history academic with an engaging, often irreverent style.
Once we get the difference between homicide and murder out of the way, Southon takes us through chapters such as:
Murder in the Senate - such as Julius Caesar’s demise. The most infamous example of murder in antiquity. There was a great deal of blood shed in the senate over the centuries.
Roman Law - interestingly, was a bit quiet on murder as a crime. It wasn’t until Hadrian when it was mentioned in law (117 � 138 CE). The author described Rome’s attitude to those in the lower classes, the lowest of the low � like slaves. They were already considered ‘dead.� Like a chair. Actors, prostitutes, barkeepers and the like, only marginally above slaves, didn’t fare much better. The rich could hack away at these people as much as they wanted, the state just did not care.
Murder in the Family - A punishment for patricide included the offender being beaten with blood-coloured rods, then put into a sack with a dog, a monkey, a cockerel (that’s the scariest thing for me) and a snake. Wow, what an effort. The Romans were creative to be sure.
Murder in the Imperial House - this was one of my favourite chapters. As history was written by men, rich men, the senatorial class � these cases are well documented. Livia (Augustus’s wife) � stars here. She is accused of killing Marcellus, her step-grandchildren Lucius and Gaius Ceasar, Augustus (yes, him), and another step-grandchild, Agrippa Posthumus. All this to clear the way for her son, the deviant, drab, dour, drongo, Tiberius, to become Emperor. Remember, history was written by rich men � it would be wonderful to learn Livia’s account.
Anyway � that’s a small snapshot of the chapters available here. There’s plenty, plenty more. We learn about the Roman fascination with torture. Publicly visible torture is a deterrent of course.
The Roman State killed people on a truly industrial scale.
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Herodes Atticus, a rich, of Greek origin, master builder, writer, well connected, consul, cruel, avaricious, violent, wicked, worthless, disloyal son, tyrannical leader, and a murderer.
Atticus was responsible for the murder of Regilla, his wife. This occurred during her sixth pregnancy, after sixteen years of marriage. The poor woman was beaten and kicked to death, for some ‘small slight,� the kick caused her to go into labour when she dies horribly and slowly, in pain, blood, and humiliation. These monsters were everywhere � killing without personal consequence.
Something that surprised me - If a slave was found to have killed his or her master/owner. They were put to death, cruelly. But unbelievably every other slave in the household was also put to death � including children. One story quoted in this book � involved a slave owner being killed by a slave, he had four hundred slaves, all of them had to pay the price.
Southon’s style is not only well informed, but also irreverent � at some times I must admit, I felt a little conflicted about some of the humour here � after all we are talking about murder and mass killings in some instances. But, once I understood this is Southon’s style, and what she had to say is incredibly important, interesting too � I strapped in for the ride and learned a lot and enjoyed this very much.
This heroic endeavour by the brilliant Colleen McCullough, rests snugly amongst the likes of the Count of Monte Cristo and the Grapes of Wrath. Yes, TThis heroic endeavour by the brilliant Colleen McCullough, rests snugly amongst the likes of the Count of Monte Cristo and the Grapes of Wrath. Yes, The Grass Crown is that good.
This is the second instalment of a series of books covering the late Roman Republic, say around 100-80 BCE. We are still some decades before the first Roman Emperor, Augustus, takes the throne in 27 BCE. But this book covers the period of a crumbling, corrupt, decaying, ultra-violent, civil war ridden Republic, run by a Senate full of bickering, desiccated or bloated Patricians, lording it over the unwashed masses � or as McCollough refers to them, the Head Count.
The two main characters here, as in the first book, The First Man in Rome, are Gaius Marius and Cornelius Sulla � the former being a great general and the latter his reliable accomplice. This second book follows on from their audacious warmongering in Germania and Africa to new fields afresh trying to keep the Republic in order. Their main theatres of activity are in the East (where Turkey, the Black Sea, Iran, and the Middle East are now) and Italy itself with the brutal Civil Wars, the main cause of which was the lack of citizenship rights for the people living in Italy who weren’t granted Roman Citizenship. The King in the East, Mithridates is one of the most interesting, capricious and violent characters you’ll ever come across, by the way.
This series makes Game of Thrones look like Sesame Street, albeit a very violent version of Sesame Street. Perhaps with Bert and Ernie impaling Big Bird (who was so bloody annoying anyway) and The Count finally revealing his tricks with numbers (which weren’t that clever anyway if you think about it) were just a guise to relieve Grover of 2 litres of his blood behind the garbage bin.
Anyway……Marius is really THE Man � he was Consul Seven times. Now, Consuls were the people who ran the show. After the Romans decided they didn’t like to be subject to the tyrannic rule of Kings, they created a system whereby two Consuls were voted in by the Patricians, two � to ensure there was a counterbalance to combat tyranny. These guys called the shots. Marius was a superstar general and extremely wealthy and would think nothing of directing his soldiers to slaughter whoever was in in his way � Numidian, Cappadocian, Italian, Roman, military or civilian, young or old, it didn’t matter.
Marius� sidekick for much of the first book was the dashingly good looking, incredibly buff Sulla. This man was equally as brutal, and a rake of the highest order. He treated the women in his life abysmally, lover, wife, daughter � you name it, he was a bastard. Well now Sulla emerges from Marius� shadows.
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Marius, was known for his luxurious eyebrows, they're almost dripping off his forehead here
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The dashing Sulla
This is historical fiction at its best. Marius and Sulla going at their enemies and each other is one of the best rivalries of all time. The research McCullough must have done would have been colossal. She includes maps of actual battles (containing so much detail, I had to go full nerd, and study them with my magnifying glass), plans of buildings, places such as the forum and a 100-page Glossary at the end. Yes 100 pages dripping with delicious Republic of Rome facts. Oh, this was heaven on a stick!!
There are countless characters from all over the Republic in this story and sometimes I went nuts trying to remember ‘who was who� � but a bit of patience and hard work here and there really paid off. The reader also must digest names like Quintus Varius Severus Hybrida Sucronensis, for heaven’s sake, it was enough to make me want to eat my own head!!
In amongst the bloodletting there was an equal amount of political shenanigans. I really enjoyed this aspect, it might not be for everyone, but it did illustrate just how complicated the Republican political system was. Really, us humans haven’t change at all.
Oh, there is a bonus here because we see the real Julius Caesar as a young boy grow up, he was the nephew of Marius, he even spent considerable time helping him recover from one of his numerous strokes. You couldn’t make this stuff up!!!!!
I’ll shut up now, I’ve said so little about the story you probably know less about it than before you read my review BUT it’s that big, so vast � I wouldn’t know where to begin.
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