Marcus is definitely my favorite emperor, you have to remember that the “meditations” was a journal, not a piece designed for the world to see and learn from, and yet thats Exactly what happened to it unbeknownst to Marcus. So that journal shows that Marcus was truly an inspiring and genius thinker in all walks of life, we know he struggled everyday with his distain for this job he didn’t really want…
@Association of Free People I dont think so - I think he merely points out how little we can be certain of in history and then lets us know what possible reasons and causes etc we can assume as possible explanations. That is also the job of a historian. Without it we are left with precious little at all to understand anything in all too many cases - since older history most often is characterized by lack of accurate sources - not an abundance of material to interpret or choose opposing and differing opinions and base unreasoned speculation or conjecture on. Besides - he constantly points out himself that historians and himself have to resort to "speculation" - in order to make any attempts at all at finding reasonable causes or the plausible reasons behind something and show why we are uncertain. So, yeah you can call it speculation and conjecture all you like, but no - you cannot tell us its somehow a negative - It's required.
@Association of Free People Most people have zero insight, zero sources, not enough sources to compare, not even the time or the insight into how to assess anything at all - so no, your point is meaningless. Just as one example: how would people know that one or more of the sources - historians from the middle ages - were seriously prone to cite rumour hearsay and political propaganda from their own times - to know that you'd also have to be expert on each of the medieval historians and sources. And so there are no "facts" in history as you say to be cooly and objectively evaluated - the vast majority of information or "facts" - is always relayed and interpreted already by the source(s). Did you ever try study history (the subject - how to study history) at all?
@Association of Free People Besides - history would be dead and dry without commentary, speculation, "conjecture" etc.: "Harold was born, fought so and so, died this and that year - next Olav was born, fought so and so begat so and so then died. Eric was born fought so and so went this and there then died. " - is that what we need / want / aspire to ?? :DDDD
Did anyone else realize that the other videos in this channel are about witchcraft, flat earth, conspiracy theories, etc.? It's very bizarre but it doesn't appear to be a historical channel!
Typed in "marcus aurelias" in the search and had to sift through all the bullshit self help videos before finally finding this gem. Great content. Just what i was looking for.
@@saulgoodman7858 i dont think thats what stoicism is....it says not to let pain sorrow get to u and stop u from getting better....it does not say to avoid to weep or show emotions to some one u trust
You sounded legitimately heartbroken when describing the reality of Marcus Aurelius and his reign. The Die had been cast, and things would never be the same again. 10/10
Marcus himself wrote in his meditations that he would probavly be forgotten in a short amount of time. I laughed while reading that quote out of one of the most famous books on stoicism. Of course Marcus wouldn't care if we remembered him or not, but it's still funny
I studied the history of ancient Greece and Rome in university but, as so often happens, I had no use for that part of my education in the working world. I’m enjoying this excellent series because it is refreshing long lost memories and reviving an education that I thought I had lost.
The morbid part of Marcus' Meditations about "kissing your child", yeah, I can understand that concern. Not just for Marcus and his time (and the fact that he and Faustina did lose children) but though I try not to be too superstitious, I tend to kiss my son after I buckle him into his car seat. You just never know what will happen, and I want my son to know I love him.
Thank you for your extremely hard work and professional attitude compiling the entire history of Rome. I have listened to 40 hours so far in the last 2 weeks and I can’t wait to see how it ends (even though we all know lol)
Senators "My Emperor the legions are being attacked from the north and the entire Mediterranean is ravaged by plague what are you going to do?" COMMODVS CHADVS MAXIMVS "Imma party!"
"No governor shall be governor of his home province." The parallels between the Empires of Rome and China is remarkable. Convergent evolution, as it seems, that all empires eventually stumble into these policies.
Wait wait wait.. I thought Commodus took the spot of Emperor by killing HIS father, Marcus Aurelius, because Marcus told him that he was gonna adopt Russel Crowe, and have The Gladiator General be Emperor instead... Did I get that wrong? 😎😬
I just don't get how commodus was such a failure, he had everything from childhood preparing him to be emperor, the training, lessons, Marcus to learn from and connection to the legions, he should have been a perfect successor. Curse you deep down desires and the draw of luxury. But at least we got the legend that is Marcus Aurelius before commondus.
@@starkravingnormal9305 he was spoiled rotten and was not at the battlefield for most of his life. Still does not explain why he acted like a complete Muppet later on. Not going to war as emperor is one thing but acting like a clown is another.
Like with Caligula and Nero he grew up with the luxuries of privilege and position without earning them - and like them he succeeded too young. How many 19 year olds do you know who would be emotionally prepared to hold absolute power?
I wonder if he will continue through to the collapse of the west Roman empire or right through the Byzantine empire. I do hope he continues these historical series no matter what.
+- Timaeus - Acheimanids had the most beautiful looking empire of all time. Super land based empires are so flexed. And the Acheimanids were the first to acheive it on such a massive scale and hold it for 2 centuries farly well. Though the Romans would master this. No one can deny the Persians set the bar for all land based super empires of the west hence forth. Roma Looked Shmexy to. Im just of bit baias for the Acheimanids because of Cyrus the Great the Awesomest monarch to ever live. Ever. with exeption of 1 King David (Shout out to Israel) and: MVSSOLINI AVGUSTVS! JK JK! Joke. fuc musso. P.S. Emp.Claudius deserves more credit than he gets you know why he's the only good Julio- Claudian besides Gaius Augustus thats saying something i think considering they were the 2nd longest raining dynasty of the Pax Romana (75 years give or take.) I don't think the Nerva-Antonines beat their track recored. O wait just did the math. N-A's got like 12 years on them. 87(Give or take) to J-C's 74 or so. Dang good job Nerva.
@@jacobsoltero2872 the persian empires were just lines drawn around giant deserts. A dozen or so cities inside of thousands of miles of sand do not make an empire.
I’m loving these history pod casts I find the fascinating and addictive thank you for all the hard work you have put into this you have filled a few gaps in my knowledge and at the same time made them all human not dust names in a dusty book 📚
Have you read many history books from before 1850? You wouldn't be saying that if you had. Its only modern history books that are like that. Often they revise things and leave out important information. The literary quality alone is by far better 200 years ago which really shows the effects of public schools.
This is similar to "The History Of Ancient Rome" From The Great Courses series by The Teaching Company. However I feel Mike Duncan does a better job because he gets more in depth where the Great Courses gives a rather bland overall summary. While trying to "really" get into ancient Roman History one must still do the hard part and read the writings of the ancient historians and then read between the lines and make ones own summaries.
Marcus should have left Pontinax Along the Danube and handles the East him self of Vicevirsa. Or Valerus Max. to do so Vicevirsa. It seemed he had good enough Generals.
I can never reconcile the nature of Marcus Aurelius and his insistence on raising such a loser as Commodus to the purple. Every time I read of him, I can't help thinking he easily should have known better.
Wasn’t Commodus just framed by the Romans elite? Sure the guy grew paranoid and I don’t pretend he was a single perfect little emperor, but he seems to have simply been a populist adored by the masses and vilified by the aristocracy. Plus, the fact he survived multiple assassinations, and eventually was murdered sort of gives him a good reason for that paranoia
@@matthewhemmings2464 I think it's more about the enlightened rule of adopting a capable man who is not of your blood. Marcus was the 5th in that line and it was assumed that he would do the same as an enlightened stoic, but he instead chose his son, who independent of Commodus' capability, was wholly unprepared for rule.
@CipiRipi00 Thank you. Everyone gives Marcus hate for elevating Commodus to the Purple but forget that every single Emperor before him With Sons or Male relatives elivated their blood before outsiders.
@CipiRipi00 as Mike said, history criticises Marcus Aurelius for not killing his son. A civil war would have probably ensued if he would have bypassed Commodus without killing him.
I've always wondered this....why is it that militias were raised during the marcomanic wars? If the Legions were government funded, why didn't Rome simply raise more legions? Was it financially based or what it simply oversight?
Because true Christianity was spreading and he persecuted them fiercely. And true Christians knew better than to join his military. Prior to that Romans believed in a God or war and murder was ok.
@jamiecullum5567 yes I get that....but how is it that they were able to do so during the punic wars or even with Marius? Because at least by his time the legions had become professional enough that the difference between those legions and those in the macomanic wars wasn't as massive..... that's kind of what I was curious about really... was situation in the empire really that bad by then that they were unable to do what Rome always did best and have the next man up ready to go?
@@daanyaaljafri3466 the plague they had picked up in the east was ravaging the empire and the legions, so its possible they simply didnt have enough healthy people. However i think it's also to do with how the legions changed. During the republic fighting in the legions was a public service, by this time they are simply paid soliders. Perhaps they couldnt find people willing to go fight in Germany
On the ( I think very unfair) accusations of "too much" speculation and or conjecture raised by some here: - as I see it he - Timaeus - merely points out how little we can be certain of in history and then lets us know what possible reasons and causes etc we can assume as possible explanations. That is also the job of a historian. Without it we are left with precious little at all to understand anything in all too many cases - since older history most often is characterized by lack of accurate sources - not an abundance of material to interpret or choose opposing and differing opinions and base unreasoned speculation or conjecture on. Besides - he constantly points out the "speculation "himself and in doing so that historians and himself have to resort to "speculation" and "conjecture" - in order to make any attempts at all at finding reasonable causes or the plausible reasons behind something and show why we are uncertain. So, yeah you can call it speculation and conjecture all you like, but no - you cannot tell us its somehow a negative - It's required.
The speaker is Mike Duncan. Timaeus just compiled all of Mike's podcasts together into longer sections. But I agree with your comment. If you just look at news today, even with all the sources we have available, we still don't know for sure what motives a leader had for making a certain decision. Or one group said they had motive A, another group says no, they had motive B. We have all kinds of speculation and conjecture, and it only happened yesterday or a week ago. Not 2000 years ago! I am constantly amazed that we have as much knowledge of ancient history as we do. (even if we are interpreting it wrongly or half-wrong)
Their hair would probably be done up for their portrait. It's unlikely that they walked around all day in fluffy perfection. Women's hairstyles were very elaborate, especially by this time when they had to compete with the men.
I feel that Marcus Aurelius was in over his head. Although he was a genius and his heart was in the right place, I don't believe that he was very well suited to be an Emperor. He should have spent more time running the Empire and choosing a competent successor and less time on his Meditations.
One thing. There is a false narrative that says the ideas of Predestination and Free Will are in conflict - they are not. You exercise free will. It is YOUR choice - but a choice that you WILL make. You will make this choice - because it is what YOU will CHOSE to do - but - it is always YOUR choice. There is no external force making you choose - YOU are the one making the choice - but - it is what you will always have chosen. YOU are making the choice - because of who YOU are - not because of some external force. Now - that said - we live in a complex world where we are exposed to a lot of different factors - and these factors can influence the choices we have to make - but - they are our choices. We are limited in our choices by the Physics of the Universe. You can't merely chose to flap your arms like wings and fly - but - you could CHOOSE to try and do that. A lot of our choices do not have what we would consider a positive result - but they are what we chose to do. Some people might react to a certain situation with mindless terror but others with calm - each reaction the result of who they are. We cannot control what happens to us. We are all the recipients of the results of random chance. Random chance determines what will happen to all of us - but - we chose how we react to it. Sometimes Random Chance snuffs us out in a heart beat - but - other times we are able to react to it and deal with it to a greater or lesser, wiser or unwiser way. Sometimes there is a limit to the choices we have and often times there are no choices which have, for us, a positive outcome - but - again, we choose how we will act - within the ability of what we are able to do. .
Aurelius should have forced his son to spend one year working as a farmer or a laborer, just to humble him. The Chinese do this kind of stuff, and it works.
Now I get where Commodus got his murderous streak. he got it from Daddy! Carl Jung was absolutely right that 2000 years of directed thinking separate us from the way ancient peoples used to think. He really considered genocide against the German tribes? My family roots are Italian/German. One side or the other is scandalized by this knowledge. But I suppose either side was more than willing to kill the other and steal everything they owned? Now I'm not sure I'll ever get around to reading that two volume set of the memoirs I got with a book club membership 25 years ago. The portrait of MA above also shows a man who is far more well groomed and cared for than the average Roman soldier. That beard is trimmed, and even his hair may have been curled. He may have lived in army camps for years but he had a barber and hairdresser too. This man had the leisure to write and worry about getting up in the morning. Until Mike Duncan mentioned the GINI coefficient, I never realized how truly unequal Roman society really was. No wonder it was so easy for the emperors to feel like Gods. But a friend I used to know would tell me the romans weren't nearly as racist and class conscious about slavery as the "democratic" Greeks. The ancient Jews didn't believe in the equality of all gene pools either. Nobody but the poor slobs on the street tended to I guess. Or the average man on the street couldn't afford the high priced mates? Maybe the ambivalence I'm feeling toward Marcus Aurelius is affected by the article I just read about The Duchess of Sussex interview with Popra, this morning. MM likes the titles but hates the attitude that got the royals their position. MM knew when she married him the family thought they were a cut above, literally. Unlike most of us they have a long lineage and that means they consider that most of us have inferior DNA at its worst, or not quite the right sort: the attitude at it's least murderous. Most of us don't trace our roots very far back. But isn't that genetic exclusivity what she wanted as the feather in her crown? Isn't that the appeal of Prince Harry? Isn't that the appeal of all titles of nobility? Thank the constitution they are illegal here. Maybe in some, with their deep roots and longer family memories, the directed thinking isn't quite as deep as Jung thought? BTW - I think Caracalla, yet to come was, if not black, darker than the average northern European Roman? His features look more African, I think. He looks fierce but actually very handsome. Which ranks higher - looks or money and power?
@@michaelglinsky2614 - Southern Italian and German. And both sets of Grandparents came here at around the turn of the 20th century. I don't speak either language and was raised here. That makes me American. Too bad you couldn't ask a more intelligent question. Europeans are a complicated mix of DNA that reflect the movements of the tribal groups that invaded the Roman empire in its closing years. That is, a Brazilian guy I knew had a Portuguese grandfather, and a DNA test revealed he had traces from North Africa to Scandinavian (I'm not sure about the exact details) and even from the Eurasian steppes. And Americans are probably even more complicated. It seems every place is some kind of genetic mixing bowl. I don't want to spend the money for a DNA test but the name is probably Spanish origin and that would mean my ancestors were probably a mix of European and North African (the Moors). BTW - I don't hate people of nobility or Royal lineage. I find them interesting and envy, in a way, their ability to maintain such long family memories. But anything involving the sexual plumbing is the origin of race, isn't it? I love the idea they can maintain family archives as long as they can afford the family seats. Huxley's "Brave New World" also sounds like the ultimate Vapid New World.
@@paulrosa6173 I mean... both of your replies tell me that a lot of your beliefs stem from the “black” part of your ancestry and you are feeling, for whatever reason, that you owe it to that part of your ancestry to always pay attention to perceived inequalities and point to a “great admixture of the DNA”. It’s a bit preposterous to speak of Romans as being distinct genetically from Europeans. Quite a few people in the world believe that the Romans from 1500+ years ago and the modern day Europeans genetically are pretty much the same people.
@@michaelglinsky2614 - I suppose so? I guess I agree with those who think The ancient Romans and modern Europeans are made of the same stuff, more or less. That far back who wouldn't be related somehow to everyone else? I'm not sure I'm really arguing from belief's either. Maybe it's more like thinking or speculating out loud? I have no idea what my real ancestry might be beyond about four generations. It would be an expensive luxury to search deeper. I don't like "white supremacy" thinking but I also don't like any other racial supremacy thinking either. If one has to get off the pedestal that doesn't mean someone else can get on it instead. Maybe the pedestal just never gets another occupant? Or is that being too much of a wimp? Evidently, Virginia destroyed the pedestal under Lee too.
Eh, kill one person you're a murderer. Kill a million and you're a conqueror. Like Augustus and Trajan before him, and Diocletian and Constantine after him, Marcus Aurelius was very capable but very stern and ruthless. That's the difference between father son: Marcus was both wise and merciless - Commodus was only merciless.
Roman walls - not civilised barbarians split. For trade and for base World is a chord, musical concert and we can choose to be in harmony with that The consequences of anger are greater than the causes Stay away from the ranks of the insane Plague - disconnect between army and the people, interests differ csn lead to dictatorship Times get bad people blame others
Only Iranian nationalists claim that the old Persian empire was larger than that of the Romans. It's not true. They get that inflated claim by saying that Persia ruled over a huge swath of Central Asia without much evidence.
Well... there is some truth to the claim because the Achaemenid empire ruled over the largest percentage of population of any empire, ever. Something close to 47%. It is a singular achievement and Iranian nationalists, can with some justification, claim that the Persian empire can claim to be one of the most successful empires of ancient times. But can it really be compared to Rome though? The Greeks beat the Persians with the Phalanx, Rome beat the Greeks with the Maniple.
I want to know how the Romans handled their injured, maimed men with chopped off arms screaming in agony. Field hospitals, surgical procedures, how they managed their dead after battles, etc.
Romans had very advanced medical practices, actually, including antiseptics. They didn't have the proper theoretical foundations obviously, but they knew what worked (e.g., boiling tools before use, not reusing the same tools on multiple patients, etc.). There really weren't many radical advancements in battlefield medicine between the ancient Romans and modern medicine in the 1800s.
One shouldn’t use the phrase screwed up, it sounds crass and actually means emotionally disturbed or neurotic. Screwed has morphed into a synonym for the f word, that’s why I assert that the s word sounds crass. Anyway, you do know your stuff.
Speak for yourself, Danny Boy. I'm sorting my clothes, preparing food, doing various chores. It's incredibly fascinating stuff, perhaps better than many a Teaching Company course that I have listened to over the years.
My mom worked at a facility that built airplanes she did aviation mechanics for a long time. They taught how it is infact not possible for it to do so. I always thought that was interesting I got to tour the place a few times it was huge with like barely 25 staff they built some really cool stuff there.
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Marcus is definitely my favorite emperor, you have to remember that the “meditations” was a journal, not a piece designed for the world to see and learn from, and yet thats Exactly what happened to it unbeknownst to Marcus.
So that journal shows that Marcus was truly an inspiring and genius thinker in all walks of life, we know he struggled everyday with his distain for this job he didn’t really want…
genocidal maniac who acted like his lot in life was equivalent to that of a slave. even the hawkish senate opposed the guy's war policies.
The fact he didn't want probably helped, at least a little bit, in him not being so terrible of an emperor.
Mike Duncan's podcast series is one of the best history podcasts ever.
@Association of Free People I dont think so - I think he merely points out how little we can be certain of in history and then lets us know what possible reasons and causes etc we can assume as possible explanations. That is also the job of a historian. Without it we are left with precious little at all to understand anything in all too many cases - since older history most often is characterized by lack of accurate sources - not an abundance of material to interpret or choose opposing and differing opinions and base unreasoned speculation or conjecture on.
Besides - he constantly points out himself that historians and himself have to resort to "speculation" - in order to make any attempts at all at finding reasonable causes or the plausible reasons behind something and show why we are uncertain. So, yeah you can call it speculation and conjecture all you like, but no - you cannot tell us its somehow a negative - It's required.
@Association of Free People Most people have zero insight, zero sources, not enough sources to compare, not even the time or the insight into how to assess anything at all - so no, your point is meaningless. Just as one example: how would people know that one or more of the sources - historians from the middle ages - were seriously prone to cite rumour hearsay and political propaganda from their own times - to know that you'd also have to be expert on each of the medieval historians and sources. And so there are no "facts" in history as you say to be cooly and objectively evaluated - the vast majority of information or "facts" - is always relayed and interpreted already by the source(s). Did you ever try study history (the subject - how to study history) at all?
@Association of Free People Besides - history would be dead and dry without commentary, speculation, "conjecture" etc.:
"Harold was born, fought so and so, died this and that year - next Olav was born, fought so and so begat so and so then died. Eric was born fought so and so went this and there then died. " - is that what we need / want / aspire to ?? :DDDD
@Association of Free People That's what historians do. It isn't a courtroom, "Just the facts ma'am"
Did anyone else realize that the other videos in this channel are about witchcraft, flat earth, conspiracy theories, etc.? It's very bizarre but it doesn't appear to be a historical channel!
Typed in "marcus aurelias" in the search and had to sift through all the bullshit self help videos before finally finding this gem. Great content. Just what i was looking for.
We've all been there at some point.
you clearly don't know Marcus Aurelias then lol
Haha stoicism has its place but it's not the end all be all. I feel like letting the world know of my pain once in a while.
@@saulgoodman7858 i dont think thats what stoicism is....it says not to let pain sorrow get to u and stop u from getting better....it does not say to avoid to weep or show emotions to some one u trust
@@saulgoodman7858 i
You sounded legitimately heartbroken when describing the reality of Marcus Aurelius and his reign. The Die had been cast, and things would never be the same again. 10/10
i absolutely love the irony of the forever seeking obscurity marcus aureleus being one of the most famous men to have ever lived.
Marcus himself wrote in his meditations that he would probavly be forgotten in a short amount of time. I laughed while reading that quote out of one of the most famous books on stoicism.
Of course Marcus wouldn't care if we remembered him or not, but it's still funny
Idk why I am in college this is teaching me more.
I studied the history of ancient Greece and Rome in university but, as so often happens, I had no use for that part of my education in the working world. I’m enjoying this excellent series because it is refreshing long lost memories and reviving an education that I thought I had lost.
Maybe that says more about you than it does about college.
@@patavinity1262 who?
Marcus is a genius. That’s why you’re here…..like the rest of us….
That's because college is woke
The morbid part of Marcus' Meditations about "kissing your child", yeah, I can understand that concern. Not just for Marcus and his time (and the fact that he and Faustina did lose children) but though I try not to be too superstitious, I tend to kiss my son after I buckle him into his car seat. You just never know what will happen, and I want my son to know I love him.
That’s really sweet, and I’ll probably understand the feeling when I’m a father
Does he mention Marcus brutal persecution of the Christians?
Which included children
This is one of the better pieces I’ve heard. Thanks for the steady clear direct tone and information.
Thank you for your extremely hard work and professional attitude compiling the entire history of Rome. I have listened to 40 hours so far in the last 2 weeks and I can’t wait to see how it ends (even though we all know lol)
This is not the original uploader, stop stroking his ego.
This is from the podcast series The History Of Rome by Mike Duncan.
He currently does The Revolutions podcast
From the Bio on the video
Senators
"My Emperor the legions are being attacked from the north and the entire Mediterranean is ravaged by plague what are you going to do?"
COMMODVS CHADVS MAXIMVS
"Imma party!"
"No governor shall be governor of his home province."
The parallels between the Empires of Rome and China is remarkable. Convergent evolution, as it seems, that all empires eventually stumble into these policies.
Wait wait wait.. I thought Commodus took the spot of Emperor by killing HIS father, Marcus Aurelius, because Marcus told him that he was gonna adopt Russel Crowe, and have The Gladiator General be Emperor instead...
Did I get that wrong?
😎😬
No, Mike Duncan just forgot to read that first hand account. Common mistake.
Fantastic podcasts.
"then he got down to the good business again - gambling and drinking" I swear...I laughed so hard at this remark ahahahah!!! Perfect!
I've been waiting too long for this!
Back, a couple year's later for another listen. Thank's again.
Best short summary of mediations ever!!!
This is pretty well done and has details from the classical sources. I am curious as to what your primary and secondary courses are for this video.
This is too good! Thanks
This is from the podcast series The History Of Rome by Mike Duncan.
He currently does The Revolutions podcast
Now this Lucius character? He’s my f@cking boy.
Astounding
1:02:30 Single combat Valerius Maximianus d. Valao of the Naristi in 171.
37:25 Love the train in the background
I just don't get how commodus was such a failure, he had everything from childhood preparing him to be emperor, the training, lessons, Marcus to learn from and connection to the legions, he should have been a perfect successor. Curse you deep down desires and the draw of luxury.
But at least we got the legend that is Marcus Aurelius before commondus.
@HistoryFan476ad Well he was basically a middle child.
Commodus had a childhood at the side of a Father who was at war. That is he had no childhood. Go figure.
@@starkravingnormal9305 he was spoiled rotten and was not at the battlefield for most of his life. Still does not explain why he acted like a complete Muppet later on. Not going to war as emperor is one thing but acting like a clown is another.
Like with Caligula and Nero he grew up with the luxuries of privilege and position without earning them - and like them he succeeded too young. How many 19 year olds do you know who would be emotionally prepared to hold absolute power?
@@elagabalusrex390 I’d have done it.
I wonder if he will continue through to the collapse of the west Roman empire or right through the Byzantine empire. I do hope he continues these historical series no matter what.
We'll see, I 'm not sure yet. But you know that in books, in history and in life, the ending is never truly fully written. ;)
He's currently about to release a book on the collapse of the Roman Empire. Check his website :)
+- Timaeus -
Acheimanids had the most beautiful looking empire of all time. Super land based empires are so flexed. And the Acheimanids were the first to acheive it on such a massive scale and hold it for 2 centuries farly well. Though the Romans would master this. No one can deny the Persians set the bar for all land based super empires of the west hence forth.
Roma Looked Shmexy to. Im just of bit baias for the Acheimanids because of Cyrus the Great the Awesomest monarch to ever live. Ever. with exeption of 1 King David (Shout out to Israel) and: MVSSOLINI AVGUSTVS! JK JK!
Joke. fuc musso.
P.S. Emp.Claudius deserves more credit than he gets you know why he's the only good Julio- Claudian besides Gaius Augustus thats saying something i think considering they were the 2nd longest raining dynasty of the Pax Romana (75 years give or take.) I don't think the Nerva-Antonines beat their track recored. O wait just did the math.
N-A's got like 12 years on them.
87(Give or take) to J-C's 74 or so.
Dang good job Nerva.
@@jacobsoltero2872 the persian empires were just lines drawn around giant deserts. A dozen or so cities inside of thousands of miles of sand do not make an empire.
@@edwhite7078 dude r u serious?..lol
I’m loving these history pod casts I find the fascinating and addictive thank you for all the hard work you have put into this you have filled a few gaps in my knowledge and at the same time made them all human not dust names in a dusty book 📚
Have you read many history books from before 1850? You wouldn't be saying that if you had. Its only modern history books that are like that. Often they revise things and leave out important information. The literary quality alone is by far better 200 years ago which really shows the effects of public schools.
I wish you would put the bust to the side so we can see the map while you speak.
you can pull up all kinds of maps, on new tabs, while you listen...
Brilliant job, thanks!
This is from the podcast series The History Of Rome by Mike Duncan.
He currently does The Revolutions podcast
Subscribed for this video alone
week off week off thank god i am listening a year later, get back to work
Lol, what are you talking about. :)
Good channel.
excellent
Thanks , this is history.
This is from the podcast series The History Of Rome by Mike Duncan.
He currently does The Revolutions podcast
"Raised in the palace as true Roman royalty"
Makes my skin crawl.
Does not ring right on the ear. I know
I named my own and only son after this admirable and beyond wise Roman Emperor.
Should've named him Caligula.
@@denizmetint.462 and you have the name of Marcus Junius Brutus...
@@felipewerner6670
Well, obviously.
I've also thought about calling my future son Marcus Aurelius, what a great man to be named after
Hugh Morris Nahh Solomon the Wise is more worthy
Philosophy is a walk on the slippery rocks. Empress Brickell of Bohemia
I'd watch a Marcus and Lucius sitcom.
Reminds me of the brothers Goofus and Gallant in the 60s children’s magazine, Highlights. 😂
@@mikehallaron funny comparison!
If only Monty Python was still around. And they could have done a skit about the prophet Alexander and his python worship!
So in compiling this why was episode 90 (the questions and answers episode) skipped?
The People's Republic of Portland. 😂😂😂😂😂
This is similar to "The History Of Ancient Rome" From The Great Courses series by The Teaching Company. However I feel Mike Duncan does a better job because he gets more in depth where the Great Courses gives a rather bland overall summary. While trying to "really" get into ancient Roman History one must still do the hard part and read the writings of the ancient historians and then read between the lines and make ones own summaries.
Marcus should have left Pontinax Along the Danube and handles the East him self of
Vicevirsa. Or Valerus Max. to do so Vicevirsa. It seemed he had good enough Generals.
I can never reconcile the nature of Marcus Aurelius and his insistence on raising such a loser as Commodus to the purple. Every time I read of him, I can't help thinking he easily should have known better.
Wasn’t Commodus just framed by the Romans elite? Sure the guy grew paranoid and I don’t pretend he was a single perfect little emperor, but he seems to have simply been a populist adored by the masses and vilified by the aristocracy. Plus, the fact he survived multiple assassinations, and eventually was murdered sort of gives him a good reason for that paranoia
@@matthewhemmings2464 I think it's more about the enlightened rule of adopting a capable man who is not of your blood. Marcus was the 5th in that line and it was assumed that he would do the same as an enlightened stoic, but he instead chose his son, who independent of Commodus' capability, was wholly unprepared for rule.
It isn't easy being a parent!
@CipiRipi00 Thank you. Everyone gives Marcus hate for elevating Commodus to the Purple but forget that every single Emperor before him With Sons or Male relatives elivated their blood before outsiders.
@CipiRipi00 as Mike said, history criticises Marcus Aurelius for not killing his son.
A civil war would have probably ensued if he would have bypassed Commodus without killing him.
Dude was happiest with quite camp life, in nature, time to write and think
M.Aurelius died at 58
Where is the q&a episode?
0:11
4:44 - Early life, influeces/inspirations
love your channel.
Non musicians are still trying to figure out what he was talking about at 1:35
"Much as made in the histories that Commodus' character, or lack thereof". xD hahaha
Thank Hadrian for not finishing off the parthians.
Is there a chance that you will differentiate between German tribes and Germanic tribes, please?
What do you even mean
New ones on Spotify when your done here
Why the bust when the map is what is needed?
I've always wondered this....why is it that militias were raised during the marcomanic wars? If the Legions were government funded, why didn't Rome simply raise more legions?
Was it financially based or what it simply oversight?
Because true Christianity was spreading and he persecuted them fiercely. And true Christians knew better than to join his military. Prior to that Romans believed in a God or war and murder was ok.
Takes time to raise and train a legion, a militia is more of a local force, quickly called up using what ever weapons are at hand
@jamiecullum5567 yes I get that....but how is it that they were able to do so during the punic wars or even with Marius? Because at least by his time the legions had become professional enough that the difference between those legions and those in the macomanic wars wasn't as massive..... that's kind of what I was curious about really... was situation in the empire really that bad by then that they were unable to do what Rome always did best and have the next man up ready to go?
@@daanyaaljafri3466 the plague they had picked up in the east was ravaging the empire and the legions, so its possible they simply didnt have enough healthy people. However i think it's also to do with how the legions changed. During the republic fighting in the legions was a public service, by this time they are simply paid soliders. Perhaps they couldnt find people willing to go fight in Germany
The more l know about an isolated era, the most depressing it is. The butterfly effect unrealized.
This is from the podcast series The History Of Rome by Mike Duncan.
He currently does The Revolutions podcast
Great work. Keep it up. I was under the impression Faustina went to Cassius because she believed herself that Marcus had died? I could be wrong tho.
Thanks, Glad you like it. :)
@@-timaeus-9781 Why TF do you let people give you credit for Mike Duncan's work?
and the glaring similarity between "Parthian" and "Persian," does it not deserve a sentence?
Parthia bg 15:47
Capitalistic Stoic "I know i'm gon' get got, but i'm gon' get mine more then i get got tho'" -The Great Marshawn Lynch
? Ebonics
1:56:00
1:29:50
you can't have 2 pontifex maximus'....Mike
For the British in the community..Morecombe and Wise ..Cannon and Ball.. Little and Large 😀👍❤
On the ( I think very unfair) accusations of "too much" speculation and or conjecture raised by some here: - as I see it he - Timaeus - merely points out how little we can be certain of in history and then lets us know what possible reasons and causes etc we can assume as possible explanations. That is also the job of a historian. Without it we are left with precious little at all to understand anything in all too many cases - since older history most often is characterized by lack of accurate sources - not an abundance of material to interpret or choose opposing and differing opinions and base unreasoned speculation or conjecture on.
Besides - he constantly points out the "speculation "himself and in doing so that historians and himself have to resort to "speculation" and "conjecture" - in order to make any attempts at all at finding reasonable causes or the plausible reasons behind something and show why we are uncertain. So, yeah you can call it speculation and conjecture all you like, but no - you cannot tell us its somehow a negative - It's required.
Well said. We are left to fill in context. 👏
The speaker is Mike Duncan. Timaeus just compiled all of Mike's podcasts together into longer sections. But I agree with your comment. If you just look at news today, even with all the sources we have available, we still don't know for sure what motives a leader had for making a certain decision. Or one group said they had motive A, another group says no, they had motive B. We have all kinds of speculation and conjecture, and it only happened yesterday or a week ago. Not 2000 years ago! I am constantly amazed that we have as much knowledge of ancient history as we do. (even if we are interpreting it wrongly or half-wrong)
Can't help but to let his own personal opinions slip in sometimes lol
I feel like all the ancient people has lucius locks. even without shampoo. or conditioner.
+Ben Kielar
Really thats interesting. I wonder how it made their hair smell. Looks good tho.
Their hair would probably be done up for their portrait. It's unlikely that they walked around all day in fluffy perfection. Women's hairstyles were very elaborate, especially by this time when they had to compete with the men.
I feel that Marcus Aurelius was in over his head. Although he was a genius and his heart was in the right place, I don't believe that he was very well suited to be an Emperor. He should have spent more time running the Empire and choosing a competent successor and less time on his Meditations.
Anyone else hear the train?
One thing. There is a false narrative that says the ideas of Predestination and Free Will are in conflict - they are not.
You exercise free will. It is YOUR choice - but a choice that you WILL make. You will make this choice - because it is what YOU will CHOSE to do - but - it is always YOUR choice.
There is no external force making you choose - YOU are the one making the choice - but - it is what you will always have chosen.
YOU are making the choice - because of who YOU are - not because of some external force.
Now - that said - we live in a complex world where we are exposed to a lot of different factors - and these factors can influence the choices we have to make - but - they are our choices. We are limited in our choices by the Physics of the Universe. You can't merely chose to flap your arms like wings and fly - but - you could CHOOSE to try and do that. A lot of our choices do not have what we would consider a positive result - but they are what we chose to do.
Some people might react to a certain situation with mindless terror but others with calm - each reaction the result of who they are.
We cannot control what happens to us. We are all the recipients of the results of random chance. Random chance determines what will happen to all of us - but - we chose how we react to it. Sometimes Random Chance snuffs us out in a heart beat - but - other times we are able to react to it and deal with it to a greater or lesser, wiser or unwiser way.
Sometimes there is a limit to the choices we have and often times there are no choices which have, for us, a positive outcome - but - again, we choose how we will act - within the ability of what we are able to do.
.
He didn't want to do it? Yeah, he didn't want to have those 14 children, but he somehow managed to sneak in enough time with his wife to have them.
It was his duty.😊🤩😆
Aurelius should have forced his son to spend one year working as a farmer or a laborer, just to humble him.
The Chinese do this kind of stuff, and it works.
Come get your sooooooul gloooooowww
Now I get where Commodus got his murderous streak. he got it from Daddy! Carl Jung was absolutely right that 2000 years of directed thinking separate us from the way ancient peoples used to think. He really considered genocide against the German tribes? My family roots are Italian/German. One side or the other is scandalized by this knowledge. But I suppose either side was more than willing to kill the other and steal everything they owned? Now I'm not sure I'll ever get around to reading that two volume set of the memoirs I got with a book club membership 25 years ago.
The portrait of MA above also shows a man who is far more well groomed and cared for than the average Roman soldier. That beard is trimmed, and even his hair may have been curled. He may have lived in army camps for years but he had a barber and hairdresser too. This man had the leisure to write and worry about getting up in the morning. Until Mike Duncan mentioned the GINI coefficient, I never realized how truly unequal Roman society really was. No wonder it was so easy for the emperors to feel like Gods. But a friend I used to know would tell me the romans weren't nearly as racist and class conscious about slavery as the "democratic" Greeks. The ancient Jews didn't believe in the equality of all gene pools either. Nobody but the poor slobs on the street tended to I guess. Or the average man on the street couldn't afford the high priced mates?
Maybe the ambivalence I'm feeling toward Marcus Aurelius is affected by the article I just read about The Duchess of Sussex interview with Popra, this morning. MM likes the titles but hates the attitude that got the royals their position. MM knew when she married him the family thought they were a cut above, literally. Unlike most of us they have a long lineage and that means they consider that most of us have inferior DNA at its worst, or not quite the right sort: the attitude at it's least murderous. Most of us don't trace our roots very far back. But isn't that genetic exclusivity what she wanted as the feather in her crown? Isn't that the appeal of Prince Harry? Isn't that the appeal of all titles of nobility? Thank the constitution they are illegal here. Maybe in some, with their deep roots and longer family memories, the directed thinking isn't quite as deep as Jung thought?
BTW - I think Caracalla, yet to come was, if not black, darker than the average northern European Roman? His features look more African, I think. He looks fierce but actually very handsome. Which ranks higher - looks or money and power?
Are you half black/half German?
@@michaelglinsky2614 - Southern Italian and German. And both sets of Grandparents came here at around the turn of the 20th century. I don't speak either language and was raised here. That makes me American. Too bad you couldn't ask a more intelligent question.
Europeans are a complicated mix of DNA that reflect the movements of the tribal groups that invaded the Roman empire in its closing years. That is, a Brazilian guy I knew had a Portuguese grandfather, and a DNA test revealed he had traces from North Africa to Scandinavian (I'm not sure about the exact details) and even from the Eurasian steppes. And Americans are probably even more complicated. It seems every place is some kind of genetic mixing bowl.
I don't want to spend the money for a DNA test but the name is probably Spanish origin and that would mean my ancestors were probably a mix of European and North African (the Moors).
BTW - I don't hate people of nobility or Royal lineage. I find them interesting and envy, in a way, their ability to maintain such long family memories. But anything involving the sexual plumbing is the origin of race, isn't it? I love the idea they can maintain family archives as long as they can afford the family seats. Huxley's "Brave New World" also sounds like the ultimate Vapid New World.
@@paulrosa6173 I mean...
both of your replies tell me that a lot of your beliefs stem from the “black” part of your ancestry and you are feeling, for whatever reason, that you owe it to that part of your ancestry to always pay attention to perceived inequalities and point to a “great admixture of the DNA”.
It’s a bit preposterous to speak of Romans as being distinct genetically from Europeans. Quite a few people in the world believe that the Romans from 1500+ years ago and the modern day Europeans genetically are pretty much the same people.
@@michaelglinsky2614 - I suppose so? I guess I agree with those who think The ancient Romans and modern Europeans are made of the same stuff, more or less. That far back who wouldn't be related somehow to everyone else? I'm not sure I'm really arguing from belief's either. Maybe it's more like thinking or speculating out loud? I have no idea what my real ancestry might be beyond about four generations. It would be an expensive luxury to search deeper. I don't like "white supremacy" thinking but I also don't like any other racial supremacy thinking either. If one has to get off the pedestal that doesn't mean someone else can get on it instead. Maybe the pedestal just never gets another occupant? Or is that being too much of a wimp?
Evidently, Virginia destroyed the pedestal under Lee too.
Eh, kill one person you're a murderer. Kill a million and you're a conqueror. Like Augustus and Trajan before him, and Diocletian and Constantine after him, Marcus Aurelius was very capable but very stern and ruthless. That's the difference between father son: Marcus was both wise and merciless - Commodus was only merciless.
60 legions versus 28, uhm.... cheap out on defense..... like Truman before the Korean War...
Did Marcus Aurelius cave in when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? These are the eternal questions.
Roman walls - not civilised barbarians split. For trade and for base
World is a chord, musical concert and we can choose to be in harmony with that
The consequences of anger are greater than the causes
Stay away from the ranks of the insane
Plague - disconnect between army and the people, interests differ csn lead to dictatorship
Times get bad people blame others
Only Iranian nationalists claim that the old Persian empire was larger than that of the Romans. It's not true. They get that inflated claim by saying that Persia ruled over a huge swath of Central Asia without much evidence.
Well... there is some truth to the claim because the Achaemenid empire ruled over the largest percentage of population of any empire, ever. Something close to 47%. It is a singular achievement and Iranian nationalists, can with some justification, claim that the Persian empire can claim to be one of the most successful empires of ancient times.
But can it really be compared to Rome though? The Greeks beat the Persians with the Phalanx, Rome beat the Greeks with the Maniple.
I want to know how the Romans handled their injured, maimed men with chopped off arms screaming in agony. Field hospitals, surgical procedures, how they managed their dead after battles, etc.
ebp1234 those maimed guys would usually die from the lack of antiseptics
Romans had very advanced medical practices, actually, including antiseptics. They didn't have the proper theoretical foundations obviously, but they knew what worked (e.g., boiling tools before use, not reusing the same tools on multiple patients, etc.). There really weren't many radical advancements in battlefield medicine between the ancient Romans and modern medicine in the 1800s.
Trust me. You don't want to know.
Good history lesson even though he completely butchered the meditations like he didn't really understand it lol. Stoicism isn't for the meek.
Pronounce Verus "vair us" Virus "veer us", ah,
ancient Roman, go figure.
Poor Armenia
Your fired
why does he have nappy hair? lol
Curly is not nappy Eddie
nappy is nappy
Bruh those are locks of a EMPEROR GLOMAN!
Locks of Steez.
He got all the Roman Badies.
KANGZ
Genetics
One shouldn’t use the phrase screwed up, it sounds crass and actually means emotionally disturbed or neurotic. Screwed has morphed into a synonym for the f word, that’s why I assert that the s word sounds crass. Anyway, you do know your stuff.
One shouldn't go around telling people what words they should or should not use. It makes one appear to be a pompous twat
Aurelius was psychotic
to much accent
So we just sit here and listen to you read? Boring!
You might sit there, but others might do something else and listen at the same time
Speak for yourself, Danny Boy. I'm sorting my clothes, preparing food, doing various chores. It's incredibly fascinating stuff, perhaps better than many a Teaching Company course that I have listened to over the years.
i got "el oo sin ee an"mysteries. most pronouce guides suck
Thumbs down for snooty conspiracy theorist reference. Jet fuel can’t melt steel beams
My mom worked at a facility that built airplanes she did aviation mechanics for a long time. They taught how it is infact not possible for it to do so. I always thought that was interesting I got to tour the place a few times it was huge with like barely 25 staff they built some really cool stuff there.