Julian the Apostate is a well-documented and fascinating figure--a secret pagan who wound up ruling the Christian Roman Empire. This episode examines the formative years that transformed a survivor of a dynastic purge into the last pagan emperor. How did isolation shape his intellectual trajectory? How did he find himself second-in-command of the Roman Empire? And how did he win glory for himself, so much so that he was able to challenge the emperor that likely murdered his family?
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In 355 AD, Silvanus, a high-ranking officer in the Roman Empire faced treason charges from forged letters. The emperor, Constantius II had him executed. But also, after learning that the letters were forged, the emperor pardoned the conspirators. Why else would he do all this unless he was either gullible or cruel? Well, the ancient historian who wrote about this episode, Ammianus Marcellinus, may have lied about what happened. He also happened to have bene in the party that ultimately assassinated Silvanus. Something very fishy happened--and a recent article offers a new theory for sorting it all out.
Read "Fraud and Forgery in the Reign of Constantius II: The Silvanus Affair of 355 CE" by Katherine Lagenfeld: https://biblioscout.net/article/10.25162/historia-2025-0020
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Constantine's sons fought one another for control over their father's Empire. The last one standing was Constantius II. But even after conquering the Empire, his problems were only just beginning. He had Alemanni invading in the west, the Persian threat in the east and religious schisms across the increasingly Christian Roman Empire. He would attempt to stabilize the Empire, but was he successful?
In AD 337, Constantine's sons--Constantine II, Constantius II, and Constans--and nephew Dalmatius, inherited a vast empire. But dynastic rivalries erupted in a brutal summer massacre. Who was killed, and who orchestrated the purge? How did the survivors divide the Roman world? What lasting impact did the civil wars that followed have on the Empire's stability?
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Constantine the Great, the first Roman emperor to embrace Christianity, stands as a pivotal figure in late antiquity, bridging the classical world and the emerging Byzantine era. His reign transformed the empire, yet, as Constantine entered his sixties, he continued to plan for wars and also the succession at the same time. How did his dynastic plans unfold? What were his plans for foreign policy? How did he ultimately divide his empire?
The Age of Constantine bridged the Classical World and the world of Late Antiquity. This era has a reputation for being economically troubled, but the reality is far more complicated. This episode ruminates on the defining features of Constantine's economy, with special focus on agriculture, urbanization, money, government finances and the growing economic power of the Christian church.
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In AD 330, Constantine the Great established Constantinople as the new capital of the Roman Empire--transforming his empire, and the world. Constantine built a cultural and economic powerhouse, and a city associated with Christendom. It was a city that, depending on your perspective, helped usher in the end of the Roman Empire, or perhaps aided its preservation. Why did Constantine pick the site of Constantinople? How did he develop the city? How did Constantine's new Christian identity articulate itself in the new capital?
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In 325 AD, a gathering of bishops in a small town near Constantinople changed the course of Christianity and the Roman Empire forever. Known as the Council of Nicaea, this wasn’t just a theological debate—it was a collision of imperial power and religious authority. At its heart was Constantine the Great, the first Christian emperor, whose dream of a unified empire under one God reshaped church and state. But why did Constantine step into this religious fray? How did his decisions at Nicaea influence the future of Western civilization?
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Was Constantine's conversion to Christianity genuine? How did it reshape Roman politics and culture? Evidence from Lactantius and Eusebius suggests a sincere conversion, with a divine vision sparking his faith, though political pragmatism shaped its expression. His actions, like the Edict of Milan and church-building, wove Christianity into Roman identity, transforming the empire. Constantine’s legacy established Christianity as Rome’s cornerstone, hinting at a complex blend of faith and strategy that redefined Western history.
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The Third Century Crisis prompted Diocletian’s Tetrarchy in 293 AD--a bold four-ruler system to restore order. Then, in 303, Diocletian inaugurated the Great Persecution of Christians. Religion and politics intersected when Diocletian abdicated in 305, setting in motion a chain of events which prompted a succession crisis and empowered a new usurper, Constantine, to make a play for Rome. How did Constantine come to power and how did his rise intersect with the fall of the tetrarchy and sweeping religious changes in the Roman Empire?
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What happens when a society’s protectors turn on its elites? Why did the Roman military, with its fierce loyalty and unity, eclipse the wealthy senators of the Pax Romana? How did Rome’s own soldiers, alienated and rootless, turn into “barbarians” within? Peter Turchin's insights offer some useful food for thought.
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Diocletian’s Edict on Maximum Prices was a bold attempt to combat hyperinflation. It was sold with moralizing rhetoric--not unlike rhetoric in favor of anti-price-gouging laws or wage and price controls in modern states. Diocletian blamed greed instead of addressing currency issues. Did the Price Edict work?
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The Roman Empire under Diocletian saw sweeping changes that reshaped its core. Provinces were reorganized and multiplied to tighten administrative control. The bureaucracy swelled, with tens of thousands of officials managing the sprawling empire. Peasants were bound to the land they worked, securing a steady flow of taxes and labor. Meanwhile, the military's reach deepened, its influence seeping into daily life.
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Diocletian a low-born Illyrian, rose to emperor in a period of crisis. Instead of waiting for another civil war to erupt, he appointed Maximian to co-rule with him, and handle the problematic western empire. But as problems with invading armies and usurpers continued, Diocletian took the dramatic step of appointing additional emperors in AD 293, establishing the Tetrarchy ('Rule of Four Men'). This militarized system concentrated power in the hands of four absolute autocrats, sidelining the Senate and marking the shift from Principate to Dominate.
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Turmoil resumed following Emperor Aurelian’s assassination in AD 275. Rapidly changing emperors, barbarian invasions and internal strife defined the years 275-284. Within this chaos, Diocles, a low-born Dalmatian soldier, seized power in 284. But instead of joining the long list of warlords that only temporarily won power before falling in civil war, he laid a new foundation for a transformative era in Roman politics.
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Students often ask me for Roman Empire book recommendations. Listeners have as well. It is easy to find popular histories, but here I discuss eleven excellent hidden gems--books that are great for the causal reader, but robust enough that I’ve used them in my research and teaching. These aren’t popular titles, but they’re brilliantly crafted by leading academics, diving deep into Rome’s history, culture, religion and economy. Each book is well-written, accessible, and budget-friendly, perfect for history fans and students eager to explore Rome’s epic story.
Book List:
Rome: An Empire’s Story by Greg Woolf
The Fall of the Roman Empire by Peter Heather
Marcus Aurelius by Antony Birley
World Full of Gods by Keith Hopkins
The Rise of Christianity: A Sociologist Reconsiders History by Rodney Stark
Perpetua’s Journey: Faith, Gender, and Power in the Roman Empire by Jennifer A. Rea and Liz Clarke
From Caesar to Augustus: Using Coins as Sources by Clare Rowan
Hypatia: The Life and Legend of an Ancient Philosopher by Edward Watts
The Roman Empire: Roots of Imperialism by Neville Morley
The Roman Market Economy by Peter Temin
The Roman Empire: Economy, Society and Culture by Peter Garnsey and Richard Saller
Lucius Annaeus Seneca, the 1st-century Roman Stoic, sparks endless debate. His works, like Letters to Lucilius and On the Shortness of Life, preach virtue, simplicity, and resilience. Yet, Seneca amassed a fortune of 300 million sesterces, owned lavish villas and advised Nero. Critics call him a hypocrite. His Stoic writings inspire, but do they align with his actions? This tension defines his legacy. Was Seneca a true Stoic, or was he a fraud?
Listeners and students have asked me who my favorite Roman emperor is. Lists of the "best" emperors often highlight giants like Augustus, Trajan, and Marcus Aurelius—undeniably impressive for their conquests and governance. But my favorite, for personal reasons, is a man overlooked by many historians and dismissed by the writers of his time. A blue-blooded elite, he seized power in a chaotic coup, faced senatorial scorn, yet ruled effectively. He expanded the empire, improved infrastructure, and, remarkably, seemed to enjoy himself while doing it. Who is this underappreciated emperor? Check out the episode to find out.
Ancient Rome--the heart of an empire--was fed by a vast network of ships and storehouses that brought grain from distant lands like Egypt and Africa. The Roman state orchestrated this colossal effort, called the Annona, to feed its citizens, a feat unmatched in the pre-industrial world. But behind this marvel lay a darker story—rural farmers stripped of their harvests, urban masses dependent on handouts and a system driven by political ambition. Today, we’ll explore this complex machine that kept Rome alive and ask: was the Roman government’s grain dole system helpful or harmful?
In first-century Galilee, King Herod Antipas’s stable rule provided a relatively peaceful setting for Jesus of Nazareth, born around 4 BC, to emerge as a Jewish preacher, promoting repentance and the kingdom of God. Conversely, Judea faced turmoil under Roman prefects like Pontius Pilate. By around AD 30, Jesus entered Jerusalem, and was crucified within a week. But was Jesus a mere mythological figure, or did he really exist? Ancient sources outside the New testament canon in fact confirm that Jesus was real. Josephus’s Antiquities (AD 93–94) describes Jesus as a wise man crucified under Pilate; Tacitus’s Annals (AD 116) notes “Christus” suffered 'the extreme penalty'; Pliny the Younger’s letters (AD 112) affirm a growing movement of Christ-followers almost a century after Jesus' crucifixion.