Roman Empire News
12 Byzantine Rulers: Part 8 - Justinian - Part 2
With the return of relative calm after the reign's turbulent beginnings, Justinian could turn to his most ambitious project, the reconquest of the Western Empire. For this, his most cherished goal, he looked to one man, the young, promising general, Belisarius. Justinian was rewarded with unswerving loyalty and unquestioned brilliance, and yet the road to reconquest was to be a difficult and tragic one for both men. Join Lars Brownworth as the story of Justinian's reconquest of Africa and Italy unfolds.
12 Byzantine Rulers: Part 7 - Justinian - Part 1
As the 6th Century dawned on the tottering Byzantine State, the future seemed to hold only decline and decay, and yet unexpectedly, it was to see a renaissance unmatched in the long history of the empire. On every front, it seemed, were gathered the towering giants of the age- poised and ready to take the empire to ever greater and more dizzying heights. All that was needed was a ruler with enough vision to unite and drive this vast collection of the best and the brightest- a ruler who could dream on a truly imperial scale. He came, surprisingly enough, from the ranks of the great, unwashed masses- risen from poverty to fire the empire with the force of his will. Join Lars Brownworth as he looks at the stunning rise of Justinian- from shadow ruler to emperor in his own right.
12 Byzantine Rulers: Part 12 - Basil I
Basil I was hardly a promising candidate to usher in a new golden age to the Byzantine Empire. A poor, illiterate Armenian peasant, he was kidnapped by raiding Bulgarians as a boy, and only managed to escape in his mid twenties. Renowned for his great strength and skill with horses, he found work as a stable hand and grew into a violent, ambitious man, whose thirst for power led him to commit two of the foulest murders that even Byzantine history has to offer. And yet, against the odds, his reign was the most successful of the century, and the Macedonian dynasty that he would found, would bring the empire to the height of its power and prestige. Join Lars Brownworth as he looks at the reign of the emperor Basil the Macedonian.
The Last Days of the Emperor Otho
The following is an account of the last days of the Emperor Otho, as told by the Roman historian C. Cornelius Tacitus:
"Otho, in the mean time, having taken his resolution, waited, without trepidation, for an account of the event. First, rumours of a melancholy character reached his ears; soon after, fugitives, who escaped from the field, brought sure intelligence that all was lost. The fervor of the soldiers staid not for the voice of the emperor; they bade him summon up his best resolution: there were forces still in reserve and in their prince's cause they were ready to suffer and and dare the utmost."
But the Emperor declined their offer. He stated "To expose to further perils such spriit and such virtue as you now display, would, I deem, be paying too costly a price for my life."
In the morning the Emperor committed suicide by falling on his sword. He was borne to his funeral on the soldiers of the praetorian guard, and his soldiers kissed his hands and his wounds amidst tears and praises. Some of the soldiers slew themselves and threw themselves on the funeral pile. The Emperor was 37 years old when he died. |
12 Byzantine Rulers: Part 6 - Zeno
By the middle of the 5th Century the Roman Empire was on the verge of collapse. Its emperors were mere puppets, its armies were in chaos, and enemies were closing in on all sides. Unable to sustain itself, the West collapsed, plunging Europe into the Dark Ages. By all accounts, the East should have followed suit, and yet, unexpectedly, the Eastern emperor slipped free of his barbarian master and saved the tottering state. Join Lars Brownworth as he looks at Zeno, the unlikely savior of the Byzantine Empire.
