Herodian of Antioch's History of the Roman Empire is an important source for the AD 180-238 period. Choose one of the emperors from this period (possibilities include Commodus, Pertinax, Didius Julianus, Septimius Severus, Macrinus, Bassianus, and Alexander Severus) and note what Herodian has to say about that emperor. Cite here an example of that emperor's competence (or lack thereof) and an example of the difficulties that emperor faced, looking especially for problems that emperor had with the Roman army.
If you prefer, you might comment on one of the important women leaders, e.g., Julia Maesa or Julia Mamea. You might also like looking at what Herodian has to say about Xenobia, the queen of Palmyra.
You may find the site linked here a bit difficult to navigate. Persevere! Use the "page" button at the top to navigate through the eight *books* of this history looking at the book heading to see which emperors are included in that book. Once you find the right book, click through each of the chapter links to find the material on the emperor you want to talk about.
Alexander was who I chose because I found it interesting that it was noted that might have had a long and prosperous reign, past 14 years, if not for his mother. He was considered weak and womanly due to her interference and power over him. This upset the soliders because he would command her decisions that made their lives harder. He thought of himself as the reincarnated Alexander the Great and wanted to defeat and rule the Persian Empire. In the end though as it always does the Emperor seems to be decided by who the army or the most powerful part of the Roam army wants to see Emperor. The army proclaims Maximinus the emperor and when he refuses they tell him to except being emperor or die. Of course he accepts and eventually kills Alexander and his mother, while Alexander is cowering in his mother's arms weeping.
ReplyDeleteI chose to read about Pertinax. I found it interesting that he killed Commodus and the people rejoiced. When he came back he tried to fix the problems that Commodus left. He got support from many after a speech to the senate. Something i found interesting was Pertinax refused to be put on the Roman money. I would assume that the most powerful man in the empire would want to be on the money. His mistake was when the army was angry towards him instead of fleeing or hiding he tried to handle the matter directly and try and calm the people. Although he showed great courage it would not end up going his way.
ReplyDeleteI chose Justinus "Semiramis, not daring to entrust the government to a youth, or openly to take it upon herself (as so many great, nations would scarcely submit to one man, much less to a woman), pretended that she was the son of Ninus instead of his wife, a male instead of a female. The stature of both mother and son was low, their voice alike weak, and the cast of their features similar. She accordingly clad her arms and legs in long garments, and decked her head with a turban; and, that she might not appear to conceal any thing by this new dress, she ordered her subjects also to wear the same apparel; a fashion which the whole nation has since retained. Having thus dissembled her sex at the commencement of her |5 reign, she was believed to be a male. Sbe afterwards performed many noble actions; and when she thought envy was overcome by the greatness of them, she acknowledged who she was, and whom she had personated. Nor did this confession detract from her authority as a sovereign, but increased the admiration of her, since she, being a woman, surpassed, not only women, but men, in heroism." The difficulties she faced was the fact she was a woman, and to be a ruler she had to be a man. It wouldn't be easy disguises one self and then you can't draw suspicion.
ReplyDeleteAs for her competence I choose "It was she that built Babylon,13 and constructed round the city a wall of burnt brick; bitumen, a substance which everywhere oozes from the ground in those parts, being spread between the bricks instead of mortar. 14 Many other famous acts, too, were performed by this queen; for, not content with preserving the territories acquired by her husband, she added Ethiopia also to her empire; and she even made war upon India, into which no prince, 15 except her and Alexander the Great, ever penetrated."
Christina Grimme
Alexander it seemed was, for the most part, a good emperor. What I read said that he was known for good deeds and that under his reign no one was executed without a trial. There were, however, a few problems. One of which being the fact that he was almost completely controlled by his mother. She would do whatever she wanted whether Alexander agreed with those things or not, including going so far as to have the woman he married exiled to Libya. He also had several problems when it came to the military. The first being the fact that many of them were killed when Alexander failed to show up to fight because his mother had convinced him to stay away. He then upset them further when he attempted to bribe a truce with the Germans. His final mistake was when he decided to put Maximinus in charge of the military. He treated them well giving them rewards and training them. They decided that they liked him more because of the things that Alexander had done to upset them and because of how he was controlled by his mother. They declared Maximinus emperor and were sent by him to kill Alexander and his mother.
ReplyDeleteMallory Schlechter