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Ancient Rome: Late Empire

 

Channel: Art History Basix
Duration:
14:50
Description:
Review of Key Works of the Art of the High and Late Empire
Conclusion of Pantheon: 0:06-1:49
Equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius: 1:50-4:41
Portrait Bust of Commodus as Hercules: 4:42-6:04
Painted Portrait of Septimus Severus, Julia Domna, Geta, Caracalla: 6:05-8:00
Portraits of the four tetrarchs: 8:01-11:08
Failure of the Tetrarchy, Maxentius: 11:09-11:39
Arch of Constantine: 11:40-13:25
Portrait of Constantine: 13:25-13:57
Basilica Nova [Basilica of Maxentius, completed as Basilica of Constantine] — I know, so many names!: 13:57-14:48
Published: November 1, 2013 10:15 pm

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Ancient Rome Greatest Empire the World has Ever Known

 

Channel: Ancient Cities
Duration: 19:9
Description:
Art, aesthetics, literature, theater, law, town planning: these are just some of the debts owed by Western civilization to Rome, the glorious capital of the greatest and most powerful empire that the world has ever known. Take a tour of this vast metropolis as it was during its peak, and see it through the eyes of the Roman citizens of the time. The Roman Empire (Latin: Imperium Romanum) was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterized by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings around the Mediterranean Sea in Europe, Africa, and Asia. The 500-year-old Roman Republic, which preceded it, had been destabilized through a series of civil wars. Several events marked the transition from Republic to Empire, including Julius Caesar’s appointment as perpetual dictator (44 BC); the Battle of Actium (31 BC); and the granting of the honorific Augustus to Octavian by the Roman Senate (27 BC). The first two centuries of the Empire were a period of unprecedented stability and prosperity known as the Pax Romana (“Roman Peace”). It reached its greatest expanse during the reign of Trajan (98–117 AD). In the 3rd century, the Empire underwent a crisis that threatened its existence, but was reunified and stabilized under the emperors Aurelian and Diocletian. Christians rose to power in the 4th century, during which time a system of dual rule was developed in the Latin West and Greek East. After the collapse of central government in the West in the 5th century, the eastern half of the Roman Empire continued as what would later be known as the Byzantine Empire. Because of the Empire’s vast extent and long endurance, the institutions and culture of Rome had a profound and lasting influence on the development of language, religion, architecture, philosophy, law, and forms of government in the territory it governed, particularly Europe, and by means of European expansionism throughout the modern world.
Published: June 15, 2014 5:15 pm

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What can ancient Rome teach us about the migrant crisis? Mary Beard

 

Channel: BBC Newsnight
Duration: 6:35
Description:
Who has the right to be a citizen of this country? As refugees and migrants continue to try to gain entry to Europe, the question has become more poignant. But we’re not the first people in history to have difficulties working out this issue. Citizenship, migration and even terrorism were all questions that troubled the Ancient Romans – and they came up with very different answers. In her new book, SPQR, the classicist Mary Beard has been looking at some of these topics.
Published: October 13, 2015 10:11 pm

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Rome In The 1st Century – Years Of Eruption (ANCIENT HISTORY DOCUMENTARY)

 

Channel: ANCIENT ROME
Duration: 55:7
Description: Rome In The 1st Century – Episode 4: Years Of Eruption (ANCIENT HISTORY DOCUMENTARY) Nero’s death in 68 AD ended the Augustan dynasty and left Rome without a ruler. The empire descended into civil war as generals fought each other for the throne. Vespasian was one of Rome’s top generals and was fighting Jewish rebels in Judaea. But he realized that he had as much claim to the throne as any other general. Encouraged by his soldiers, he suspended the war and marched on Rome. Rome became a battlefield in which around 50,000 people were killed. At the end, Vespasian was emperor. But he lacked authority. He knew he needed a foreign victory to secure his throne. He turned his attention back to Judaea. By 70 AD, the last Jewish rebels had retreated to the walled city of Jerusalem. After a long siege, the walls crumbled and the rebels fled to the temple. The Romans burned it to the ground, killing everyone inside. Back in Rome, this great victory brought in a new age of confidence and optimism. Vespasian also started a massive building program. This included early work on what would become the Coliseum – a huge amphitheater for games and gladiators, the movie stars of ancient Rome. In 79 AD, the Romans suffered a double blow: Vespasian died and Pompeii was swallowed up by the ash and mud of Mount Vesuvius. A witness to both these events was Pliny the Younger. His uncle commanded the fleet around Naples and died at Pompeii, a victim of his own curiosity. Pliny the Younger became a senior adviser to Vespasian’s second son, Domitian. It was a difficult balance, because Pliny was an honorable man and Domitian was a tyrant in the worst traditions of Caligula and Nero. Like them, Domitian’s rule was cut short. He was murdered by a group that included his own wife. Rome was again in the hands of the generals. This time they chose not to fight, but rather to work together and choose a new emperor. They chose Trajan, a Spanish-born Senator and general. It was a bold move, but very successful. With trusted advisers, such as Pliny the Younger, Trajan expanded the Roman Empire to its greatest size and launched public works, tax relief and a child welfare program. His reign turned the Roman Empire into a multicultural global society that’s still relevant today, 2,000 years later.
Published: August 7, 2014 11:23 pm