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Emperors of Rome
What sort of men were the Roman emperors? What background and training, if any, prepared them for their awesome responsibilities? What depravities did they display? And what achievements can they claim: laws passed, monuments built, lands and peoples conquered?
Dive into these questions and more with this introduction to the complex personalities of emperors such as Augustus, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero. These thirty-six gripping lectures bring to life the many emperors of Rome from the turn of the 1st century to the transition to the Middle Ages. For more than five centuries, these emperors-a checkered mix of the wise, the brutal, and the unhinged-presided over a multi-ethnic empire that was nearly always at war.
Professor Fagan takes you deep into ancient Rome, asking: How did this system of rule come about? What did it replace? And who were the colorful, cruel, and crafty men who filled the almost omnipotent post of emperor? One of the most intriguing questions about the emperorship is why it endured for so long.
As you witness the reigns of the successive rulers unfold, you will see how the office evolved with the political forces that sustained it, becoming more and more tightly bound to the military. Each step toward despotism was taken with a view toward expedience. But when that step became the new normal, it paved the way for the next step, and so on. As you explore these questions, you'll also study the amalgam of eyewitness reports, later compilations, archaeological remains, and inscriptions on monuments and coins. Contemporary accounts, when available, are not necessarily to be trusted, which means you play the role of detective, sifting for the truth of this spellbinding era.
Dive into these questions and more with this introduction to the complex personalities of emperors such as Augustus, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero. These thirty-six gripping lectures bring to life the many emperors of Rome from the turn of the 1st century to the transition to the Middle Ages. For more than five centuries, these emperors-a checkered mix of the wise, the brutal, and the unhinged-presided over a multi-ethnic empire that was nearly always at war.
Professor Fagan takes you deep into ancient Rome, asking: How did this system of rule come about? What did it replace? And who were the colorful, cruel, and crafty men who filled the almost omnipotent post of emperor? One of the most intriguing questions about the emperorship is why it endured for so long.
As you witness the reigns of the successive rulers unfold, you will see how the office evolved with the political forces that sustained it, becoming more and more tightly bound to the military. Each step toward despotism was taken with a view toward expedience. But when that step became the new normal, it paved the way for the next step, and so on. As you explore these questions, you'll also study the amalgam of eyewitness reports, later compilations, archaeological remains, and inscriptions on monuments and coins. Contemporary accounts, when available, are not necessarily to be trusted, which means you play the role of detective, sifting for the truth of this spellbinding era.
525 pages, Audible Audio
First published January 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
May 1, 2022
Professor Garrett G. Fagan, Ph.D. gives us 36 lectures that span the entire period of Imperial Rome.
This is a very comprehensive, albeit abbreviated, view of this entire period. Fagan has a lot of his own and others’ research to share. This includes both deep dives into original documents and an evaluation of the views of various historians from the last 2000 years. I just wish that this professor was a more engaging speaker.
If the choice were between good material or good presentation, I would choose the former, but not without some regrets.
For those who have further interest, below are the lecture titles:
The Roman Republic .........................................
Caesar and the Suicide of the Republic............
The First Emperor-Augustus .........................
The Powers of Augustus ..................................
Succession Woes..............................................
Livia Drusilla, Empress of Rome .....................
The Early Years of Tiberius .............................
The Would-Be Emperor-Sejanus...................
The Mad Emperor? Caligula ............................
Killing Caligula, Finding Claudius ..................
The Odd Couple-
Claudius and Messalina ...................................
Power and Poison-
Agrippina and Claudius ...................................
Artist and Assassin-Nero ...............................
The Trouble with Christians.............................
Dynasty's End-The Fall ofNero ...................
The Long Year, A.D. 69 ..................................
The First Flavian-Vespasian ..........................
The Last Flavians-Titus and Domitian ..........
Pax Augusta-Nerva and Trajan ...................
Trajan in Rome and in the East ......................
The Eccentric Emperor-Hadrian..................
Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius,
Lucius Verus ..................................................
Marcus in the North and Commodus .............
Civil War and Septimius Severns ..................
Caracalla and the Severan Dynasty ................
Emperor and City ...........................................
Emperor and Empire ......................................
Emperor and Elite ..........................................
Emperor and People .......................................
Emperor and Soldier ......................................
Chaos .............................................................
Aurelian, Diocletian, and the Tetrarchy .........
Constantine-Rise to Power ..........................
The Christian Emperor-Constantine ............
Reflections on the Emperors of Rome ...........
This is a very comprehensive, albeit abbreviated, view of this entire period. Fagan has a lot of his own and others’ research to share. This includes both deep dives into original documents and an evaluation of the views of various historians from the last 2000 years. I just wish that this professor was a more engaging speaker.
If the choice were between good material or good presentation, I would choose the former, but not without some regrets.
For those who have further interest, below are the lecture titles:
The Roman Republic .........................................
Caesar and the Suicide of the Republic............
The First Emperor-Augustus .........................
The Powers of Augustus ..................................
Succession Woes..............................................
Livia Drusilla, Empress of Rome .....................
The Early Years of Tiberius .............................
The Would-Be Emperor-Sejanus...................
The Mad Emperor? Caligula ............................
Killing Caligula, Finding Claudius ..................
The Odd Couple-
Claudius and Messalina ...................................
Power and Poison-
Agrippina and Claudius ...................................
Artist and Assassin-Nero ...............................
The Trouble with Christians.............................
Dynasty's End-The Fall ofNero ...................
The Long Year, A.D. 69 ..................................
The First Flavian-Vespasian ..........................
The Last Flavians-Titus and Domitian ..........
Pax Augusta-Nerva and Trajan ...................
Trajan in Rome and in the East ......................
The Eccentric Emperor-Hadrian..................
Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius,
Lucius Verus ..................................................
Marcus in the North and Commodus .............
Civil War and Septimius Severns ..................
Caracalla and the Severan Dynasty ................
Emperor and City ...........................................
Emperor and Empire ......................................
Emperor and Elite ..........................................
Emperor and People .......................................
Emperor and Soldier ......................................
Chaos .............................................................
Aurelian, Diocletian, and the Tetrarchy .........
Constantine-Rise to Power ..........................
The Christian Emperor-Constantine ............
Reflections on the Emperors of Rome ...........
October 3, 2021
Another great course (no pun intended) by professor Fagan. I highly recommend this one as well as his The History of Ancient Rome course.
It's been a great journey going through Ancient Rome's history with him.
It's been a great journey going through Ancient Rome's history with him.
Critical assesment of data is the essential task of the educated mind.
October 4, 2015
Audio review (recommended, especially if you carefully follow the notes and have internet access), 36 30 minute lectures.
This review is for the chaps and chapettes out there considering a purchase of these lectures...the reviews you've read have you rightly confused. I'll add my two cents...hopefully, it will help.
The content of these lectures is excellent. It is well-organized, well-documented (even in the cases of poor historical sources), and clearly presented. It helps to pay attention and follow along in the outline. I believe that this course is intended as a sequel to 'The History of Ancient Rome', an earlier series presented by Dr Fagan, which lays the groundwork for this more detailed look into some of the personalities and histories from Romes' Imperial Age. Detailed, it is...complicated, for sure...possibly more names to remember than "The Game of Thrones" (with fewer dwarfs)...but with the profound realization that this is HISTORY. These men and women were real people who held real power over the entire Roman world.
The presentation was that of a college seminar...some days the material and the Professor were 'on', some days not so 'on'. (I've been there on both sides of the lectern, and, yes you can squirm standing up). Dr Fagan's voice is pleasant, clear and perfectly human. I enjoyed his brogue and his wit, and considered it a plus, never distracting from the material presented.
I don't necessarily agree with some of his conclusions and have been trying to clarify my views by blending lectures from Drs Harl and Dialeader (and others from the Teaching Company) as well as my own slugging through Suetonius and Petrarch. While Fagan sees Constantine as the last (real) Roman Emperor, I have two possible (fantasy) alternatives: first, the Roman Empire indeed lasted through the Byzantine period...perhaps even 'morphing' into Tsarist Russia. The second, more easily believed idea is the the Roman Empire changed from a military to a spiritual, aka religious, empire, existing today as the Roman Catholic Church, with the Pope serving as the Emperor. The loyalty shown to the ancient Roman Emperor can be seen to be similar to the universal admiration (and love for some) of the Pope...a man currently ruling over billions of followers.
All in all, this history of the Roman Emperors makes you think...and gives you the information to help it along. It might not be easy...you might have to work at it, but it's worth it. Context is important to understanding the heroes and villains of history. In Dr Fagan's words: "Perhaps I (Dr Fagan) provided food for thought. For the critical assessment of data is the essential task of the educated mind".
I recommend it...coupon and sale in hand...with a Guinness in the wings.
This review is for the chaps and chapettes out there considering a purchase of these lectures...the reviews you've read have you rightly confused. I'll add my two cents...hopefully, it will help.
The content of these lectures is excellent. It is well-organized, well-documented (even in the cases of poor historical sources), and clearly presented. It helps to pay attention and follow along in the outline. I believe that this course is intended as a sequel to 'The History of Ancient Rome', an earlier series presented by Dr Fagan, which lays the groundwork for this more detailed look into some of the personalities and histories from Romes' Imperial Age. Detailed, it is...complicated, for sure...possibly more names to remember than "The Game of Thrones" (with fewer dwarfs)...but with the profound realization that this is HISTORY. These men and women were real people who held real power over the entire Roman world.
The presentation was that of a college seminar...some days the material and the Professor were 'on', some days not so 'on'. (I've been there on both sides of the lectern, and, yes you can squirm standing up). Dr Fagan's voice is pleasant, clear and perfectly human. I enjoyed his brogue and his wit, and considered it a plus, never distracting from the material presented.
I don't necessarily agree with some of his conclusions and have been trying to clarify my views by blending lectures from Drs Harl and Dialeader (and others from the Teaching Company) as well as my own slugging through Suetonius and Petrarch. While Fagan sees Constantine as the last (real) Roman Emperor, I have two possible (fantasy) alternatives: first, the Roman Empire indeed lasted through the Byzantine period...perhaps even 'morphing' into Tsarist Russia. The second, more easily believed idea is the the Roman Empire changed from a military to a spiritual, aka religious, empire, existing today as the Roman Catholic Church, with the Pope serving as the Emperor. The loyalty shown to the ancient Roman Emperor can be seen to be similar to the universal admiration (and love for some) of the Pope...a man currently ruling over billions of followers.
All in all, this history of the Roman Emperors makes you think...and gives you the information to help it along. It might not be easy...you might have to work at it, but it's worth it. Context is important to understanding the heroes and villains of history. In Dr Fagan's words: "Perhaps I (Dr Fagan) provided food for thought. For the critical assessment of data is the essential task of the educated mind".
I recommend it...coupon and sale in hand...with a Guinness in the wings.
August 23, 2022
Excellent Details on the Good, Bad, and Ugly
This was a very enjoyable and informative series of lectures on a large swathe of Roman Emperors, from the great (Julius Caesar, Augustus Caesar, Marcus Aurelius) to the depraved (Caligula, Nero, Commodus), and all those in-between, including the revolving door of emperors that didn't survive long when the succession fell into a chaotic free-for-all in the later days of the Empire. It's a lurid and fascinating picture of the range of outcomes and behaviors when individual men are given nearly absolute powers - they can pursue their own goals and interests, whether for the betterment of the state and people, or to indulge their most depraved, deluded, and sordid fantasies, and there are very few checks on this power, other than assassination or death. It was a precarious system that presided over a vast empire, a real roll of the dice. Great lectures by Irish Prof Fagan, very engaged and enthusiastic and with a sense of humor as well.
This was a very enjoyable and informative series of lectures on a large swathe of Roman Emperors, from the great (Julius Caesar, Augustus Caesar, Marcus Aurelius) to the depraved (Caligula, Nero, Commodus), and all those in-between, including the revolving door of emperors that didn't survive long when the succession fell into a chaotic free-for-all in the later days of the Empire. It's a lurid and fascinating picture of the range of outcomes and behaviors when individual men are given nearly absolute powers - they can pursue their own goals and interests, whether for the betterment of the state and people, or to indulge their most depraved, deluded, and sordid fantasies, and there are very few checks on this power, other than assassination or death. It was a precarious system that presided over a vast empire, a real roll of the dice. Great lectures by Irish Prof Fagan, very engaged and enthusiastic and with a sense of humor as well.
July 1, 2020
A reasonably good walkthrough of the Roman Empire. Fagan, who sounds like Colin Farrell, inexplicably breezes through the Crisis of the Third Century and ends with Constantine, even though I've never seen anyone else consider him the "last Roman Emperor." It can't be chalked up to a lack of time, as several lectures are spent on the emperor's relationship with the Senate, city of Rome, etc.
That being said, the Julio-Claudians and Five Good Emperors are given a worthy amount of time. Overall, I feel like I've been given enough of a foundation that I can delve into specific emperors without worrying about not following the overall timeline... at least until Constantine dies and you ignore the next 60 years up to the split into East and West! What are you doing, Garrett?
That being said, the Julio-Claudians and Five Good Emperors are given a worthy amount of time. Overall, I feel like I've been given enough of a foundation that I can delve into specific emperors without worrying about not following the overall timeline... at least until Constantine dies and you ignore the next 60 years up to the split into East and West! What are you doing, Garrett?
February 23, 2022
Helpful for understanding the New Testament and the world I which it was canonized. Very well organized, engaging, etc.
October 11, 2022
Very solid and interesting lecture series covering the history of the Roman Emperors from Augustus to Constantine. Engaging presentation and lots of information - exactly how I like my history lectures.
March 8, 2016
First third consists entirely of Julius and Augustus Caesar, which didn't interest me much, but others might appreciate that. That aside, the material runs into a tough patch later trying to go through several emperors with very short reigns; to make up for it, there's a digression of a few chapters regarding the role of emperor, not directly focusing on individuals. In terms of content, I'm okay with three stars.
However, as this is an audio presentation, the title has some serious issues (flaws). I'm used to Irish speech, but the author sometimes pronounced words in such a strange way that I was left wondering whether English is his first language? Also, he stutters regularly. Sorry if that sounds a bit mean spirited, but there it is. To his credit, he does do a turn of phrase well every so often.
Recommended, perhaps, for those with a strong interest in Roman history, although as a general overview, not particularly useful.
However, as this is an audio presentation, the title has some serious issues (flaws). I'm used to Irish speech, but the author sometimes pronounced words in such a strange way that I was left wondering whether English is his first language? Also, he stutters regularly. Sorry if that sounds a bit mean spirited, but there it is. To his credit, he does do a turn of phrase well every so often.
Recommended, perhaps, for those with a strong interest in Roman history, although as a general overview, not particularly useful.
February 16, 2023
In 2013 The Teaching Company released Penn State University Professor Garrett Fagan’s 36 lecture course “Emperors of Rome.” The course is about how the Roman Empire was formed and operated from Caesar Augustus (27 AD) to Constantine (336 AD). The course is divided into three parts. Part one has 12 lectures about the demise of the Roman Republic and the rise of Roman emperors beginning with Augustus’ reign. The next lectures are about wars caused by Emperor succession conflicts. The lectures then focus on the early years of Tiberius, the reign of mad Emperor Caligula, and the very unusual reigns of Claudius and Messalina. The course’s Part two lectures focus on the “power and poison” roles of Empress Agripinna and her offspring Agripinna the younger and the elder. Professor Fagan also discussed the reign of Nero, Christian persecutions, and the very interesting Flavian rule of Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian. He concludes the second part lectures with discussions about the “Pax Romana” empire under Trajan, Hadrian, and Marcus Aurelius. The Part three lectures feature Roman emperor relationships with city dwellers, military leaders-soldiers, and aristocrats. Fagan ends the course with a set of lectures about the rule of Emperor Diocletian and Constantine. His final lecture also summarizes 300 years of Roman Empire rule and how this rule affected the Middle Ages and contributed to the religious as well as political ideologies of our present age. (P)
December 29, 2021
1. The Shape of Roman Imperial History
2. The Roman Republic
3. Caesar and the Suicide of the Republic
4. The First Emperor—Augustus
5. The Powers of Augustus
6. Succession Woes
7. Livia Drusilla, Empress of Rome
8. The Early Years of Tiberius
9. The Would-Be Emperor—Sejanus
10. The Mad Emperor? Caligula
11. Killing Caligula, Finding Claudius
12. The Odd Couple—Claudius and Messalina
13. Power and Poison—Agrippina and Claudius
14. Artist and Assassin—Nero
15. The Trouble with Christians
16. Dynasty's End—The Fall of Nero
17. The Long Year, A.D. 69
18. The First Flavian—Vespasian
19. The Last Flavians—Titus and Domitian
20. Pax Augusta—Nerva and Trajan
21. Trajan in Rome and in the East
22. The Eccentric Emperor—Hadrian
23. Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus
24. Marcus in the North and Commodus
25. Civil War and Septimius Severus.
26. Caracalla and the Severan Dynasty
27. Emperor and City
28. Emperor and Empire
29. Emperor and Elite
30. Emperor and People
31. Emperor and Soldier
32. Chaos
33. Aurelian, Diocletian, and the Tetrarchy
34. Constantine—Rise to Power
35. The Christian Emperor—Constantine
36. Reflections on the Emperors of Rome
2. The Roman Republic
3. Caesar and the Suicide of the Republic
4. The First Emperor—Augustus
5. The Powers of Augustus
6. Succession Woes
7. Livia Drusilla, Empress of Rome
8. The Early Years of Tiberius
9. The Would-Be Emperor—Sejanus
10. The Mad Emperor? Caligula
11. Killing Caligula, Finding Claudius
12. The Odd Couple—Claudius and Messalina
13. Power and Poison—Agrippina and Claudius
14. Artist and Assassin—Nero
15. The Trouble with Christians
16. Dynasty's End—The Fall of Nero
17. The Long Year, A.D. 69
18. The First Flavian—Vespasian
19. The Last Flavians—Titus and Domitian
20. Pax Augusta—Nerva and Trajan
21. Trajan in Rome and in the East
22. The Eccentric Emperor—Hadrian
23. Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus
24. Marcus in the North and Commodus
25. Civil War and Septimius Severus.
26. Caracalla and the Severan Dynasty
27. Emperor and City
28. Emperor and Empire
29. Emperor and Elite
30. Emperor and People
31. Emperor and Soldier
32. Chaos
33. Aurelian, Diocletian, and the Tetrarchy
34. Constantine—Rise to Power
35. The Christian Emperor—Constantine
36. Reflections on the Emperors of Rome
Read
June 2, 2022A good introduction, or a pleasurable overview for people who have already read much about the Western Roman Empire. The lectures covering the 3rd century crisis, between the end of the Severans until Diocletian, were a nice preliminary for me, since I have some books on that period that I haven’t read yet.
Fagan notes that only 12 of the Roman emperors in this period are listed by an early historian as “good” and the others “bad”. The two things the “good” emperors have in common are 1) they took the job seriously, and 2) they were respectful to the Senate. It is significant that the historians of that time were members of the senatorial class. Fagan then removes from the reckoning the senatorial bias and the either-or categorization, and takes another, more reasonable, look at the evaluations.
Watched lectures and read transcripts
Fagan notes that only 12 of the Roman emperors in this period are listed by an early historian as “good” and the others “bad”. The two things the “good” emperors have in common are 1) they took the job seriously, and 2) they were respectful to the Senate. It is significant that the historians of that time were members of the senatorial class. Fagan then removes from the reckoning the senatorial bias and the either-or categorization, and takes another, more reasonable, look at the evaluations.
Watched lectures and read transcripts
January 30, 2023
Awesome course that critically looks at some of the early emperors and our sources on them. The conclusion is that our views on these emperors are very skewed as the example of Nero shows. After his death multiple impersonators showed up and gathered a considerable amount of support among the populace, while our sources tell us everyone saw him as a monster.
September 12, 2022
A good broad outline of the emperors of Rome, from Augustus to Constantine. The one drawback is, in covering so much history, things get rushed in places and its hard to grasp the multiple decades many emperors ruled when they come and go in just a few sentences.
September 7, 2018
It would be safer to sit on the Iron Throne of Westeros than to be a Emperor of Rome.
November 9, 2018
Very interesting.
February 1, 2019
Fagan may be an expert on ancient Rome but he falters too many times in the lectures, disrupting the flow. Irritating on the ears and I suggest reading the book rather than listening.
December 2, 2020
Write a review (optional)nice book
July 10, 2022
Not sure this counts as a book, since it's not. But it was on here, and I have spent a lot of time listening to it, instead of listening to an audio book, so why not? Great lecturer, taught me a lot!
September 15, 2023
One of the best. Interesting without being sensationalist or too dry, balanced, full disclosure.
November 12, 2024
A really interesting and engrossing course. Professor Fagan comes across as a very passionate and engaging lecturer.
November 22, 2024
Concise summary of the subject.
March 6, 2025
Was fascinating. But too much of a lecture. Made it a difficult read.
February 28, 2024
Good but so much information I feel like I’d have to listen twice to digest it all. Still, gained new insights (for example, I know why there were so many men named Augustus now!
March 18, 2019
4.5/5
I bought this audiobook after finishing listening to The Storm Before the Storm by Mike Duncan and I must say that although I did enjoy Duncan's history of the Roman Republic, Fagan's history of Imperial Rome was so much richer. I will preface this by saying that this is of course and introductory guide and if you have spent any sizable amount of time studying the Roman Empire then you may find the content somewhat basic. Despite this all of Rome's imperial history is covered in a chronological order so students who have only studied individual events or people in detail may still find that this lecture series provides context and is useful for piecing together a more general Roman history from individual events that have been studied more closely.
A key aspect that set this book apart from others for me was the ability of Fagan to weave narrative themes into the lectures without it effecting the chronological structure of the history. Every lecture or so he would place a particular emphasis on an aspect of the empire that was particularly important during that emperor's reign or that power struggle and contrast it back to how it was different during previous emperor's we'd seen. This kept the lectures easy to follow since there was no jumping back and forth in time whilst also providing more insight and detail than a strict linear history would. I really think that Fagan got the narrative structure perfect for this lecture series and it really was a great asset.
Since this is of course a lecture series and not a professional narration the recording is not perfect with the occasional stumbling over words or oddly placed pause. Despite this it is one of the better live recordings that I have heard with the speaker having a good flow and not having any words pronounced strangely or bad diction. Even if you generally are not a fan of live recordings I would suspect that you will not have a problem with this recording.
Another aspect that set this book apart for me was the clear distinction between what is regarded as fact by the general community of historians and what was still being debated. I particularly liked that Fagan would usually tell you which side he favoured, then list his reasons before often listing the reasons behind why others disagreed with him. This allowed you to get an insight into how a historian thinks as well as making it clear that this isn't an issue that is unanimously agreed upon and that you are invited to do further research and disagree.
One of the biggest differences between this series and the book by Mike Duncan is that Fagan goes out of his way, particularly towards the end of the series, to give what information he can about lives and role of women in these elite families. You can tell that this is something that he has put a lot of effort into because despite the lack of source material he dedicates much more time to these women and how the change from republic to empire effect them than Duncan did in his book which only mentioned a handful of women by name. I was very pleased to be able to get an insight into this relatively unknown and under-discussed area of Roman history.
In short, quite a few history writers and lecturers could take some notes from Fagan as he is a very talented individual and his skill made this a very good lecture series.
I bought this audiobook after finishing listening to The Storm Before the Storm by Mike Duncan and I must say that although I did enjoy Duncan's history of the Roman Republic, Fagan's history of Imperial Rome was so much richer. I will preface this by saying that this is of course and introductory guide and if you have spent any sizable amount of time studying the Roman Empire then you may find the content somewhat basic. Despite this all of Rome's imperial history is covered in a chronological order so students who have only studied individual events or people in detail may still find that this lecture series provides context and is useful for piecing together a more general Roman history from individual events that have been studied more closely.
A key aspect that set this book apart from others for me was the ability of Fagan to weave narrative themes into the lectures without it effecting the chronological structure of the history. Every lecture or so he would place a particular emphasis on an aspect of the empire that was particularly important during that emperor's reign or that power struggle and contrast it back to how it was different during previous emperor's we'd seen. This kept the lectures easy to follow since there was no jumping back and forth in time whilst also providing more insight and detail than a strict linear history would. I really think that Fagan got the narrative structure perfect for this lecture series and it really was a great asset.
Since this is of course a lecture series and not a professional narration the recording is not perfect with the occasional stumbling over words or oddly placed pause. Despite this it is one of the better live recordings that I have heard with the speaker having a good flow and not having any words pronounced strangely or bad diction. Even if you generally are not a fan of live recordings I would suspect that you will not have a problem with this recording.
Another aspect that set this book apart for me was the clear distinction between what is regarded as fact by the general community of historians and what was still being debated. I particularly liked that Fagan would usually tell you which side he favoured, then list his reasons before often listing the reasons behind why others disagreed with him. This allowed you to get an insight into how a historian thinks as well as making it clear that this isn't an issue that is unanimously agreed upon and that you are invited to do further research and disagree.
One of the biggest differences between this series and the book by Mike Duncan is that Fagan goes out of his way, particularly towards the end of the series, to give what information he can about lives and role of women in these elite families. You can tell that this is something that he has put a lot of effort into because despite the lack of source material he dedicates much more time to these women and how the change from republic to empire effect them than Duncan did in his book which only mentioned a handful of women by name. I was very pleased to be able to get an insight into this relatively unknown and under-discussed area of Roman history.
In short, quite a few history writers and lecturers could take some notes from Fagan as he is a very talented individual and his skill made this a very good lecture series.
February 11, 2015
36 half-hour long lectures covering Roman principate from Octavian to Constantine. Overall, a pretty decent introductory overview, but if you're already familiar with this period, a lot of it will be familar ground to you. Considering the hefty price (seriously, TTC:s pricing for their products borders on rudiculous), freely available The History of Rome podcast by Mike Duncan would be my prefered choice of introduction to the topic, being both much more detailed and far more entertaining.
Still, it was a nice 'read'. First half of the lectures concentrates on Julian dynasty, remainder goes in depth with prominent emperors whenever the surviving sources allow it. Perhaps the biggest disapointment consists of sketchy handling of 'crisis of third century', although one has to be fair and agree with professor's opinion that that particular period is far too complex for him to deal with it withing the scope of this course.
The style of lectures is academic, but easy-going and without any expectations for previous knowledge. As already mentioned, a lot of material is covered in rudimentary fashion. Final conclusions of Mr. Fagan are however both original and provide food for thought. His analysis is perhaps the most valuable part of these lectures.
Still, it was a nice 'read'. First half of the lectures concentrates on Julian dynasty, remainder goes in depth with prominent emperors whenever the surviving sources allow it. Perhaps the biggest disapointment consists of sketchy handling of 'crisis of third century', although one has to be fair and agree with professor's opinion that that particular period is far too complex for him to deal with it withing the scope of this course.
The style of lectures is academic, but easy-going and without any expectations for previous knowledge. As already mentioned, a lot of material is covered in rudimentary fashion. Final conclusions of Mr. Fagan are however both original and provide food for thought. His analysis is perhaps the most valuable part of these lectures.
January 16, 2015
Incredibly informative and engaging biographical survey of the Roman emperors and the history of the principate. Prof. Fagan does a good job emphasizing his main theme, which is the transformation of the imperial throne from a "first citizen" role that concentrated political authority but did a good job of concealing this fact and nonetheless spreading civil authority around, to a military dictatorship that grew into divine-right monarchism. As he says in the last lecture, Constantine was in many respects the last Roman emperor and the first medieval monarch.
I also liked the level of detail in the course; the four lectures in part 3 where Prof. Fagan does sort of a deep dive on the emperor's relationship to the different parts of Roman society. Doing this emperor by emperor would have bogged down the rest of the course, but his approach got me into the mindset of "ok, now I am going to hear about the emperor and the city of Rome specifically", and so the catalog of interesting landmarks and buildings and how they tracked with the evolution of the principate made a lot more sense.
I also liked the level of detail in the course; the four lectures in part 3 where Prof. Fagan does sort of a deep dive on the emperor's relationship to the different parts of Roman society. Doing this emperor by emperor would have bogged down the rest of the course, but his approach got me into the mindset of "ok, now I am going to hear about the emperor and the city of Rome specifically", and so the catalog of interesting landmarks and buildings and how they tracked with the evolution of the principate made a lot more sense.
May 21, 2015
Thirty-six half-hour lectures about the Roman emperors from Augustus to Constantine. At one point in the series Fagan has to abandon the chronological approach and discuss emperors thematically because the source material for some emperors is so flawed and there were so many short reigns and pretenders.
The accounts I've read about Marcus Aurelius portray him as brilliant and discerning, so I was surprised to hear Fagan characterize him as clinically depressed for most of his life.
I thought the most interesting emperor was Valerian: born into wealth and privilege, became emperor because both the army and the Senate approved of him, made his son Gallienus co-ruler, persecuted Christians, led a series of military disasters, got captured by the Persians, Gallienus did nothing to rescue him, ended his life in the Persian court as a human footstool.
The accounts I've read about Marcus Aurelius portray him as brilliant and discerning, so I was surprised to hear Fagan characterize him as clinically depressed for most of his life.
I thought the most interesting emperor was Valerian: born into wealth and privilege, became emperor because both the army and the Senate approved of him, made his son Gallienus co-ruler, persecuted Christians, led a series of military disasters, got captured by the Persians, Gallienus did nothing to rescue him, ended his life in the Persian court as a human footstool.
May 10, 2015
Garrett Fagan does a great job in this lecture series. Keeps things lively, weaves a coherent narrative, and includes lots of juicy and unexpected details about the lives and times of the greatest (and worst!) emperors of Rome. It's not a super in-depth treatment - really just a lecture per emperor - but it's a great survey of ancient Rome and a starting point for further exploration.
January 10, 2016
Somehow this book/course is both narrower and more shallower than the superior History of Ancient Rome and Famous Romans courses from the Teaching Company. Focus on either of those before making your way through this one.
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