Ides of March

[Eoraptor1]

Today is the anniversary of Julius Caesar's assassination. I know there are American Civil War people here, but I was wondering if there were any Roman History buffs. I think the Late Roman Republic in particular has many cautionary tales for the United States.

JAMES

[argo147]

I forgot about the Ides this year. I'm pretty interested in the history of the late republic, but I can't really lay claim to being truly knowledgeable about it, but I do enjoy reading about it. Lately I've been thumbing through Caesar's commentaries on the Gallic and Civil wars. Pretty interesting stuff.

[GT182]

The Ides of March struck hard this year.... Japan. Maybe a bit early but it still carried over to today.

[beana51]

Yes, of Course we are the heirs to the Romans,from Rome and Byzantine...we know our language,institutions,architecture, it shows.England was Rome for 500 yrs. Every Capital City in Europe was founded and was Roman.From Scotland To Germany ,to Persia and the Mid East it Rubs off...Long story ,one should familiarize themselves with it...not the HAALAVOOD interpretations....

If we were to walk around Rome during the PAX ROMA, we would conclude no force on earth could change it.....,so too walk around our Nations Capital,the same feeling grips you....But we know in in ROMA ,it did change, What came was the dark ages ,end of civilization. The story in the USA is not quite over...however there are Barbarians out there!

"Yet Will Come The Day,Decreed By Fate,The Day When Thou Imperial Troy,Must Bend,And See Thy Warriors Fall,And Thy Glories End....HOMER

Sorry get carried away...but those who do not know their History are doomed to relive ithttp://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/images/icons/icon26.gif

[Eoraptor1]

I personally think the Barbarians get a bad rap, especially the Visagoths and the Gauls. If you were a "Barbarian" living next to the Romans and your people had advanced agriculture and mineral wealth - espcially at a time when some young turk of a general needed funds for a run on the Conselship - you were pretty much f***ed. I'm even starting to rethink the Vandals; I'm starting to believe their real crime vis a vis the Romans was practicing the wrong type of Christianity. The Huns you would not have wanted to see coming, period. I've been reading about a new theory that the Huns were not so much an ethnic group as a roving protection racket. A lot of the Barbarians streaming into Rome were running from the Huns.

JAMES

[TARPSBird]

I've been interested in Roman history, particularly the legions, ever since we translated Caesar's Gallic war commentaries in first-year Latin class. I'm one of those folks who watched Gladiator in the theater and got their money's worth from their ticket in the first 15 minutes of the movie. :d

[Pen32Win]

Few people know this but a large number of our Founding Fathers were student of one Marcus Tullius Cicero. His writings on Natural Law and the Republic are the foundation stones of our Constitution. Jefferson either sold or donate some 20+ Volumes of Cicero's works to the Library of Congress from his personal collection.

[beana51]

Our foundling fathers,all of them ,could read Latin and Greek..they knew the Classics first hand...no doubt their input to a Constitution ,or a concept of goverment may have been influnced by it...things Roman and Greek are things of our Western culture.Our Westeren culture are things Roman and Greek.

[Eoraptor1]

I've been interested in Roman history, particularly the legions, ever since we translated Caesar's Gallic war commentaries in first-year Latin class. I'm one of those folks who watched Gladiator in the theater and got their money's worth from their ticket in the first 15 minutes of the movie. :d

I enjoyed Gladiator to an embarassing exent. It looked to me in that first battle like the Legio Felix broke its formations pretty early upon contact with the Germans, and it turned into a general melee. If you saw any of HBO's series Rome, and saw the first episode where the Gallic legions are mopping up Vercingetorix' troops, or especially the second season where you get to see the Battle of Phillipi; this was much more how I pictured the legions at their peak operating in the field. I fully admit that I'm not an expert, however. It may be that legionary combat was a much messier affair than the Roman historians liked to admit.

I've sent Kelticheart a PM about this thread. He's shared some interesting things with me about the Roman Republic, and about how it continues to be view in Italy. Hopefully, he'll pay us a visit.

JAMES

[beana51]

This is a long story,too long for a site like this...Rome Began in 753BC,and continued in form until 1461.....Our USA is now 235 yrs old ?......Interesting subject to be sure,and still one of the most studied. I guess many see the Parallels with our country.....The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire was written by English (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England) historian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historian) Edward Gibbon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Gibbon) and published in six volumes. Volume I was published in 1776...well back to the books!!http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/images/icons/icon23.gif...thanx for the memory!

[Pauke! Pauke!]

Were the Founding Fathers of the United States of America steeped and infused with tales of the Roman Republic? I present to you just one of many examples: The Society of Cincinnanti.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society_of_the_Cincinnati

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cincinnatus

[warchild]

Well, if we were to listen to Romulus and Remus, then Rome officially started sometime before 2000 BC in the city of Illium far to the east. But i'm certainly no expert on rome, or Troy...

[wombat666]

Today is the anniversary of Julius Caesar's assassination. I know there are American Civil War people here, but I was wondering if there were any Roman History buffs. I think the Late Roman Republic in particular has many cautionary tales for the United States.
JAMES

I did study the latter era of what had been the Roman Empire, way back at Duntroon.
My interest centred on the tactics and leaders of the Byzantine armies, but as usual, politics weighed in as a large part of the equation.
IMHO, 'Rome' ceased to be a force around the middle of the 1st century, 'Byzantium' was far removed from Roman influences by then and was definitely an 'Eastern' society up to the 12th century, shortly before it fell.
:kilroy:

[beana51]

The Fall of Constantinople was the capture of the capital (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantinople) of the Byzantine Empire (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_Empire), which occurred after a siege by the Ottoman Empire (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottoman_Empire), under the command of Sultan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultan) Mehmed II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehmed_II), against the defending army commanded by Emperor Constantine XI (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_XI). The siege lasted from Friday, 6 April 1453 until Tuesday, 29 May 1453 (according to the Julian Calendar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Calendar)), when the city was conquered by the Ottomans.
The Fall of Constantinople marked the end of the Byzantine Empire, an empire which had lasted for over 1,100 years, and was a massive blow for Christendom.

The "Church of the Holy Wisdom (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Wisdom)", or Hagia Sophia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagia_Sophia), was converted into a mosque (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosque)

With Byzantium considered the continuation of the Roman Empire, or the "Second Rome", the fall of Constantinople led competing factions to lay claim to being the "Third Rome (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Rome)

. In Mehmed's view, he was the successor to the Roman Emperor, declaring himself Kayser-i Rum, literally "Caesar of Rome (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesar_%28title%29)

The name of Istanbul (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_Istanbul), deriving from a Greek phrase......Thanx fun!!

The Four Lads Can Clue you in for more stuff here!!...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YPnXBWl9Tk&feature=related......http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/images/icons/icon22.gif

[wombat666]

With Byzantium considered the continuation of the Roman Empire

Key word, 'considered' beana51.
The high point of the Byzantine era was that of Heracles, certainly their greatest military leader.
At that time the only 'Roman' establishment was the 'Holy Roman Church', the balance of the Empire having disintegrated.
:kilroy:

[beana51]

Year 1453 (MCDLIII (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_numerals)) was a common year starting on Monday (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_year_starting_on_Monday) of the Julian calendar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_calendar). It is sometimes cited as the notional end of the Middle Ages (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Ages) by historians who define the medieval period as the time between the Fall of the Western Roman Empire (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Roman_Empire) and the fall of the Byzantine (Eastern Roman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Roman_Empire)) Empire....

The end of Christendom in the East,and with it things Western,.
however ,western Roman influence survives..Europe was becoming increasing aware that it was not the "DEVIL" who put the crumbling remains of Rome.The Renaissance was exploding,and again in ITALY...The Roman knowledge was instrumental in art,Literature,Government ,law building and so much more...ROME LIVED and to a greater degree still does.


Of course Columbus opened the world up,new continents,new peoples,.Rome was on the March ...In the form of Catholic Majesties exploring the world.....One only has to study law,visit DC,read Churchill history Of The English speaking people,where Rome was in England for close to 500 yrs...Churchill acknowledges their great contributions to the English people!.

I believe we are the heirs to the Greco Roman Civilizations....were we not,this world would be an inconceivable place to contemplate....as witness by the Eastern world...

If you and I ,Lived during PAX ROMANA,strolling in any European capital then ,From Londinum,Cartage,Paris,Bonn,we would conclude that there is no power on earth that could shake our world then!....history is important...those who do not know it are DOOMED TO RELIEVE IT!

This is FUN,I dunno aboutyou,or here on TOH,?..Hope we do not just waste space with our BLOVIATING!.I would hope a real scholar would correct us,but I am comfortable with my concept,and others with theirs..DEMOCRACY!.."Our lives Are Made By The Deaths Of Others..Da Vinci!

THANX and CHEERS TO YA!<label for="rb_iconid_20">http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/images/icons/icon22.gif</label>

[Eoraptor1]

Here's a forum SOH people might find informative. Go HERE: http://www.romanarmy.com/cms/

JAMES