Rome reaches its greatest territorial heights as Emperor Trajan does his best Alexander the Great impression.

His conquests took him through Armenia and into Parthia - spurred on by a Parthian civil war. The western half of Parthia including Babylon, Ctesiphon, and all of Mesopotamia were captured. Then, revolts ripped across Cyrenaica, Egypt, Cyprus, and Mesopotamia, tearing all of Trajan's conquests out of his hands

Trajan begins his reign in earnest and shows everyone why he deserved the title Optimus Princeps.

Part 1: Unbowed, Unbroken (04:13)

Part 2: Dacia, Round 2 (16:34)

Part 3: Arabia Petraea (29:18)

Part 4: Trajan in Rome (33:31)

Part 5: Sources, Columns (42:02)

This episode seeks to explain what life was like during the First Century in the Roman Empire. I hope you come away with a sense of Rome's vibrancy and energy that helps to color the background as we move forward with the decades

Here's what we're covering this time:

Metals 04:03

Concrete 06:46

Machinery 08:20

Aqueducts 09:58

Sanitation 17:39

Transportation 20:31

Communication 29:04

Population 37:26

Slavery 39:17

Country Life 46:37

City Life 52:22

In this second of three End of Century episodes, we'll discuss a few listener questions.

These questions will take us from discussing the incentives for expansion, the makeup of the legions, the history of a specific location within the city of Rome, a counterfactual about Roman Britain, and what was going on in other advanced civilizations of the world during the first century.

In this first of three End of Century episodes, we'll review what happened over the past 10 decades and talk about two trends.

The last of the Flavians descended into paranoid persecutions. The Senate had always hated him, but in the late years of his reign his household also grew to hate him. In fear for their lives a plot was hatched and Domitian was assassinated.

The Senate was overjoyed. They seized the moment and appointed one of their own to rule as Princeps: Nerva. This Nerva was a competent if not extraordinary member of the senate. The Senate was overjoyed to have one of their own members ruling the Empire. The army and the Praetorians, though, not so much. A year into his reign, the Praetorians broke into the palace and at the point of sword made demands of Nerva. Soon after, perhaps at their impetus, Nerva adopted Trajan as his son and thus, his successor. Within 3 months Nerva was dead from illness. He had served as a bridge between the Flavians and whoever came next. Trajan was popular with the army and respected by the senate. Over his successful reign he will become recognized as among the best of Emperors.

Part 1: The Descent of Domitian (04:07)

Part 2: The New Atheists (15:10)

Part 3: The End of the Flavians ( 25:38)

Part 4: From Our Own Ranks (30:34)

Part 5: The Good Emperor (39:28)

In 81 AD, Emperor Titus inaugurated the Colosseum with 100 days of games. Not long afterward, he died of disease. His younger brother, Domitian, was then proclaimed as emperor. Domitian gets a lot of flack from the ancient historians, but the people and the army loved him and he administered the Roman Empire well. [Please submit end-of-century questions to [email protected]]

Part 1 - The Days of Titus (03:18)

Part 2 - The Years of Domitian (16:14)

Part 3 - Caledonia (32:43)

Part 4 - Meet the Dacians (40:07)

Part 5 - Another Rhineland Rebellion (46:29)

The 70's saw a new dynasty come to power in Rome: the Flavians. Led by Vespasian, their first order of business was in restoring stability, order, and unity to the empire, after the chaotic Year of the Four Emperors.

Part 1 - The Sack of Jerusalem (01:53)

Part 2 - The Revolt of the Batavi (23:49)

Part 3 - The Flavian (38:00)

Part 4 - Vesuvius (54:10)

The 60's were a tumultuous decade for Rome with multiple rebellions and uprisings, a war with Parthia, a great fire, an emperor more interested in playing the lyre than leading the armies, and after his downfall, four emperors in a single year.

Part 1 - The Revolt of Boudicca and the Iceni (3:34)

Part 2 - The Conclusion of the War for the Armenian Succession (10:01)

Part 3 - Nero and The Great Fire of Rome (25:21)

Part 4 - The Great Jewish Revolt (41:59)

Part 5 - The Year of the Four Emperors (65:16)

Hop on board as we leave Italy and take a tour of the Roman Provinces during the first century.Here's our Itinerary:

Gaul

Britannia

Hispania

Mauretania and Africa

Cyrenaica

Egypt

Judea

Syria

Anatolia and Greece

Thrace

Moesia, Pannonia, and Dalmatia

Noricum and Raetia

We at 202 Decade Tours hope you enjoy your journey. Please remember: no flash photography, as it may startle the locals.