LOST ROMAN HEROES

Trajan.  Why do we feel so conflicted when we think about you?  Well, Trajan was one of the Five Good Emperors, rising to power at a moment when Rome was the bully in the schoolyard and he knew how to wield that power brilliantly, Octavian-like, in a manner that did not threaten the Senate.  Golden boy, Pompey-ish.  Forever more, new emperors would be blessed in his name upon their ascension.  The Roman Empire would reach its greatest territorial extent thanks to his efforts.  But is he a hero???  Can we say no???

Agricola was a child of Rome's provinces whose father was murdered by Caligula shortly after his birth.  Raised by a remarkable mom, he entered the Roman army and distinguished himself in every way possible, eventually winning the confidence of the Emperor Vespasian who sent him to Britannia to accomplish the impossible - subdue the island.  Agricola reminded us of Agrippa in so many ways, and we had the benefit of hearing about his exploits from his son in law, the famous Roman historian, Tacitus.  This is a story that you cannot miss!

Equal parts cerebral and brawny, here comes Pliny, the original disaster flick action hero!  Join one of the most fascinating guys you've never heard of outside dusty academic circles. Pliny did it all, fought in Germania, was best buds with multiple emperors, and rode directly into the heart of darkness on August 24th of 29CE to save innocent lives as Vesuvius erupted, killing all in its wake.

Germanicus, son of Drusus, the golden boy!  As remarkable as his father in so many ways, he made his name campaigning across the Rhine just like dad, and managed to recover lost Eagles, to give a proper burial to the Roman dead at Teutoburg, and to teach Arminimus a lesson.  Perhaps he did too much in fact, inspiring jealousy in his adopted father, the Emperor Tiberius, and a suspicion that would bring about his early, tragic demise. 

We enter the world beyond the Republic with the first Roman to have earned the cognomen "Germanicus", through blood sweat and tears.  Grandson of Marc Antony, son of Livia, step-son to Octavian, you might think that he was tempted to live in the lap of luxury but instead, Drusus was cut from an older cloth.  Determined to win military glory, and to live an exemplary life, he did so in spades before that life was cut short, but not before he planted some extraordinary seeds.  

Join us for the last of two special episodes recapping the Heroes of the Republic, from Scipio Amelianus, the killer of Carthage, to Octavian, the midwife to Empire.  We give a little summary of each, revisit their scoring, bring a little fun, and then we will officially say goodbye to the Roman Republic, what a journey!  Next stop, the Principate!!  

Join us for the first of two special episodes recapping the Lost Roman Heroes of the Republic, a great way for new listeners to receive an introduction to the podcast, and for longtime listeners to have one last look at Rome's republican glory days before we jump into the Age of Emperors.  In this first special episode, catch up with every Lost Roman Hero between Aeneas and Scipio Africanus.

Octavian transforms himself into Augustus, and transforms the broken hulk of the Republic that was, into the Principate that would preserve Rome for fifteen centuries, and lays the framework for the world that we live in today.  Need we say more?

Tis the season of warlords - there is no Republic anymore, nor is there Empire, there is only a land of warlords, picking over the carcass of what the great had once created.  This is it, this is where the fate of Rome is decided, does it fragment forever into the grubby hands of Antony, Sextus, Brutus and Cassius, or can the two twenty-somethings, Octavian and Agrippa, somehow find a way to thread the needle, and survive? 

Octavian, ready for prime time!  Marc Antony disparaged him, the Senate disregarded him, and the Conspirators ignored him, all at their peril!  Join us as the 19 year old Octavian arrives in Rome with his BFF Agrippa and in 24 short months completes his meteoric ascent.