 
The elite Romans of the late empire were a privileged group whose wealth was astonishing.  Meanwhile the masses lived off of handouts.  None of them knew what was about to hit them.  

Manners of the Roman People - Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Chapter 31 Part 2

I am a professional scientist, but in my spare time I read history books and I review them.  I am mainly working through Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire at the moment, but will slip in a few other titbits from time to time.  I normally get a show out every Thursday.

History

Society & Culture

In this unscripted episode I speculate about why the Holy Roman Empire tends to be written out of European history, and suggest it is time to take it a bit more seriously.

The Holy Roman Empire by Peter Wilson

In the Victorian world women were subservient to men.  It sounds great in thery, but how did it actually work? 

He Knew He Was Right by Anthony Trollope

A view from inside the Blair government in the years leading up to the war in Iraq.

The View From The Foothills by Chris Mullin

The private life of Belisarius is revealed in the Secret History.  Or is it?

The Secret History - Gibbons Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Chapter 41 Part 5

Mary Beard sums up the Roman Empire for the general reader.

Manners of the Roman People - Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Chapter 31 Part 2

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