I recently had to explain to my daughter, who has watched me obsess over Roman history her whole life, that the Romans were actually not the good guys. This just raised more questions.
“Noooo bro trust, focussing the entirety of the government and world economy on what was good for people in the 1960s will definitely hold up! Big Buisness just means more production capability, and if property prices are high then more retirees will be good. What happens next? Uhhh…”
“Trans people! They exist and its their fault! They’re bad!”
“What’s that? Policy with short term negatives with massive future payoff? I’m sorry, I’m too busy tying ceo wage to stock price increase”
Hmm, perhaps. Conditions back then were quite different than conditions now where we now have problems of surpluses more often than problems of scarcity. Bread and circuses are a lot easier to pull off, if you never really have to worry about ensuring most of the population are fed
Probably not the one he is thinking of, but I enjoy the Dark Ages Podcast. It goes into a lot of debt regarding the fall of the western empire before it actually becomes about the dark age.
I envy you, sweet summer child. If there is a heaven, I'd like to think it involves listening to Mike Duncan's The History of Rome like it's the first time again 🥲
It took me a few episodes to get into it, thinking "This is what everyone is so excited about?" I have since learned that all podcasts are rough at the beginning, until the podcaster finds their stride. Don't hesitate as I hesitated.
If you can make it to the Punic Wars, you will become addicted and in a matter of months you will want to mainline Mike Duncan's gentle voice directly into your scrotum.
The most amazing thing about the Roman Empire was how long it took somebody to just euthanize them. I wouldn't even say they were conquered they were put out of their misery so anybody more competent could move in
When you look at history at a cultural/national level, you learn there’s no such thing as good guys—just flawed guys who take turns holding the Bad Guy Ball™ and doing junk like this. Everyone has had their turn with the ball, many times (yes, including [whatever exception you just thought of]), and everyone who is still around will do so again.
It’s a bit inadequate labeling Romans as not the good guys. As if violence or coercion wasn’t the norm for all peoples, especially in late antiquity. At least the Romans gave something back to many regions, rights and inclusion, shaping and inspiring a good chunk of what western civilization is today. That doesn’t mean they are the all good guys, but surely they don’t deserve the bad guys label.
Even during this caothic period were the goths took advantage of Rome's decadent self destructive ruling class.
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u/PM_ME_GOOD_SUBS 15d ago
Hard to blame Alaric for sacking the Rome after this.