Terry Jones (blessing be upon him) of Monty Pythion fame has for the past three weeks been on BBC 2 on Friday at 21. 00 presenting a four-part series (sorry, would have posted this earlier, I've been unwell) on the 'barbarian' foes of Ancient and Later Rome, such as the Celts of Gaul, Helvetia and Britain, the Goths and Germans, the Dacians and the Seleucids, Parthians and Sassanids.
Of course one of the difficulties inherent in an educational system and culture based on Graeco-Roman Judaeo-Christian principles and propaganda, is that the foes of Greece and Rome, and the pagans, all get a thoroughly bad press, from Julius Caesar's own writings, to the early Church fathers.
Jones has attempted (in a fairly easy-going manner) to begin to correct some of the propaganda in this series and book. I recommend catching the last episode or taping it (lest it coincide with some football match- there seems to be some kind of competition on at the moment- anyone know what it is ?) .
Those uncivilized Persians:
Of course one of the difficulties inherent in an educational system and culture based on Graeco-Roman Judaeo-Christian principles and propaganda, is that the foes of Greece and Rome, and the pagans, all get a thoroughly bad press, from Julius Caesar's own writings, to the early Church fathers.
Jones has attempted (in a fairly easy-going manner) to begin to correct some of the propaganda in this series and book. I recommend catching the last episode or taping it (lest it coincide with some football match- there seems to be some kind of competition on at the moment- anyone know what it is ?) .
Terry Jones' Barbarians takes a completely unique approach to Roman history. No one nowadays would try to tell the story of the British Empire from the point of view of the British, but it's still the case that the story of the Roman Empire is always told from the perspective of Rome. Well, not any more!
Accompanying a 4-part BBC2 series, also fronted by Terry Jones, this is the story of Roman history as seen by the Britons, Gauls, Germans, Hellenes, Persians and Africans. And suddenly the Romans don't look at all familiar. In place of the propaganda spectacles the Romans pushed on our noses, we'll see these people as they really were. The Vandals didn't vandalize - the Romans did. The Goths didn't sack Rome - the Romans did. Attlia the Hun didn't go to Constantinople to destroy it, but because the emperor's daughter wanted to marry him. Show an Asterix comic to an ancient Gaul and - surprise, surprise - he wouldn't realise that it was supposed to be about him. His life was more sophisticated than a Roman's, not more primitive.
Terry Jones travels round the geography of the Roman Empire - through Europe and Africa - bringing wit, irreverence, passion and the very latest scholarship to transform a history that seemed well past its sell-by date, and make it relevant to living with the new American world empire.
Accompanying a 4-part BBC2 series, also fronted by Terry Jones, this is the story of Roman history as seen by the Britons, Gauls, Germans, Hellenes, Persians and Africans. And suddenly the Romans don't look at all familiar. In place of the propaganda spectacles the Romans pushed on our noses, we'll see these people as they really were. The Vandals didn't vandalize - the Romans did. The Goths didn't sack Rome - the Romans did. Attlia the Hun didn't go to Constantinople to destroy it, but because the emperor's daughter wanted to marry him. Show an Asterix comic to an ancient Gaul and - surprise, surprise - he wouldn't realise that it was supposed to be about him. His life was more sophisticated than a Roman's, not more primitive.
Terry Jones travels round the geography of the Roman Empire - through Europe and Africa - bringing wit, irreverence, passion and the very latest scholarship to transform a history that seemed well past its sell-by date, and make it relevant to living with the new American world empire.
Those uncivilized Persians:
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