Who is the greatest Roman Emperor?

[LordShiva]

Diocletian

Invalid polls

[Alexander I]

Originally posted by LordShiva
Diocletian

Invalid polls

It goes without saying that Claudius was bananas.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Wycoff
I don't mean to turn the History forum into my own personal book club, but I've come to realize that my knowledge of Roman and Byzantine history is woefully inadequate and I'd greatly appreciate any recommendations for quality sources. I'm familiar with Gibbon, of course, but other than that I'm basically ignorant.

Thanks in advance.

(It goes without saying that I didn't vote in this particular poll)

Thanks.

Michael Grant is pretty good. On Byz, I think some guy named Norwich?

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Wernazuma III
Diocletian not, he failed in his most important task: There still are Christians wherever I look.

Well, then dont you have to say that all those guys who tried to put down the Judean revolt eventually failed, as well?

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by lord of the mark


Well, then dont you have to say that all those guys who tried to put down the Judean revolt eventually failed, as well?

To be fair, they didn't fail to suppress the Revolt.

They didn't set out to exterminate all Jews- difficult in any case, as there were plenty in the Sassanid/Parthian Empires.

You were thinking of John Julius Norwich, by the way. Who also wrote books on the Norman states in the Mediterranean.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by molly bloom


To be fair, they didn't fail to suppress the Revolt.

They didn't set out to exterminate all Jews- difficult in any case, as there were plenty in the Sassanid/Parthian Empires.

I meant they failed, in that there's an independent Judean state around.

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by lord of the mark


I meant they failed, in that there's an independent Judean state around.

And it only took the fall of the Roman Empire, a diaspora, centuries of pogroms and betrayal, the passing of a fair few centuries, the Dreyfus Affair and European Nationalist revolts in the 19th Century to bring it about.



A patient lot, the Hebrews....

[Wernazuma III]

Originally posted by Alexander I


Well Commodus was certainly not a good emperor, but he wasn't nearly as bad as Joaquin Phoenix's rendition in Gladiator.

Oh, really? That changes my whole view on world history. I took the film at face value.

Next time you come and want to tell me the story of Ben Hur didn't happen as in the movie...

[Wernazuma III]

Originally posted by lord of the mark


Well, then dont you have to say that all those guys who tried to put down the Judean revolt eventually failed, as well?

Contrary to the presence of Christians in the world, I have not so strong feelings about the presence of Jews in the world - my national background notwithstanding.

[Alexander I]

Originally posted by Wernazuma III

Oh, really? That changes my whole view on world history. I took the film at face value.

Next time you come and want to tell me the story of Ben Hur didn't happen as in the movie...

You mean Lew Wallace wasn't a prophet?

[Lonestar]

Justinian

[Traianvs]

Originally posted by Lonestar
Justinian

Bleh, he actually was a weak personality. He was on the verge of giving up and fleeing during the niké-revolt, but his wife made sure he didn't. And his military expansion was all thanks to his splendid general Belisarius!

[Traianvs]

Originally posted by Wycoff
I don't mean to turn the History forum into my own personal book club, but I've come to realize that my knowledge of Roman and Byzantine history is woefully inadequate and I'd greatly appreciate any recommendations for quality sources. I'm familiar with Gibbon, of course, but other than that I'm basically ignorant.

Thanks in advance.

(It goes without saying that I didn't vote in this particular poll)

Thanks.

There's Goldsworthy who has written a good book on the how and why certain Roman generals were great at what they were doing. It concerns military exploits mainly, of course. I can't recall the title, but if you search for the auther you're bound to stumble upon it . It also contains topics on the later generals (such as Belisarius)
Good book!

[Traianvs]

I pikced Trajan (hence my nickname). Well because simply the empire was at the height of its power, and Trajan himself was a pragmatic and benevolent ruler. Pragmatic, in that he didn't persecute christians unless they publicly defied the empire and rebelled (cf. Plinius' letters). Most emperors didn't take lightly to subjects not accepting the divine status of the emperor's genius (I hope that was it... it's been a while ), because for those emperors that was the equivalent of the christians not accepting the emperor's rule!

[Heresson]

Basilios Bulgaroktonos.