125- The Best Defence is a Good Defence

FromThe History of Rome

Start listening View podcast show

125- The Best Defence is a Good Defence

FromThe History of Rome

ratings:

Length:

27 minutes

Released:

Feb 7, 2011

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

Over the course of his reign Diocletian instituted a number of reforms to the military structure that helped transform the legions into a new kind of army.

Released:

Feb 7, 2011

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

A weekly podcast tracing the history of the Roman Empire, beginning with Aeneas's arrival in Italy and ending with the exile of Romulus Augustulus, last Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Now complete!

Skip carousel

014a- A Phalanx With Joints: For hundreds of years the Roman Army used the Greek phalanx, but during the Samnite Wars they were forced to develop a new distinctly Roman system. by The History of Rome
11 min listen
003b- The Seven Kings of Rome: The last days of the Roman Kingdom were ruled over by the three members of the so-called Tarquin Dynasty: Tarquinius Priscus, Servius Tullius and Tarquinius Superbus. The last proved to be such a tyrant that he was overthrown and monarchy was forever... by The History of Rome
18 min listen
001- In the Beginning: Welcome to The History of Rome, a weekly series tracing the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. Today we will hear the mythical origin story of Rome and compare it with modern historical and archaeological evidence. How much truth is wrapped up in the... by The History of Rome
12 min listen
005- Trials and Tribunlations: The infant Roman Republic faced many challenges as it grew into adolescence, both internally and externally. Most significantly class divisions led to a confrontation between patricians and plebs that resulted in the creation of the office of Tribune. by The History of Rome
16 min listen
014b- A Phalanx With Joints: The Roman army abandoned the Greek phalanx in favor of a new system based on a three line deployment organized by age and experience. by The History of Rome
17 min listen
009- A Trojan War: Economic necessity forced a final conflict with Veii, Rome's Etruscan rival to the north. After years of inconclusive fighting, Marcus Furius Camillus was appointed dictator and lead the Romans to victory. by The History of Rome
14 min listen
013- The Latin War: The Romans fought a final war against their Latin neighbors from 340-338 BC. The Romans won a decisive victory and the Latin League was abolished once and for all. by The History of Rome
14 min listen
006- The Twelve Tables: In 451 BC a committee was ordered to compile and then condense Roman law into a single text called the Twelve Tables of Law. Despite tyrannical machinations by the committee, the Twelve Tables secured an objective rule of law for all Roman citizens... by The History of Rome
16 min listen
041a- The Gallic Wars: After beginning his proconsulship of Cisalpine Gaul in 58 BC Caesar was asked to halt the advance of a migrating Celtic tribe. He managed to turn them around, but was immediately called to face an even deadlier threat at the banks of the Rhine River. by The History of Rome
20 min listen
016- The Third Samnite War: Rome battled a combined army of Samnites, Etruscans, Umbrians and Gauls for control of Italy. At Sentinum, the two sides fought the largest battle in Italian history up to that point. by The History of Rome
16 min listen
015a- The Second Samnite War: After a decade of peace, the Romans and Samnites returned to war. The early years of fighting went well for Rome, but in 321 BC they were handed a humiliating defeat at Caudine Forks. by The History of Rome
18 min listen
042- Meanwhile, Back in Rome: While Caesar was fighting the Gallic Wars, events in Rome and beyond exacerbated the political tensions that would eventually lead to Civil War. by The History of Rome
24 min listen
011- The Morning After: In the decades after the Gauls abandoned Rome to its fate, the Romans were forced to battle both external threats and internal sedition. The Plebes, saddled with debt from the reconstruction, forced through reforms in 367 BC that finally gave them... by The History of Rome
17 min listen
010: Barbarians at the Gates: Soon after the war with Veii, Rome was sacked by invading Gauls. The event traumatized the Romans and left their city in ruins. It would be the last time a foreign army breached the walls until the fall of the empire 850 years later. by The History of Rome
16 min listen
002- Youthful Indiscretions: Last time we discussed the events that lead to the birth of Rome, covering the arrival of Aeneas in Italy and the story of the twins Romulus and Remus. Today we will cover the remainder of Romulus's life, his questionable morality and ultimate... by The History of Rome
12 min listen
039- The Young Julius Caesar Chronicles: Julius Caesar had an eventful career on his way up the Cursus Honorum. He won the Civic Crown in Asia, was captured by pirates on his way to Rhodes, and served as Governor of Hispania Ulterior. by The History of Rome
23 min listen
007- The Roman Washington: Cincinnatus was famously appointed dictator of Rome in 458 BC and then resigned soon after, securing his place in history as a paradigm of republican virtue. by The History of Rome
12 min listen
004- The Public Thing: The monarchy had been overthrown and the Roman Republic was now established. Despite the appearance of a free democratic republic, the Romans were beset with economic and political divisions that threatened the unity of the young State. by The History of Rome
15 min listen
026- The Third Macedonian War by The History of Rome
14 min listen
012- The First Samnite War: From 343-341 BC Rome fought a brief war against the Samnites, a powerful hill tribe who would plague the Romans for the rest of the century. The Romans won an inconclusive victory, but the war was only the opening salvo in a long running struggle... by The History of Rome
18 min listen
015b- The Second Samnite War: After a five year break, hostilities resumed between the Romans and Samnites. Despite early setbacks, Rome eventually emerged victorious in 304 BC. During these years a controversial politician, Appius Claudius, initiated a series of ambitious public... by The History of Rome
15 min listen
020a- The First Punic War by The History of Rome
23 min listen
030- Gaius Gracchus by The History of Rome
17 min listen
055- Teutoburg Nightmares: The Julio-Claudian family was rife with conflict, but nothing compared to the battle fought against the Germans in the Teutoburg Forest. by The History of Rome
25 min listen
003a- The Seven Kings of Rome: This week we cover the first three of Romulus's successors to the throne: Numa Pompulius, Tullus Hostilius and Ancus Marcius, who they were and what affect they had on the evolution Roman law and culture. by The History of Rome
16 min listen
008- Decades of Gloom: The years after the creation of the Twelve Tables were hard. Political discord, grain shortages and famine all conspired to weaken the city, but the Romans soldiered on in the face of seemingly insurmountable adversity. by The History of Rome
15 min listen
054- All in the Family: Augustus promoted his steps sons Tiberius and Drusus to high office long before they were technically eligible. He hoped they would share power with him until Gaius and Lucius Caesar came of age, but Drusus died young and Tiberius went into... by The History of Rome
25 min listen
038- The Catiline Conspiracy: In 63 BC an embittered two-time consular candidate named Catiline conspired to overthrow the Roman government. He was stopped by Rome's greatest politician and orator, Marcus Tullius Cicero. by The History of Rome
20 min listen
045- The End of the War: Caesar took the overland route back from Egypt back to Rome and along the way pacified what little resistance he came across. After a brief stay in Italy he sailed for North Africa where he defeated the regrouped Republican army. Having emerged from... by The History of Rome
24 min listen
057- Germanicus: The early years of Tiberius's reign were defined by his growing jealousy of his nephew/adopted son Germanicus. After winning victories on the far side of the Rhine, Germanicus was sent east, where in 19 AD he died under mysterious circumstances. by The History of Rome
25 min listen

More Episodes from The History of Rome

Skip carousel

The Storm Before The Storm: Chapter 1- The Beasts of Italy: Audio excerpt from The Storm Before the Storm: The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic by Mike Duncan. Forthcoming Oct. 24, 2017. Pre-order a copy today! Amazon Powells Barnes & Noble Indibound Books-a-Million Or visit us at:... by The History of Rome
56 min listen
Revolutions Launch: Available at revolutionspodcast.com, iTunes, or anywhere else fine podcasts can be found. by The History of Rome
1 min listen
Update- One Year Later: Next show coming soon! by The History of Rome
2 min listen
179- The End: The history of The History of Rome...Why the Western Empire Fell when it did...Some thoughts on the future...Thank you, goodnight. by The History of Rome
31 min listen
178- Not With A Bang But A Whimper: In the last few years of the Western Empire a series of Emperors came and went. The cycle finally ended in 476 with the exile of Romulus Augustulus. by The History of Rome
28 min listen
177- The Burning Ships: In 468 the two halves of the Empire combined forces to dislodge the Vandals from North Africa.They failed spectacularly. by The History of Rome
27 min listen
176- The Quote Unquote Emperor: From 461-465 the Western Empire was ruled by Ricimer through a puppet Emperor named Libius Severus. Not everyone in the west was supportive of the new regime. by The History of Rome
25 min listen
175- Trying to Take It All Back: From 457-461, Majorian marched around trying to reassert Imperial authority over the provinces while Ricimer remained in Italy. by The History of Rome
25 min listen
174- The Sack of Rome Part II: Following the death of Valentinian III there was an Imperial power struggle in the West. In the midst of this struggle, the Vandals sacked Rome in 455 AD. by The History of Rome
24 min listen
173- The Broken Bow: In the early 450s a string of deaths changed the political dynamic of Roman world. Between 450 and 455 Galla Placidia, Aelia Pulcheria, Atilla the Hun, Flavius Aetius and Valentinian III would all die- leaving the stage wide open for the next... by The History of Rome
29 min listen
172- Showdown: In 451 Atilla the Hun invaded the West. He was repelled by a coalition of forces lead by the General Aetius. by The History of Rome
26 min listen
171- The Gathering Storm: After placating Atilla with yet another indemnity, Theodosius II fell from his horse and died in 450, leaving the Eastern throne vacant. by The History of Rome
18 min listen
170- Atilla Cometh: In the 440s, the Huns began to direclty attack the Roman Empire. by The History of Rome
24 min listen
169- Huns and Vandals and Goths, Oh My: In the 430s the Romans dealt with increasingly agressive and confident barbarian tribes living both inside and outside the traditional borders of the Empire. by The History of Rome
25 min listen
168- The Rise of Aetius: In the late 420s AD, the Roman General Flavius Aetius connived and backstabbed his way up the chain of command. by The History of Rome
25 min listen
167- Exploiting the Opportunity: The Emperor Honorius died in 423, leading to a brief civil war between the Theodosian dynasty and a self-proclaimed Imperial regime in Ravenna. by The History of Rome
26 min listen
166- As Long As She's Nice To Look At: Constantius III continued to lead the Western Empire as its defacto Emperor until 421, when he was officially elevated to the rank of Augustus. Unfortunately, this elevation was not recognized by Cosntantinople. by The History of Rome
27 min listen
165- Reviving the Roman Name: Between 412 and 415 relations between the Romans and Goths shifted back and forth between alliance and antagonism. by The History of Rome
26 min listen
164- The Sack of Rome: After failing to secure a deal with Honorius, Alaric sacked Rome in August of 410. It was the first time the Eternal City had been sacked in 800 years. by The History of Rome
26 min listen
163- Theodosius's Walls: Following the death of Eudoxia, the Praetorian Prefect Anthemius took control of the Eastern Empire and ran it wisely for the next decade. Meanwhile in the West, anti-barbarian policies will lead to the invasion of Italy by Alaric. by The History of Rome
26 min listen
162- Opening the Floodgates: On New Year's Eve 406 a horde of barbarians crossed the lower Rhine into Gaul. Their arrival would have severe consequences for the Western Empire. by The History of Rome
28 min listen
161- The Swamps of Ravenna: Alaric and his Goths invaded Italy in 402. After they were pushed out, Stilicho moved the seat of the Western Imperial Court to the city of Ravenna. by The History of Rome
24 min listen
160- East vs. West: In the late 390s, the generals and ministers who dominated Arcadius and Honorius battled with each other for control of the Empire. by The History of Rome
25 min listen
159- The Divine Winds: After winning the Battle of the Frigidus River, Theodosius stood alone as the last sole ruler of the Roman Empire. He would be die just four months later. by The History of Rome
24 min listen
158- An Imperial Suicide: In 392 Valentinian II was found hanged in his bedchamber, paving the way for another Roman Civil War. by The History of Rome
22 min listen
157- Only the Penitent Man Shall Pass: After defeating the usurper Maximus in 388 AD, Theodosius found himself facing an even greater opponent in Ambrose of Milan. by The History of Rome
27 min listen
156- Jockeying for Position: From 383-387 the tense quasi-partnership of Maximus, Valentinian II and Theodosius ruled the Roman Empire. During those years Bishop Ambrose and Nicean Christianity pushed themselves to dominance over their Arians rivals. by The History of Rome
28 min listen
155- The New Bishop of Milan: In 383 the General Magnus Maximus rose up in revolt against Gratian. The power sharing agreement that followed Maximus's victory would be negotiated in part by St. Ambrose, the influencial new Bishop of Milan. by The History of Rome
27 min listen
154- The Gothic War: Following Adrianople, Theodosius was brought in to salvage the situation. After determining that he could not beat the Goths in battle, the new Emperor was forced to sign a peace with the barbarians that treated them as, gasp, equals. by The History of Rome
30 min listen
153- Adrianople: Operating with faulty intelligence and desperate to defeat the Goths on his own, Valens forced the disasterous Battle of Adrianople in August 378. by The History of Rome
24 min listen

Related podcast episodes

Skip carousel

126- All The King's Men: Over the course of his reign Diocletian overhauled the government, transforming it into a centralized bureaucracy run by career civil servants. by The History of Rome
1 min listen
124- The Tetrarchs at War: In the mid-to-late 290s the Imperial Tetrarchy was at war on multiple fronts. In the west Constantius undertook the reconquest of Britain, while in the east, Galerius fought a newly hostile Sassanid Empire. by The History of Rome
26 min listen
121- Phase Three Complete: The Crisis of the Third Century finally ended with the mini dynasty of Carus and his two sons. In 284 Diocletian rose to power, ushering in a new age in Roman history. by The History of Rome
26 min listen
123- The Tertrarchy: In 293 AD Diocletian and Maximian invited Constantius and Galerius to share in their Imperial burdens, forming what we today call the Tetrarchy. by The History of Rome
25 min listen
137- The Christian Emperor: This episode brought to you live and direct from Constantinople! After defeating Licinius, Constantine found his dream of a united Christian Empire foiled by a very disunited Christian Church. by The History of Rome
23 min listen
127- Commanding The Economy: Rome's economy was in disarray when Diocletian came to power and he initiated major overhauls to get the system running again. by The History of Rome
28 min listen
122- Jupiter and Hercules: Immediatly after becoming the undisputed Emperor in 285, Diocletian elevated Maximian to serve as his Imperial colleague. by The History of Rome
26 min listen
135- Brothers in Name Only: Constantine and Licinius split up the Empire following the death of Maximinus Daia in 313. It did not take long for relations betweent the two Emperors to turn sour. by The History of Rome
27 min listen
130- Lost in Transition: Less than two years after Diocletian's abdication, the Tetrarchy was left in shambles following the power plays of Constantine and Maxentius. by The History of Rome
1 min listen
136- Let This Be Our Final Battle: War between Licinius and Constantine flared up again in 324 AD. This time Constantine would finish the job. by The History of Rome
24 min listen
134- And Then There Were Two: In 313 AD, Maximinus Daia and Licinus fought for control of the Eastern Roman Empire. by The History of Rome
24 min listen
138- The New Rome: Live and direct from Old Rome! by The History of Rome
27 min listen
133- The Milvian Bridge: On October 28, 312 AD Constantine and Maxentius fought a battle at Rome's doorstep for control of the Western Empire. by The History of Rome
25 min listen
131- The New Game in Town: With the Tetrarchy in shambles, Diocletian will be called out of retirement in 308 AD to help broker a settlement. But the new new order will prove as bad as the old new order. by The History of Rome
27 min listen
129- Abdication: In 305 AD, Diocletian and Maximian voluntarily abdicated the throne, handing power over to Galerius and Constantius. by The History of Rome
27 min listen
132- In This Sign: Prior to the Battle of the Milvian Bridge Constantine experienced visions and dreams that promised him victory if he embraced Christianity. by The History of Rome
27 min listen
111- Phase One Complete: After the Battle of Abrittus, Trebonianus Gallus was proclaimed Emperor. After reigning for two years he was ousted by Aemilianus, who lasted less than a month on the throne before being ousted by Valerian. by The History of Rome
28 min listen
040- In the Consulship of Julius and Caesar: In 59 BC Julius Caesar served a controversial year in the consulship. He pressed for land and administrative reforms the conservative Senate opposed. by The History of Rome
23 min listen
100- Black and White and Severus All Over: Septimius Severus became the undisputed Emperor of Rome after defeating Pescennius Niger in 194 and Clodius Albinus in 197. by The History of Rome
25 min listen
117- Aurelian's Walls: Aurelian became Emperor in 270 and immediatly faced an invasion of Italy by the Juthungi. After succesfully driving the Germans off, Aurelian turned his attention to building a new wall circuit around Rome to protect the capital in the future. by The History of Rome
26 min listen
099- What Evil Have I Done?: After buying the Imperial throne, Didius Julianus only remained in power for 66 days before being ousted by Septimius Severus. by The History of Rome
26 min listen
109- The New Millenium: Gordian III died in 244 AD and was succeeded by his Praetorian Prefect Philip the Arab. While Philip dealt with internal revolts and external invasion, he found time to celebrate Rome's 1000th birthday in 248 AD. by The History of Rome
26 min listen
106- Barbarian at the Gate: After bungling a campaign in the east, Alexander headed to the Rhine where he was assassinated by Maximinius Thrax in 235 AD. by The History of Rome
30 min listen
104- Here Comes the Sun: Elagabalus became Emperor in 218 AD at the tender age of 14. His short reign was defined by a scandalous private life and an obsession with the eastern sun god El-Gabal. by The History of Rome
29 min listen
110- A Gothic Horror: In 249 AD Decius ousted Philip the Arab and ascended to the Imperial throne. Two years later though, Decius was dead after leading the legions to a massive defeat at the hands of the Goths. by The History of Rome
25 min listen
051- Actium: On Sept 2, 31 BC Octavian defeated Antony at the Battle of Actium. Antony and Cleopatra fled back to Alexandria where they committed suicide the next year, following Octavian's invasion of Egypt. by The History of Rome
24 min listen
Alexander the Great’s Corpse and the Greatest Heist in History: Alexander the Great is one of the most famous generals and empire builders in history, but the story of his death is almost as remarkable as his life. Tristan Hughes joins Dan to tell the almost unbelievable tale of what happened after Alexander died. by Dan Snow's History Hit
32 min listen
034- No Greater Friend, No Worse Enemy: Sulla returned from the east and after winning a short Civil War was made Dictator for Life. After purging his enemies and reorganizing the consitution he inexplicably stepped down in 80 BC. by The History of Rome
20 min listen
115- Phase Two Complete: The near simultaneous deaths of Gallienus, Odenathus and Postumus upset the political equilibrium in the late 260s AD. by The History of Rome
26 min listen
114- The Nadir of Our Fortunes: The 260s AD were bad for the Romans, but they could have been a whole lot worse had not Gallienus, Postumus and Odenathus each done their part to defend their respective corners of the Empire. by The History of Rome
28 min listen

Discover this podcast and so much more

125- The Best Defence is a Good Defence

125- The Best Defence is a Good Defence

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from The History of Rome

Related podcast episodes