In 47 A.D. the Emperor [Caudius] led a campaign to conquer the mysterious islands of Britain. Rome’s first attempt since Julius Caesar tried to do so 100 years earlier. Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire VI: The Dacian Wars
In 83 A.D. he [Domitian] led the legions to the Germanic frontiers along the Rhine and the Danube in a showy display of Roman stregnth. Ibid.
Dacian wariors crossed the Danube and raided the Roman province of Moesia. ibid.
A disaffected Roman governer in Germania rebelled. ibid.
Domitian: An unpredictable and vindictive ruler presiding over a rule of terror. ibid.
Trajan’s reputation of a military commander preceded him. ibid.
Trajan led his forces to the political capital of the Dacian kingdom. ibid.
The emperor Trajan scaled new heights of glory for Rome defeating the treacherous Dacians, gathering a fortune in Barbarian gold, and extending the territorial borders to their final limits. It was the zenith of the Empire. After three centuries of unending war Rome stood at the centre of the Western world. Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire VII: Rebellion & Betrayal
Roman citizens were slow to recognise the threat of a new Barbarian invasion. ibid.
The soldiers contracted a virulent disease from their Parthian victims, possible Bubonic Plague. ibid.
And even as Rome partied, Barbarians prepared to attack the reducted defences along the empire’s northern frontier. ibid.
The dark woodlands of Germania became their tomb. ibid.
Fighting on the Barbarian home territory, the inexperienced Roman Army were sadly outclassed. ibid.
The massacre of 20,000 soldiers. It was the worst Roman defeat for a century. ibid.
Marcus Aurelius gained the upper hand in his brutal conquests of Germania. ibid.
Egyptian rebels led a bloody revolt against their Roman overlords. ibid.
In 160 A.D. Rome reigned supreme, the lone superpower of the ancient world. But peace and prosperity lulled the Romans into dangerous complacency. When foreign enemies sense weakness, the Emperor Marcus Aurelius had to rally the empire to fight for its very survival. In the third century A.D. as the Roman empire struggled to resist foreign invasion, and stem the growing power of Christianity, a new and strong emperor emerged from the maelstrom of Roman politics: Decius. Rome: Rise & Fall of an Empire VIII: Wrath of the Gods
Moesia: When Decius arrived he found a camp without a leader … taking control of the empire into his own hands. ibid.
Across the empire Christians feared for their safety as Pagan Romans blamed them for what they saw as divine punishment [plague]. ibid.
The Goths were now raiding deep within the empire’s borders, and had to be stopped immediately. ibid.
Decius was the first emperor in Roman history to be killed in battle against a Barbarian army. ibid.
In 380 A.D. Christianity became the official state religion of the Roman Empire. ibid.
When the Roman Empire was attacked by foreign armies and a deadly plague, the citizens had blamed the new religion of Christianity for angering the Empire’s pagan gods. Rome: Rise & Fall of an Empire IX: The Soldiers’ Emperor
A new ruler emerged and his name was Aurelian. He united the fractured empire using its greatest strength – the army. ibid.
Emperor Claudius’ (II) was forced to march his army from Rome meeting the Alemanni warriors at Larke Garda in northern Italy. ibid.
While on campaign Emperor Claudius contracted the Plague … Aurelian was declared Emperor by his troops. ibid.
Terror gripped the people of Rome. The arrival of the Barbarians was expected every day. Many fled the city. ibid.
Aurelian was able to cut them off at Farnum. ibid.
Egypt 271 A.D. Now controlled by the Palmyrene queen … cutting off one of the Empire’s main sources of food. ibid.
In the Syrian desert Aurelian faced new challenges. ibid.
Aurelian was welcomed back to Rome a hero. ibid.
To the north the Roman territories of Gaul and Britain had fallen under the rule of a mutinous Roman army. ibid.
Aurelian marched to Chalons in Gaul to … win back the western territories for Rome. ibid.
Faced with Barbarians at his doorstep, usurpers on the frontiers, and rebellious subjects in Rome itself, the third-century emperor Aurelian had turned to the soldiers’ own gods for help, restored and reunited the broken empire. But before his work could take root he was assassinated leaving the Empire at risk once again. Now the Roman Empire lay in peril. Many rulers vied for power. From this chaos one man emerged eliminating his rivals and reuniting the Empire under the sign of a new god. His name was Constantine; he would stop at nothing to save a dying Empire. Rome: Rise & Fall of an Empire X: Constantine the Great
In 303 A.D. the emperor Dioclesian issued an edict against all Christians that became known as the Great Persecution. ibid.
When Dioclesian suddenly fell ill he was forced into retirement. ibid.
It was up to Constantine to lead his father’s troops and secure their allegiance into battle. ibid.
All of the western empire belonged to Constantine. As agreed, he left the East for Licinius. ibid.
Christians throughout the empire were able to worship freely. And for the first time ever, their faith was shared by the Emperor. ibid.
The persecution of Christians was just the excuse he [Constantine] needed to attack Licinius. ibid.
Haunted by these sins, Constantine wanted nothing more than to die with a clean conscience. ibid.
An extraordinary man rose victorious – his name was Constantine. Fighting under the banner of a new God he would bring unity to a divided Roman Empire. Rome: Rise & Fall of an Empire XI: The Barbarian General
In the chaos two mighty leaders emerged. One from within the Empire, the other from the ranks of the enemy. Their struggle would mirror an Empire at war with itself. ibid.
The Empire was divided into two: the West was ruled by the Emperor Valentinian in Rome; while the Emperor Valens ruled the east. ibid.
‘The Goths were far more numerous and they had a lot to fight for.’ ibid. Richard Burgess
Two-thirds of the imperial army was lost. ibid.
Without delay the eastern Emperor Theodosius led his legions west to confront the usurper. ibid.
The Goths declare Aleric their king. Aleric’s Gothic kingdom stood unchallenged as the Empire faced other critical upheavals elsewhere. ibid.
A terrible new and alien ememy threatened both the Goths and the Romans – the Hun. ibid.
Faced with Barbarians at his doorstep, usurpers on the frontiers, and rebellious subjects in Rome itself, the third-century emperor Aurelian had turned to the soldiers’ own gods for help, restored and reunited the broken empire. But before his work could take root he was assassinated leaving the Empire at risk once again. Now the Roman Empire lay in peril. Many rulers vied for power. From this chaos one man emerged eliminating his rivals and reuniting the Empire under the sign of a new god. His name was Constantine; he would stop at nothing to save a dying Empire. Rome: Rise & Fall of an Empire X: Constantine the Great
In 303 A.D. the emperor Dioclesian issued an edict against all Christians that became known as the Great Persecution. ibid.
When Dioclesian suddenly fell ill he was forced into retirement. ibid.
It was up to Constantine to lead his father’s troops and secure their allegiance into battle. ibid.
All of the western empire belonged to Constantine. As agreed, he left the East for Licinius. ibid.
Christians throughout the empire were able to worship freely. And for the first time ever, their faith was shared by the Emperor. ibid.
The persecution of Christians was just the excuse he [Constantine] needed to attack Licinius. ibid.
Haunted by these sins, Constantine wanted nothing more than to die with a clean conscience. ibid.