A few weeks ago, I made an argument for a more decentralized form of government. Now, I will present a case where increased centralization proved to be effective. The post-Carolingian Middle Ages were generally a time of decentralized governments, with very little sense of the patriotism or nationalism that has been a hallmark of many … Continue reading Defeating the Vikings Through Administrative Measures
Throughout history, militaries have been famous for studying history and trying to learn from it in order to gain any potential advantages while on campaign. The Union Army of the Potomac, the main force for the North in the American Civil War, was no different. At the time in America, the hottest military trends were … Continue reading Learning from the Past: Hooker’s Flying Column
In The Birth of the West, the wonderful book on Europe in the 10th century, author Paul Collins explains that the people of West Francia (largely modern day France) would have viewed the concept of a king far differently than us. To most of us, a king is this all controlling overlord who is able … Continue reading Decentralization – Effective Governance?
To preface, I have been planning to write this blog for some time now, and with the recent insurrection at the United States Capitol, it feels even more relevant than ever. The story of this blog is the death of one Publius Clodius Pulcher, a demagogue of the highest order during the waning days of … Continue reading When The Mob Rules
Many of the controversies and corruption have been well canvassed by the history books and schools alike. However, one sinister and morbid event that flew under my radar was the Cadaver Synod in the late 9th Century. Perhaps it is a lesser known event because it occurred before the papacy was the major political player … Continue reading The Cadaver Synod
The Roman Empire was a mess in the 3rd Century C.E. There was nonstop mismanagement from the different levels of the government up to the emperors themselves. This led to economic instability, and internal and external wars, as well as a constant turnover of emperors. Between the fall of the Severan Dynasty and the rise … Continue reading Too Big For One Man?
Keeping with the theme of the past few posts, I was recently pondering more about the Roman emperors and what made the average Roman like or dislike them. This always requires a fair amount of conjecture as there are holes in the historical record of the rich and famous, let alone the average and poor … Continue reading The Star Power of the Roman Emperors
Building off my last post about Nero's popularity with the common people, I was pondering what did it take to make a Roman emperor successful. The aforementioned Nero experienced popularity from the general populace of Rome, but from the end of his reign until modern times is considered one of the most disastrous emperors Rome … Continue reading What Made A Roman Emperor Successful?
Nero, the fifth emperor in the Julio-Claudian Dynasty, is infamous for his various acts of cruelty and debauchery, but in this post I am going to focus on his more positive characteristics - at least to some people. Even up until the end, the common people of Rome tended to love Nero. Why had they … Continue reading Why the Common People Loved Nero
Emperor Tiberius had the unenviable task of following the legendary first emperor, Augustus, who reigned over Rome for over 40 years. Indeed, Tiberius had not even been Augustus' first or second choice to succeed him, but due to a series of unfortunate deaths in the imperial family, the job ended up falling to him. Though … Continue reading Tiberius – The Military Man Who Set a Non-Military Model
Seven Hills History 