The Exploration of Ancient Rome

Rome, Italy

Sat, 04 Mar 2023 18:50:00 +0100

A journey's end! For it is with great sadness that I must inform the Professor that I will not be returning to my current timeline. The splendors I have witnessed have entrapped me in such great bliss that I will use my final fuel cell to return to 27BCE and live out the remainder of my life at the start of the Pax Romana. I hope this report reaches you Professor and it was a great pleasure being your student. Who knows, maybe the history books will write about me one day! Ronald Golding (Student/Author/Adventurer) covering Roman Evolution from 509 BC - 180 CE.

Rome, Italy

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 18:50:00 +0100

The Pax Romana (27 BCE - 180 CE) I am down to my final 2 fuel cells; I will use 1.5 fuel cells to witness the wonderful and peaceful era of the Pax Romana which spanned 200 years from 27 BCE to 180 CE. I should be able to make it back to my timeline with a half of fuel cell, although it will be a bit risky. As I am already in 27 BCE the start of the Pax Romana I will collect data on Augustus Caesar's contribution to this wonderful era. The data I collected in the previous trip shows Augustus’s contribution to the Pax to span 27 BCE until his death on August 19, 14 CE. Powering up my time capsule to slowly drift between this period of peace, I will collect as much data as I can and summarize the information in my report. Here I go! I am here in 14 CE, a 39-year drift of data collection, I partially witnessed some great events and what I couldn’t witness the data will shall suffice. The life of Augustus was great as he transformed the Roman Empire from a republic into a monarchy, with Augustus himself serving as the first Emperor. Augustus also transformed the powerful army of Rome to be more structured and professionalized, with the soldiers receiving regular pay and benefits. This allowed the Roman Empire to maintain a large power military force that could be deployed quickly to put down any rebellions and maintain the peace. The data also shows that Augustus also streamlines the Roman legal system to promote stability and order. This allowed the Roman Empire to maintain a high degree of social and political control over its subjects, thus preventing internal strife and rebellion. Great job Augustus, now I must view the rest of the Pax Romana. I will speed up a bit and burn through the rest of this fuel cell, here I go. I have arrived in 180 CE which unfortunately is the death of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. The Pax Romana was a blissful 200 years of peace and I’m glad to have witnessed this event. There were a few outbreaks of violence and rebellion that I witnessed but no major wars. During this period I noticed the Roman economy was often threatened by inflation and other economic problems but what society doesn’t have those issues? There were significant cultural and social changes that took place during this period of peace. A wide range of people with different backgrounds and cultures were living and working together in the empire’s cities and towns. This led to the development of a rich and diverse culture bringing about new art, literature, and ideas across the empire. To witness these great events from the start of the Roman Empire to the wonderful battle for freedom presented by Spartacus leaves me in awe. I've witnessed the cunning and military genius of the famed ruler Julius Caesar and the very inspiring and noble tenure of his stepson Augustus Caesar. With Augustus ushering in the Pax Romana which garnered 200 years of peace, I truly feel blessed to have witnessed the development of such a culturally rich and expansive empire.

Rome, Italy

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 18:50:00 +0100

Augustus Caesar (Gaius Octavius) reign 27 BCE - 14 CE I arrived in 27 BCE but due to my low fuel cells, I decided not to land but to try an experimental process where I progress through time years at a time while collecting data on specific events. By continually progressing through the year I should be able to cover Octavian’s 40-year rule over Rome. I will not be able to do any firsthand interviews but the data and the bits of history I can see at this speed will suffice. The experimental procedure appears to be working, my time capsule is picking up data already and I have only been here for a few days. It appears Gaius Octavius declared war on his former ally Mark Antony and Cleopatra of Egypt at the battle of Actium. Defeating Mark Antony and Cleopatra Octavius became the undisputed ruler of Rome. The data shows that due to Octavian’s accomplishments thus far, the Roman Senate has bestowed upon him the title of "Augustus" which means the exalted one. It seems Augustus has not wasted any time getting to work, he immediately establishes the Principate. The Principate is a new form of government that gave Augustus absolute power but maintained the appearance of a republic. Augustus invested heavily in infrastructure projects such as aqueducts, roads, and temple restoration. He encouraged marriage and childbearing and even offered tax breaks to families with multiple children. I must say this Augustus sure did keep a great record of his own accomplishments; I can collect data at an exceptional rate on this guy. One second here, I got lost in the excitement and have missed a few pages of data. It says here Augustus conquered new territories in order to expand the Roman Empire, those territories include Egypt, Spain, and Gaul. If I remember correctly Gaul was once under the rule of his Stepfather Julius Caesar. Emperor August appeared to be a patron of the arts and culture, supporting poets, writers, and artists. He encouraged the development of Roman Literature, architecture, and art. I must say this Augustus appears to have been a triumphant and benevolent Emperor. I will slow my time capsule down a bit to get a better view of the upcoming year AD 14. Augustus is at the tender age of 75, his rule is great and has brought much peace to Rome. I am currently stationary hovering over the city of Nola in Campania, Italy on August 19, AD 14 and it appears our great Augustus has passed away. I am vigorously looking through the data as to the cause of his death and the reports are undetermined. Due to his great rule, the emperor’s body is being taken to Rome. Upon arrival in Rome Augustus's body is deified by the senate and his adopted son and heir, Tiberius, succeeds him as emperor.

An altar dedicated to Pax, the Roman Goddess of peace. Originally built during the time of Augustus Caesar.

Rome, Italy

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 18:50:00 +0100

Julius Caesar (49 BCE - 44 BCE) My time capsule lands in the Gaul region, more specifically in northeastern Italy near the Rubicon River. I quickly hide my time capsule in the brush and dawn the garbs of a soldier in the Tenth Legion Equestris. As the Army approaches I sneak my way into their formation and prepare to embark on a pivotal journey. There's an older soldier walking towards the end of the formation and I approach with an inquisitive mind and spark a conversation. The soldier is bold and tells me that Caesar's term as Governor of Gaul has come to an end, and he has been ordered to disband his military and return as a Private citizen. The soldier says "Can you imagine that!? Caesar a private citizen". The old man asked me "Do you not remember your orders?" I tell him that I just volunteered and have no orders, and ask if he can tell me more. Proudly the soldier says he was given orders to March on Rome, for Caesar will surely be victorious. Rome seeing Caesar crossing the Rubicon considered this to be a direct violation of Roman law and a declaration of war. Caesar quickly took control of Italy and forced Senator Pompey (one of Caesars' biggest rivals) to flee. In 48 BC, Caesar decisively defeated Pompey's forces in the Battle of Pharsalus, and Pompey himself fled to Egypt, where he was assassinated. Unfortunately, I do not have another 4 years to spare so I must activate my time capsule and jump to 44 BC at the time of the next major event. I set my dial to 44 BC and landed in a small village in the Roman outskirts. I make my way to the Curia Julia in the Roman Forum, the Curia is where the Roman Senate meets. As I expected in this year Julius Caesar wins the civil war and is appointed "Dictator for life". Immediately Caesar gets to work and makes some major changes in Rome. Caesar implements the Julian Calendar (which is still in use during my time). Caesar also enacts a series of laws addressing social and economic inequalities within the Roman republic. Within the walls of the Curia, I hear jealous chatter of "Caesar is getting too strong and has too much power". His ambitions are making some of the senators extremely uncomfortable and a plot to dethrone Caesar evolves. Word of this treachery does not reach Caesar in time, and he is assassinated. Rome would plunge into chaos with both Caesar's opponents and supporters fighting for control. Caesar would ultimately be remembered for his cunning military strategies and brilliant mind. Many battles for power would ensue over the next several years but Caesar’s heir would finally emerge Octavian. I will witness Octavian's rule, but for now, I must make it back to my time capsule and start preparing to time jump to 27 BCE. Ok, I’m here at my capsule and it seems I’m getting low on fuel. I have enough fuel for several more jumps before I must return home. So off we go, I set my dial to 27 BCE and start the next leg of my journey.

The Death of Julius Caesar by William Holmes Sullivan, c. 1888

Rome, Italy

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 18:50:00 +0100

Spartacus (73 BC) I arrived in 73 BC to witness the legendary revolt of former soldier and Gladiator "Spartacus". Unfortunately, my time capsule landed in a dark dungeon holding cell in the gladiatorial school of Ludus in Capua, Italia. The isolation of the cell should provide fitting cover, albeit the realism of the surroundings solidifies the dangers of my time travels. The gladiatorial school in which I have landed currently houses the great Spartacus. As I dawn the garbs of a gladiatorial slave, I set my intentions on befriending fellow gladiators in hopes of getting closer to the upcoming rebellion. I hear a commotion in the holding cells above, I break free of my cell and rush to the middle holding cells to see what all the noise is about. Many of the gladiator slaves are in an uproar and are tired of being forced to fight for entertainment purposes. Their emotions of anger are fueled by hard labor, poor living conditions, and frequent physical abuse. In the center of the angered mob of gladiators is Spartacus. Being a former soldier and skilled military strategist, Spartacus leads the rebellion of slaves and is able to break free of the confines of the school (prison). When word of the uprising and rebellion reach Rome, a Roman army is sent to quell the uprising. Spartacus and the rebels were able to amass an army of 70,000 men and successfully defeated several Roman armies. Victory would be short-lived, I witness dissidence amongst the rebel army due to the slaves being unable to agree on a clear strategy or a leader. Months and months of disagreement and disorganization eventually leads to defeat at the hands of the Roman republic. Sadly, during one of those battles I hear rumors of the death of the great Spartacus. Some say he died in battles, while rumors suggest he was betrayed by his own followers seeking to negotiate a deal with the Romans. Many of the remaining rebels are being crucified along the Appian way, meant to be a warning for others who may attempt to rebel. The atmosphere is becoming unstable and I feel it is unsafe for me to remain in this time period. I have witnessed the great gladiator Spartacus in battle and now I must move on. This next trip will need great time management as the data I need to collect spans 5 years. My time capsule is very limited on fuel and to witness Caesar’s civil war and Rise to power I will need to make 2-time jumps. The first being the beginning of the Civil war between Caesar and Rome in 49 BC and his appointment as Dictator for life in 44 BC. I set my dial to 49 BC to witness the next great moment in Roman History "Rome’s Civil war with the great Julius Caesar".

The Death of Spartacus by Hermann Vogel (1882)

Rome, Italy

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 18:50:00 +0100

Rome Becomes a Republic I start my journey in 509 BC to witness one of Rome’s greatest political transitions ever, a transition from Monarchy to a Republic. Upon my arrival, I hide my time capsule in some nearby brush and make my way towards the Roman Forum which is situated on low ground between the Palatine and Capitoline Hills. The forum is a place of public meetings, markets and shops, the Curia (Senate House), and Rosta (a platform for public speaking). It seems I have arrived at tumultuous times, protest and violence are in my midst. Fighting ensues between two factions Plebians and Patricians, although I am familiar with the quarrels (from history books) I inquire about the squabble. A gentleman begins to tell me of the social disparities between the lower-class plebians and the upper-class patricians. The plebians are common people who are excluded from political power and faced economic hardships. The Patricians on the other hand were wealthy aristocrats descended from the original noble families of Rome. The Plebians who made up a majority of the population and faced many economic downfalls had little hope for change. But I hear rumors of a great hero, a leader who would fight to bring equality to Roman society. I asked a nearby gentleman who is this fabled leader I hear so much about. I am told his name is Lucius Junius Brutus! Brutus has helped to wage war against the tyrannical King Tarquin. Tarquin the current king of Rome was not liked by many. Romans perceived Tarquin as a foreigner as he was originally from Etruria (a neighboring city-state to Rome). Tarquin ruled with an iron fist and cared little for the welfare of his people. Due to the king’s cruelty, Lucius Junius Brutus rallied the people and formed a Roman army. The Roman army met Tarquin and his supporters in battle, and Tarquin was defeated and forced to flee the city. Monarchy is no more, and a republic is formed thanks to Brutus and the Roman people. Brutus would go on to help to establish the structure of the new government, including the office of the two consuls, who were elected annually and had equal powers, and the Senate and the Assembly of the People, which served as the other branches of government. I Ronald Golding have had the great pleasure of witnessing this transition, but my journey is just beginning. Next, I set my sites on a legendary Gladiator "Spartacus, I scurry back to my time capsule and set my dials for 73 BC.

Plebeians Vs Patricians

Lucius Brutus

Rome

Sun, 26 Feb 2023 18:50:00 +0100

The year is 3023, and the famed and noble Professor Matthew T. Pearcy (Ph.D.) has tasked his students with creating a journal analyzing an aspect of Western Civilization of our choosing. He has given us a time capsule with enough fuel cells to explore the chosen time period and return home. It was with great pleasure that I informed the professor of my choice to survey Ancient Rome. Ancient Rome played a significant role in shaping modern society from the legal systems used to language and literature. So without further ado, let’s start this journey.

Time Capsule begins its journey.