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Reflecting History

Reflecting History is an educational history podcast that explores significant historical events and themes without losing track of the ordinary people involved. Covering a wide variety of topics, it explores the connection between history, psychology, and philosophy.
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Now displaying: June, 2019
Jun 24, 2019

As violence increasingly became a tool at the disposal of corrupt and cynical Romans, it also became a last resort for frustrated and hopeless Romans and Italian Allies. As a result of the Republic's failure to address systemic social and economic issues, the Social War broke out between Rome and the Italian Allies. In the aftermath of this devastating war, the famous Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius Sulla waged a titanic and bloody war for the fate of the Roman Republic. The endemic violence and zero-sum nature of the conflict ultimately ensured the future demise of the Republic. 

This is Part IV in a series on the downfall of the Roman Republic. It focuses on questions of citizenship in Ancient Rome, the Social War, and the epic struggle between Sulla and Marius. Sulla claimed victory, but ultimately for the Roman Republic it was ashes in the end. 

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Leave a rating or review on apple podcasts or spotify!

Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory

Check out my podcast series on Piranesi, Arcane, The Dark Knight Trilogy, and Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart here: https://www.reflectinghistory.com/bonuscontent

Try my podcast series "Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart"-- What led to the rise of Nazi Germany? The answer may surprise you…Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? To what extent are ordinary people responsible for the development of authoritarian evil? This 13 part audio-course explores these massive questions and more through the lens of Nazi Germany and the ordinary people who collaborated or resisted as the Third Reich expanded. You'll not only learn about the horrifying, surprising, and powerful ways in which the Nazis seized and maintained power, but also fundamental lessons about what fascism is-how to spot it and why it spreads. Through exploring the past, I hope to unlock lessons that everyone can apply to the present day. Check it out on my Patreon page at: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory.

Try my podcast series "Piranesi: Exploring the Infinite Halls of a Literary Masterpiece"-- This course is a deep analysis of Susanna Clark's literary masterpiece "Piranesi." Whether you are someone who is reading the novel for academic purposes, or you simply want to enjoy an incredible story for it's own sake, this audio course goes chapter by chapter into the plot, characters, and themes of the book...“The Beauty of the House is immeasurable; it’s kindness infinite.” Piranesi lives in an infinite house, with no long-term memory and only a loose sense of identity. As the secrets of the House deepen and the mystery of his life becomes more sinister, Piranesi must discover who he is and how this brings him closer to the “Great and Secret Knowledge” that the House contains. Touching on themes of memory, identity, mental health, knowledge, reason, experience, meaning, reflection, ideals, and more…Piranesi will be remembered as one of the great books of the 21st century. Hope you enjoy the course as much as I enjoyed making it. Check it out at https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory.

Subscribe to my newsletter! A free, low stress, monthly-quarterly email offering historical perspective on modern day issues, behind the scenes content on my latest podcast episodes, and historical lessons/takeaways from the world of history, psychology, and philosophy: https://www.reflectinghistory.com/newsletter.

 
Jun 3, 2019

Many historians have cited moral decline that began after the Punic Wars as a leading cause in the decline of the Roman Republic. While there are different interpretations of this idea, the conflict between ambition and equality was a problem that was built into the Roman system and was ultimately never completely resolved in the Republic. A frustrated underclass of Roman citizens and other Italians who saw their farms shrinking and their economic opportunities limited as a result of the changing economic conditions after the Punic War provided the perfect opportunity for cynical politicians to appeal to populism and ambitious maneuvering to increase their own power and prestige. Whether you view them as populists or genuine reformers, men like Tiberius Gracchus and Gaius Gracchus identified problems in the Roman system and tried to fix them as they saw fit. Ultimately the system swallowed them up and they failed to produce long lasting change to the corrupted system. But their demise introduced a new crisis that the Republic would never solve: political violence. 

This is Part III in a series on the downfall of the Roman Republic. It focuses on Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus and their attempt to alleviate disenfranchised Romans who felt the new Roman economic system was leaving them behind.

-Consider Supporting the Podcast!-

Leave a rating or review on apple podcasts or spotify!

Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory

Check out my podcast series on Piranesi, Arcane, The Dark Knight Trilogy, and Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart here: https://www.reflectinghistory.com/bonuscontent

Try my podcast series "Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart"-- What led to the rise of Nazi Germany? The answer may surprise you…Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? To what extent are ordinary people responsible for the development of authoritarian evil? This 13 part audio-course explores these massive questions and more through the lens of Nazi Germany and the ordinary people who collaborated or resisted as the Third Reich expanded. You'll not only learn about the horrifying, surprising, and powerful ways in which the Nazis seized and maintained power, but also fundamental lessons about what fascism is-how to spot it and why it spreads. Through exploring the past, I hope to unlock lessons that everyone can apply to the present day. Check it out on my Patreon page at: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory.

Try my podcast series "Piranesi: Exploring the Infinite Halls of a Literary Masterpiece"-- This course is a deep analysis of Susanna Clark's literary masterpiece "Piranesi." Whether you are someone who is reading the novel for academic purposes, or you simply want to enjoy an incredible story for it's own sake, this audio course goes chapter by chapter into the plot, characters, and themes of the book...“The Beauty of the House is immeasurable; it’s kindness infinite.” Piranesi lives in an infinite house, with no long-term memory and only a loose sense of identity. As the secrets of the House deepen and the mystery of his life becomes more sinister, Piranesi must discover who he is and how this brings him closer to the “Great and Secret Knowledge” that the House contains. Touching on themes of memory, identity, mental health, knowledge, reason, experience, meaning, reflection, ideals, and more…Piranesi will be remembered as one of the great books of the 21st century. Hope you enjoy the course as much as I enjoyed making it. Check it out at https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory.

Subscribe to my newsletter! A free, low stress, monthly-quarterly email offering historical perspective on modern day issues, behind the scenes content on my latest podcast episodes, and historical lessons/takeaways from the world of history, psychology, and philosophy: https://www.reflectinghistory.com/newsletter.

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