Suetonius writes:
"So much for Gaius the Emperor; the rest of this history must needs deal with Gaius the Monster."
-Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars (London, 2007), p. 156.
Suetonius pulled no punches and told it like it was.
Fortunately, SM Stirling's time travellers do not arrive during the reign of either Caligula or Nero. However, this is not a accident. Their destination date was carefully chosen for them both by their author and by the fellow character who is responsible for their "temporal displacement." They benefit from the experience of earlier (fictional) time travellers. (A logical way to write sf.)
5 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
To paraphrase Lord Acton, "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely." And I know that is not quite correct.
Great power can be like a heady drink! Not all have succeeded in not being intoxicated by it.
Ad astra! Sean
Though Marcus Aurelius was a very wise man. With a weakness for his son, Commodus, but that's natural enough.
Kaor, Mr. Stirlng!
Absolutely! Marcus Aurelius was a very unusually wise and able ruler. I know some writers have criticized him for allowing paternal love over-estimate the worth and capacity of his offspring. But, realistically, who else could Marcus Aurelius nominate as his successor?
Ad astra! Sean
Sean: nobody. The Five Good Emperors were all adopted, because they had no sons -- Nerva was too old, and Hadrian and Trajan were probably gay. Antoninus Pius was just unlucky that way -- which meant the Roman Empire was lucky.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
Exactly, re Commodus.
Yes, for whatever reason, Nerva, Trajan, and Hadrian had no sons. Antoninus Pius did have two sons, but they died young before their father was adopted by Hadrian.
Rome had become a monarchy, but it still lacked the customs, traditions, laws, etc., of stable monarchies.
Ad astra! Sean
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