HIST 2905 Lecture 5: CLCV 2905 – February 5
9 Feb 2016
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Document Summary
Marcus aurelius gave way to commodus in 180. Commodus: not interested in rule (wants to be a gladiator) Plan for 193: human sacrifice including favourite concubine, marcia. December 31, 192: bathtime (strangled to death by a wrestler) Aurelius victor, on the lives of the caesars, 17. And: he charged the state one million sesterces for each performance! Empire managed to keep going was capable of continuing without (antonine wall abandoned in britain) note role of praetorian prefect vice emperor death of commodus empire lurches into new crisis. Death of commodus = formal end of pax romana. Corresponding decline in italy result of globalization". But meditations written in greek significant. South mediterranean v north mediterranean (newer, not as powerful an. W higher % of citizenship, local elites more important. Cities powerhouses of roman civilization v west rome provided literacy, government, cities. Prosperity of east link to internal security. Prosperity of cities helped by hands-off approach of rome.
