SPECIALIZED STUDIES
Barnes. New Empire of Diocletian and Constantine.
Hughes, Bettany. Istanbul: A Tale of Three Cities. Boston: Da Capo Press, 2017.
Lenski, ed. Cambridge Companion to the Age of Constantine.
Nixey, Catherine. The Darkening Age: The Christian Destruction of the Classical World. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018.
THE GHOSTS OF RAVENNA
SOURCES
Mathisen, Ralph W. “Romulus Augustulus (475–476 A.D.)—Two Views.” “De Imperatoribus Romanis,” www.roman-emperors-org/auggiero.htm.
BIOGRAPHY
Kos, Marjeta ŠaŠel. “The Family of Romulus Augustulus.” In Ingomar Weiler and Peter Mauritsch. Antike Lebenswelten: Konstanz, Wandel, Wirkungsmacht: Festschrift Für Ingomar Weiler Zum 70. Geburtstag. Wiesbaden, Ger.: Harrassowitz Verlag, 2008, 446–49.
Moorhead, John. Justinian. London: Longman, 1994.
Potter, David. Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint. New York: Oxford University Press, 2015.
SPECIALIZED STUDIES
Bowersock, Glen W. “The Vanishing Paradigm of the Fall of Rome.” Bulletin of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 49. No. 8 (May, 1996): 29–43.
Goldsworthy, Adrian. How Rome Fell: Death of a Superpower. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2009.
Heather, Peter. The Fall of the Roman Empire: A New History of Rome and the Barbarians. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007.
Traina, Giusto. 428 AD: an Ordinary Year at the End of the Roman Empire. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2009.
Ward-Perkins, Bryan. The Fall of Rome and the End of Civilization. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005.
INDEX
A note about the index: The pages referenced in this index refer to the page numbers in the print edition. Clicking on a page number will take you to the ebook location that corresponds to the beginning of that page in the print edition. For a comprehensive list of locations of any word or phrase, use your reading system’s search function.
Abelard, Peter, 36
abortion, 146
Academy, 230
Achaea (Greece), Nero’s trips to, 95–96
Actium, Battle of, 293
Aegean Sea, 307
Aelia Capitolina (city), 199, 200, 201
Aelius, 199
Aelius Hadrianus, 177
Aeneas, 80
Aeneid (Virgil), 80, 266
“Affair of the Four Ex-Consuls,” 184, 185
Africa, 186
rebellion in, 274
Africa, Roman, 237–41, 243, 247, 253, 258, 259
Septimius Severus’s triumphant homecoming to, 249
Age of Enlightenment, 258
Aglaus, 136
agriculture, 169
Agrippa, Marcus Vipsanius, 10–11, 21–22, 23, 27, 35–36, 39, 52, 53, 153, 215
Agrippa Postumus, 41–42, 180, 187, 194, 206
as Augustus’s adopted son, 55
execution of, 56, 58
Agrippina, 257
Agrippina the Elder, 75, 76, 226
death of, 72
enmity between Tiberius and, 71–72
Germanicus’s marriage to, 61
Agrippina the Younger, 113, 116, 289
character of, 86
Claudius’s marriage to, 85, 87
growing enmity between Nero and, 89–90
historical depictions of, 86
Nero’s murder of, 91–92
Nero’s rise promoted by, 85–87
political power exercised by, 89
Praetorian Guard’s support of, 87, 91–92
rumored incest between Nero and, 90
Ahenobarbus, Gnaeus Domitius, as Nero’s father, 86
Alban Hills, 246
Albano Laziale, 246
Alexander, 183
Alexander Severus, murder of, 267, 268
Alexander the Great, 24, 159, 166, 196, 227, 228, 232, 254, 288
Alexandria, 19, 143, 156, 178, 186, 196, 273
Algeria, 280
Alsace, 191, 225
Altar of Augustan Peace, 39
amphitheaters, 129, 130, 139
Anatolian plateau, 228
Ancona, 155
Antinoopolis (Antinous City), 197, 198
Antinous (god), 198–99
Antinous (person), 195–99, 200
Antioch, 143–44, 167, 171–72, 273
Antonia Augusta, 114, 135, 139
Antonia Caenis, 113–14, 119, 123, 135–37, 139, 154
Antonia the Younger, 62, 73, 75, 76, 82
Tiberius informed of Sejanus’s plan to murder Caligula, 73
Antonine plague, 222–23, 224
Antonines dynasty, 258
Antonine Wall, Scotland, 216
Antoninus Pius, 132, 168, 202, 204, 207, 212, 214–17, 219–20, 224, 228, 239, 258
Antony, Mark, 7, 11, 13, 15–16, 18–20, 73, 114, 135, 166, 183, 186, 196
Aper, Arrius, 265–66
Apollo, 24, 223, 294
as allegedly Augustus’s father, 272
Apollodorus, 187
Appian Way, 164, 246
Aqua Traiana, 165
Aquileia, 124
Arabia, 166, 193
Aramaic language, 238, 242
Arch of Constantine, 298–99
Arch of Severus and Caracalla, 249–50
Arch of Titus, 128
Arch of Trajan, 159
Arians, 303–4
Aristides, Aelius, 216
Armenia, 166, 221, 222, 273, 277
Asia Minor, 190, 198, 206, 214, 216, 223
atheism, 160
Athens, 179, 182–83, 186–87, 194, 199, 224, 227, 229–30, 240
Atia (Augustus’s mother), 8–9, 11, 12, 16–17, 44, 178
Attianus, Publius Acilius, 175, 178, 180, 184
augurs, 154–55
“Augusta” (imperial title), 155, 156
Augusta, title of, 257
Augustus, 7–45, 110, 125, 126, 127, 128, 134, 150, 151, 155, 163, 177, 178, 180, 184, 186, 187, 190, 194, 198, 203, 205–6, 210, 215, 217, 227, 232, 245, 249–50, 259
Agrippa Postumus adopted by, 55
Apollo as alleged father of, 10, 14, 272
assumption of power by, 13–18
celibacy punished by, 302
childhood of, 8–10
compared to Romulus, 288
death of, 43–44, 47–48, 61
Eastern conquest of, 313
education of, 11–12
Germanicus adopted by, 60
in Hispania, 11
Livia Drusilla’s marriage to, 50
Livia’s weaving of robe of, 277
as Master of the Horse, 12
name change of, 25–26
power delegated to successor by, 265
Praetorian Guard formed by, 296
religion used by, 34–35
Roman Peace of, 26–29
in showdown with Mark Antony, 15–16, 22–25
sphinx seal of, 14
succession planned by, 38–40
Tiberius adopted by, 47, 54–55
Tiberius compared to, 76
title of, 244, 249
Augustus Treverorum, 291, 307
Aulus Vitellius, 110, 114, 118–19, 122–25
Aurelian (Lucius Domitius Aurelianus), 289
walls built by, 268
Austria, 226
Avidius Cassius, 226–28, 229
Baghdad, 249
Balbilla, Julia, 197–98
Balkans, 179
Bar Kokhba, Simon, 200
basilicas, 164
Batavia (Netherlands), 193
Baths of Caenis, 136
Baths of Caracalla, 255
Baths of Diocletian, 274
Baths of Trajan, 164
Bay of Naples, 204
Berbers, 238
Berenice, see Julia Berenice
Berytus (Beirut), 170
Betar (town), 200
Bethlehem, 305
bishops, 302
Bithynia and Pontus province, 155, 159–61, 195
border troops, 309
Borysthenes, 195
Bosporus Strait, 307, 308
Britain, 163, 176, 177, 185, 191, 200, 216, 225, 243, 247, 248, 252–53
breakaway movement in, 270, 274
churches torn down in, 281
Hadrian’s Wall in, 187, 191–93, 225
Roman conquest of, 84, 109, 114–15, 139
Britannia, see Britain
Britannicus, 88, 115–16
death of, 90
Bulgaria, 188, 268
Burrus, Sextus Afranius, 87
Nero and, 88, 89, 92, 96
Byzantine Empire, 313
Byzantium, 307
Caenis, see Antonia Caenis
Caesar, title of, 244, 247
Caesarion, 22
Caesar, Julius, 9–10, 27, 29, 44, 50, 70, 163, 166, 183, 186, 191, 198, 210
assassination of, 12, 17, 60
and Sulla’s retirement, 281
Cairo, 195
Caledonia (Scotland), 252–53
Caligula (Gaius), 36, 72, 77, 106, 113, 206
assassination of, 83
enemies executed by, 83
exaggerated decadence of, 82
as Germanicus’s son, 82
popularity of, 75, 83
Sejanus’s plan to murder, 73
Seneca and, 87–88
Tiberius and, 74–75
Caliphate, 313
Campidoglio, Rome, 209
candidati, 297
Capitoline Hill, 150, 162
Capitoline Museum, 287
Capitolinus, 199
Cappadocia, 206
Capreae (Capri), Tiberius’s move to, 69–70
Caracalla (Julius Bassianus; later Marcus Aurelius Antoninus), 242, 247, 256
accomplishments of, 254–55
assassination of, 255
meaning and use of name, 253
personal character of, 254
political marriage of, 250–52
succession to the throne and reign of, 252–55, 259
urban development projects of, 255
Carinus, Marcus Aurelius, 265
co-rulers named by, 265
Diocletian’s war against, 266–67
Carnuntum, 226, 283–84
Carpathian Mountain, 225
Carthage, 186, 238
Castel Sant’Angelo (Hadrian’s tomb), 187, 203, 233
Catullinus, Quintus Fabius, 190–91
Ceionius Commodus, Lucius, 201–2
celibacy, 302
Central Asia, 223
Cetrania Severina, 157
Chastity, 154, 155
China, 223
Christianity, Christians, 159–61, 195, 199, 211, 225, 230, 250
accused of starting Great Fire by Nero, 100
beginnings of, 77, 100
Constantine’s conversion to, 287, 288, 293, 294–96
in Crusades, 306
Nero’s persecution of, 101
persecution of, 278–81, 284, 290, 294, 295–96, 299, 303, 307, 312, 313
Rome’s turn to, 296–99, 301–4, 311–12
Chrysopolis, 300
Church of Old St. Peter’s, 298
Church of the Holy Apostles, 311
Church of the Holy Sepulcher, 305–6
Cicero, Marcus Tullius, 14–15, 125
Cilician Gates, 228
Circus Maximus, 93
Civil War, 50
Claudians, 50, 51, 71
Claudiopolis (Bolu, Turkey), 195, 196
Claudius, 77, 106, 114, 115–16, 132, 135, 163, 243
Agrippina’s marriage to, 85, 87
chosen as emperor by Praetorian Guard, 83–84
and conquest of Britain, 84
enlightened rule of, 84
made emperor, 297
Messalina’s marriage to, 84–85
Nero adopted by, 87
posthumous mockery of, 89–90
Senate sidelined by, 84
sudden death of, 88
Cleopatra, 7, 18–20, 22–25, 137, 196
Clodius Albinus, 243–45, 248
Colosseum, 129, 130, 229, 298
Commodus, 168, 227, 228, 230, 231, 233, 234–35, 246, 248, 252, 258, 259
deification of, 247
murder of, 237, 242–43
Companions (Marcus’s closest advisors), 228
concrete, Roman use of, 101–2
Conqueror’s Mosque, 311
conspiracies, 114, 116, 131
Constantia, Flavia Julia, 299, 300, 304
Constantine, 188, 261, 283–314
Augustus Treverorum rebuilt by, 291
Battle of Milvian Bridge won by, 293
birth of, 289
bishops elevated by, 302
burial of, 310
bust of, 287–88
in civil wars, 299–300, 307
conversion of, 287, 288, 293, 294–96
Crispus put on trial by, 304–5
death of, 310
dynasty founded by, 285
education of, 289
ego of, 288
empire split by, 264
empire split with Licinius by, 299
German invaders fought by, 291, 292
legacy of, 311–14
Licinius defeated by, 296
Licinius killed by, 304
made Caesar, 283
Maximian’s suicide ordered by, 284
in move to Britain, 290–91
pagan temples’ wealth confiscated by, 301
palace bureaucracy beefed up by, 309
Praetorian Guard dissolved by, 296–97
refusal to sacrifice to Jupiter, 301
Rome christianized by, 297–99
Rome conquered by, 293, 296
Rome’s institutions remade by, 308–9
as ruler of Christian Church, 303
as saint, 312
Constantinople, 289, 306–8
fall of, 311
strength of, 314
Constantius, Caesar, 271, 281
appointed Caesar, 289
British rebellion crushed by, 274
churches torn down by, 281
death of, 283, 290–91
divorce of, 289
made Augustus, 291
made emperor, 282
Unconquered Sun as favorite deity of, 294
Constantius, Flavius Valerius, 270
Constantius II, 310
Corbulo, Gnaeus Domitius, 146
ordered to commit suicide by Nero, 99
Corinth, 118
Cornificia (Marcus’s daughter), 231
country estates, 170
Cremona, 124
Crispina, 280
Crispus, 290, 300
trial and execution of, 304–5
crucifixion, 302
Crusades, 306
Czech Republic, 225
Dacia, 182, 185, 206, 216, 225
Rome’s abandoning of, 268
Dacian Wars, 161–63, 164, 165, 166, 167, 172
Dacica (Trajan), 163
Daia, Maximinus:
Christians persecuted by, 299
made Caesar, 282, 290
Maxentius’s power struggle with, 292
suicide of, 299
Danube frontier, 148, 150, 152–53, 164
Danube River, 185, 191, 192, 221, 222, 224, 225, 229, 230, 233, 270, 308
Danube River region, 240, 243–46
David (statue), 136
deaconesses, 161
Decebalus, King of Dacia, 161–62
Decius, Gaius Messius Quintus, 268
deification, 146, 157
Diaspora, 140
Didius Julianus, 243–44
Dio, Cassius, 171, 205, 239–240, 244
dioceses, 275
Dio Chrysostom, 156–57
Diocletian, 261, 263–85
abdication of, 263–64, 281, 290
arm
y organized by, 309
birth of, 264–65
building campaigns of, 274–75
burial of, 310
early poverty of, 263
and economic crisis, 275–76
empire split by, 264, 306, 313
forts of, 273
made emperor, 266
Maximian’s request to come out of retirement, 283
Maximian promoted by, 269–70
new titles created by, 271
political relations cemented by, 271
religious persecution by, 278–81
Rome decentered by, 285
sculptures of, 264
self-presentation of, 276–77
as soldier, 263, 265
southern Turkey reoccupied by, 274
stability restored by, 267
in war against Carinus, 266–67
work schedule of, 270
Diocletian’s Palace, 282
divine right, 126
divorce, 146, 302
Dnieper River, 195
dome, as symbol of power and glory, 102
domesticity, 154
Domitia Longina (Domitian’s wife), 146, 148, 150, 154
Domitia Lucilla (Marcus’s mother), 211, 215
Domitian, 145–48, 149, 151, 158, 162, 167, 191, 210, 213, 214, 217, 259
Domitian (younger son), 113, 120, 124, 128, 135, 141
Domitia Paulina (Hadrian’s mother), 177–78
drought, in 240s, 268
Drusus (Tiberius’s brother), 50–51, 52, 73
Drusus the Younger (Tiberius’s son), 52, 53, 60, 62, 74
death of, 53, 68
earthquake (December 13, 115 A.D.), 143–44, 166
Eboracum, 253, 308
Edict of Milan, 299
Edict on Maximum Prices, 276
Egypt, 23, 24, 110, 121, 122–23, 163, 189, 190, 196–98, 206, 223, 227, 229, 249
Germanicus in unauthorized visit to, 61–62
rebellion in, 273, 290
Western Desert in, 196
Elagabalus (Varius Avitus Bassianus), 241, 256–57
Emesa, Syria (today Homs), 241, 256
emperors:
quick succession of, 268
role of, 49
engineering projects, 255
England, Hadrian’s Wall in, 187, 191–93, 225
Epictetus, 179, 214
Epicurean philosophy, 179, 194
epidemics, third–century, 268
equestrians (knights), 169
Esquiline Hill, 165
Eternal City, Rome designated as, 250
eunuchs, 277
Euphrates River, 308
Europe, 168, 179
Eusebius, 303
Euxine Sea, 179, 180
executions, 149, 151, 160–61
political, 245–46, 250–51, 254, 255, 257, 258
Fannia, 131–32
farmers, 169
Fausta, Flavia Maxima, 292, 293, 300, 305, 310
Faustina, Anna Galeria (Faustina the Elder), 215, 219
Faustina, Anna Galeria (Faustina the Younger), 219–21, 224, 226, 228–29
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