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Hardcore History #34-39
Death Throes of the Republic
I - The wars which elevate Rome to superpower status also sow the seed for the downfall of its political system. Money, slaves, ambition, political stalemate and class warfare prove to be a toxic, bloody mix.
II - Disaster threatens the Republic, but the cure might be worse than the disease. “The Dan Carlin version” of this story continues with ambition-addict Marius dominating the story and Plutarch dominating the sources.
III - Rome’s political violence expands in intensity from riots and assassinations to outright war as the hyper-ambitious generals Marius and Sulla tear the Republic and its constitution apart vying for power and glory.
IV - Sulla returns to Rome to show the Republic what REAL political violence looks like. Civil war and deadly partisan payback will pave the way for reforms pushed at sword point. Lots of heads will roll…literally.
V - The last great generation of the Roman Republic emerges from the historical mists. The dynamic between Caesar, Cato, Cicero, Crassus and Pompey forms the axis around which the rest of this tale revolves.
VI - In a massive finish to the “Dan Carlin version” of the fall of the Roman Republic, conspiracies, civil wars, beatniks of antiquity and a guy named Caesar figure prominently. Virtually everyone dies.
II - Disaster threatens the Republic, but the cure might be worse than the disease. “The Dan Carlin version” of this story continues with ambition-addict Marius dominating the story and Plutarch dominating the sources.
III - Rome’s political violence expands in intensity from riots and assassinations to outright war as the hyper-ambitious generals Marius and Sulla tear the Republic and its constitution apart vying for power and glory.
IV - Sulla returns to Rome to show the Republic what REAL political violence looks like. Civil war and deadly partisan payback will pave the way for reforms pushed at sword point. Lots of heads will roll…literally.
V - The last great generation of the Roman Republic emerges from the historical mists. The dynamic between Caesar, Cato, Cicero, Crassus and Pompey forms the axis around which the rest of this tale revolves.
VI - In a massive finish to the “Dan Carlin version” of the fall of the Roman Republic, conspiracies, civil wars, beatniks of antiquity and a guy named Caesar figure prominently. Virtually everyone dies.
Audiobook
First published June 27, 2010
About the author
Dan Carlin
84 books1,364 followersDan Carlin is an American political commentator, amateur historian, and podcaster. Once a professional radio host, Carlin eventually took his show to the Internet, and he now hosts two popular independent podcasts: Common Sense and Hardcore History. Carlin broke into the television news business in Los Angeles in the late 1980s. He has worked as a television news reporter, an author, a columnist, and for the last dozen years, a radio talk show host. No longer broadcasting on terrestrial radio, Carlin has achieved recognition in internet radio, podcasting, and the blogosphere. Currently, he hosts two popular podcasts, both of which are frequently among the highest-ranked podcasts on review sites such as Podcastalley and iTunes.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 20, 2020
Consuming Carlin's history works makes one feel deep respect and reverence for the civilizations and people that existed before us.
Just re-listened to this audiobook, and to its prequel, Punic Nightmares. I must say that these are indeed amazing!
For anyone interested in history, please read Dan Carlin's material on Greco-Roman history!
A fun tip for future readers: Make a document with all the factions, places, concepts, and characters, with a short description for each of them (including birth and death years for the characters). Then make a timeline on which the most important events and characters were linked. Doing this was both fun, an excellent learning experience, and a great way of keeping track of all the similarly named people (of which there are many)!
Just re-listened to this audiobook, and to its prequel, Punic Nightmares. I must say that these are indeed amazing!
For anyone interested in history, please read Dan Carlin's material on Greco-Roman history!
A fun tip for future readers: Make a document with all the factions, places, concepts, and characters, with a short description for each of them (including birth and death years for the characters). Then make a timeline on which the most important events and characters were linked. Doing this was both fun, an excellent learning experience, and a great way of keeping track of all the similarly named people (of which there are many)!
November 5, 2022
The “adulescens carnifex” lost to “the boy with loose clothes”..
I blame Cato
I blame Cato
December 3, 2020
In deze vijfdelige podcast (met de laatste episode meer dan 5u luisterplezier) probeert Dan Carlin de doodsstrijd van de Romeinse Republiek opnieuw tot leven te brengen. Opnieuw slaagt hij er in mij van begin tot einde te fascineren met zijn meeslepend verhaal, zijn originele invalshoeken en vergelijkingen en zijn soms anachronistische terminologie. Dan Carlin heeft zijn verhaal duidelijk gebaseerd op een aantal bestsellers die deze periode ook bestrijken, zoals 'Rubicon' van Tom Holland. Maar dit is toch een gans andere ervaring door de vertelskills van Carlin. Leuk om zo mijn ritjes van en naar mijn werk te entertainen.
December 16, 2020
I had a vague understanding of the Roman history especially of the Republic and what better way than hear Dan Carlin.
March 2, 2022
I could listen to Dan Carlin read off soup can labels for 10 hours and enjoy it. This was my first Hardcore History "backlog" listen of his earlier work and while I really did enjoy it I think I suffered greatly from spanning my listen over like 5 months or something.
I essentially dipped back each time having only a vague memory of which Grockus brother was getting stabbed again or whatnot. I think I prefer his series that cover a shorter amount of history so there's less characters coming on stage and exiting all of a sudden constantly. I really wasn't grabbed until the final episode where the first triumvirate, Caesar, and the Republic's death date were covered. Like did you know Caesar and Cleopatra hooked up and had a kid? Wild.
Despite not really being hooked I still enjoyed it as much as most other collections of his, but for sure my least favorite so far.
Still wondering why I had a preconceived notion that Caesar was obese? Like does anyone else remember him being depicted that way in cartoons?
I essentially dipped back each time having only a vague memory of which Grockus brother was getting stabbed again or whatnot. I think I prefer his series that cover a shorter amount of history so there's less characters coming on stage and exiting all of a sudden constantly. I really wasn't grabbed until the final episode where the first triumvirate, Caesar, and the Republic's death date were covered. Like did you know Caesar and Cleopatra hooked up and had a kid? Wild.
Despite not really being hooked I still enjoyed it as much as most other collections of his, but for sure my least favorite so far.
Still wondering why I had a preconceived notion that Caesar was obese? Like does anyone else remember him being depicted that way in cartoons?
April 24, 2024
A really engaging and accessible retelling of Roman history, from the era of the Gracchi brothers to the assassination of Julius Caesar. Dan Carlin successfully ties together the stories of many disparate figures into a single, compelling narrative covering hundreds of years. He does an excellent job covering the broad strokes of this history, but it's made even stronger if one supplements it with research into the details of particular battles and important events (I really like Historia Civilis's videos on YouTube.) I would've preferred it if Carlin went more into the era of the Second Triumvirate and the founding of the Roman empire, but ultimately this is a wonderful account on its own. Highly recommend to anyone who's curious about this absolutely fascinating, chaotic period of history.
August 24, 2021
Consumed this in about two days on a cross country road trip. I knew essentially zero about Roman history, so it was extremely illuminating and Carlin kept this behemoth of an undertaking super engaging. The cast of "characters" was intriguing, the descriptions of Roman life, politics and warfare immersed me in what life might have been like in the Roman republic. The struggles facing the Roman republic are similar challenges faced over and over through out history and the lessons learned (or more accurately not learned) still ring true today. A work I would be more than happy to listen to again despite it's length.
June 14, 2024
The transition from the Roman Republic to the Roman Empire is a very consequential period of history, one that I only knew bits and pieces of. This series was an incredible overview, from the rise of the Gracchi brothers through to the assassination of Julius Caesar. “Et tu, Brute?” Now I feel like I want to throw a house party and invite Tiberius, Gaius, Marius, Sulla, Crassus, Cicero, Cato, Pompey, and Caesar. Of course, Dan Carlin would be the guest of honor! He really brought these men to life and made this period of history accessible.
September 15, 2021
Really interesting story that looks at how Rome incrementally slow stepped itself into a dictatorship.
The book has good points on how systemic flaws can only be buried for so long and how precedent can be used to break a republic from within.
So much of politics relies on a sense of cultural understanding and honour, but once that fails, the state fails.
There is little value in the letter of the law once the people stop valuing the spirit of the law.
The book has good points on how systemic flaws can only be buried for so long and how precedent can be used to break a republic from within.
So much of politics relies on a sense of cultural understanding and honour, but once that fails, the state fails.
There is little value in the letter of the law once the people stop valuing the spirit of the law.
April 14, 2022
I think this amazing series by Dan doesn’t need any introduction! It’s perhaps the most elaborate story of the Roman empire’s rise and fall. Weaved in the trademark magical and mystical ambience that only Dan can do, the entire story is testament to the research that has gone into producing this.
Loved every bit of it.
Loved every bit of it.
October 14, 2022
I have read a lot about Rome, including the Republic period so i know a bit - but Carlin managed to show me a whole new layer to many of the events, and with his usual mastery conveyed a sense of drama even in well known parts of history. Entire series is great, but I were forced to pick one, that would the middle two: "DC version" of the Sulla vs Marius conflict is absolutely superb.
February 16, 2018
I never thought, someone could make Roman history interesting. Dan Does that.
February 24, 2018
Gave me an understanding of the Roman Republic which I did not study prior.
April 15, 2019
Can't recommend this series enough!
October 29, 2019
This is a history that takes you back and puts you there. Hardcore History covers the Roman Republic as it spirals downward toward dictatorship. A classic.
February 8, 2020
My favorite podcaster. Definitely recommend all of Dan’s stuff!
February 22, 2020
Mandatory
April 4, 2020
Wow. Just Wow.
December 28, 2020
The definitive introduction to the decline and fall of the Roman Empire.
August 28, 2021
Thus it began.
November 3, 2023
Carlin’s strengths are his voice and his ability to craft an interesting narrative, his weaknesses are facts and value judgements, so he’s better at ancient history.
April 1, 2024
Insanely good content once again. Will definitely relisten in the future
December 18, 2021
Uncanny parallels to now.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews