Roman Empire: Topic Suggestions

Thank you everybody for your comments! I tried to take in as many topics as I could. I think you're all going to be really pleased with Friday's video :)

Overly Sarcastic Productions

I know this is kinda old hat, but standard Roman tactics and strategies, as well as good ol' army structure is something I certainly also would like to see. That said, I haven't seen a suggestion here thus far that I don't like :)

Philip Kruse

I personally want a descent look at the economics, politics, and daily life of Rome. I see a lot about religion, trade, art and architecture. I would love to see something new, especially from you!

Orcus

Erik Eldritch

Exactly how integrated were the areas the Romans conquered? Like did Gallic people consider themselves roman before the west fell? Did Iberian peoples? What was the general process of integration into the republic and then empire?

OrdoXenosAgent

Political power-brokering in Roman times. I know there's not much on the role of women doing such (cause too behind the scenes), but there's lots of shenanigans in individual stories, I'm sure. And I'm sure Rome had an Alcibiades-esque character in there, but maybe with less FLAMING PANSEXUALITY and more POSSIBLE MIND CONTROL POWERS.

Ok so this is an Eddie Izzard reference to a degree, but seriously who did the romans worship before they adopted the greek gods? Jeff the god of bread? Bob the god of pizza? I mean I know they had their own homegrown gods like the one with the giant penis used to mark brothels but was there more than that?

Drewscifer

Given my unhealthy obsession with architecture, I'd like to see things like the Flavian Amphitheater and Trajan's Bridge covered. The madness that was 69 AD, I imagine talking about the destruction of the Temple. Also side note Blue, I am expecting at least one Gladiator reference if that is your cut-off point. But I'd also like to suggest an idea if it isn't too much trouble: A video for each dynasty: Julio-Claudian, Flavian, Antonine, Severan, 3rd Century, Tetrarchs, etc. You could cover more without getting bogged down too much. PS, OBVIOUSLY I know it will have to wait for part 2, but I would like to see you cover Constantine, Julian, and Ambrose, as well as how cursed the Valentinians were

JT Barrett

Seconded, along with maybe addressing the Antonine Plague.

JT Barrett

Can you go over the pre republic history? I’m fascinated by the age of Roman Kings

Eagle

That happened after the death of Commodus.

Jeffrey Chu

That happened after the death of Commodus.

Jeffrey Chu

How about the Praetorian Guard, from acting as Sejanus' enforcers to elevating Claudius to the purple, nearly mutinying against Nerva and so much more. You said the death of Commodus was the cut off, but what about the assassination of Pertinax and elevation of Didius Juliuanus right after?

Jeffrey Chu

Daily life often gets swallowed up in the pursuits of history. How about a video about the Apicius, the Ancient Roman cookbook and Roman food in general?

Erik Eldritch

A video focusing on Roman technological developments could be interesting. I might be talking out of my ass here, but it seems like Rome had a tendency to absorb and adapt any tech they came across into their way of life. The biggest example I can think of out of hand is the Trireme ships looted from Carthage during the Punic Wars.

A very confused bat at a cricket game

I feel like it could be really cool to see some stuff about how the Greco-Roman religion evolved over time, from daily rituals and sacrifices to mystery cults and the process of syncretizing foreign gods into the Roman pantheon. It'd be especially cool to learn something about how additions like the Imperial Cult or the Lares changed the structure of the religion overall

Adam Howard

I think a culture one would be good. With Red's comment on Greek pedophilia I've been thinking about social norms and how you could probably fill a video about how different their lives/values/traditions were. <3 you guys.

Arni Vitto De Nardi

OH yeah wasn't there a roman emperor that fought against the persians, was captured, flayed and had his skin turned into a like foot rest or drum?

Drewscifer

A while back I read a translated book called the 12 Caesers, mainly because a history channel documentary on them kept using quotes from it. Even with the History Channel's downfall from an attempt to be an entertaining somewhat educational channel to Swamp Loggers and Ice Road Truckers, how reliable was that book and it's account? From watching your videos and Extra Credits history's stuff I've learned that taking even primary sources need to be taken with a fast food meal level of salt. Any chance of some funny anecdotes about what was found at like Pompeii? I seem to recall that some raunchy graphitii survived and I'll always chuckle over some Roman's bathroom humor that survived the ages.

Drewscifer

The religion idea sounds really good! I think it would be interesting to see a video about history of Roman-Persian relations (beyond the constant wars), or on the history of gladiators, or about the historiography of the Roman empire, or something about the development of literary genres in the Roman Empire (from Augustan poetry to Juvenalian satire). Another area that is really interesting are the legal and judicial reforms of Trajan and Antoninus Pius, especially with Trajan's introduction of what was essentially child welfare services. I am so sorry for going on all these! Rome just opens the door for so many areas of discussion!

I for one would be interested to hear your take on religion in the Roman Empire. Not just the main Roman pantheon, but all the weird and interesting cults like Mithras, Isis (goddess), Manicheism

Kent Peters

I'd love to hear about the women of Rome.

Army reform and good ol' economy and infrastructure?

Philip Kruse

i'd love to hear about the arts! all the sculptures and mosaics and frescos!

talvi alexandros

The splitting of the empire. How it happened and why it happened? Why did the western one fall while the eastern one thrived for one thousand years more?

Mikhail Ward

The two things that would be interesting is how Roman names worked and how Latin spread outside of Rome.

Trade/Economics and how that effected the empire politically and culturally would be cool I think :)

RayRay

Have you ever studied environmental history and its role in shaping the Roman Empire? I have a few articles on how climate, volcanic eruptions and mismanagement of water/land contributed to the rise and fall of Rome. Maybe something about the climate optimum? I’m studying world environmental history right now and I’m an ecology major so sorry if this isn’t interesting

Tripsupstairs

Well, I'm a theatre geek a little disappointed with the teeny tiny unit we got in theatre history, so architecture would be cool.

The Reign of Majorian, and the fall of Soissons. Seriously, I've never seen this covered in a video.

I'd like to see a video on the roman conquest of Greece. It seems to be glossed over at least as far as I've read and I'd like to know more about it. Maybe something regarding influence the praetorian guard had in the later stages of the empire.

Bellona

Literature sounds good. I mean, more than just the Aeneid, but still...