LOST ROMAN HEROES

Who could have possibly imagined, that when Rome's fortunes hit their nadir, when the West had fallen away (to be ruled by the new Gallic Emperor Postumus) and the East crumbled under Shapur's relentless onslaught, it would not be a Roman Emperor, or a Roman General that saved Rome's eastern provinces from annihilation, but it would be a young guy born in the desert oasis town known as Palmyra that would rescue Rome.  Odaenathus rose from obscurity in an obscure place - Palmyra - last stop on the Silk Road, a watering hole in the Syrian desert.  And through sheer force of will and brilliant military and political tactics, he would become Rome's indispensable man in the heart of the storm known as the Crisis of the Third Century.

Poor Gallienus, son of poor Emperor Valerian, if you had existed in an earlier era, who knows what might have come of you?  As it was, you had the bad luck of being born in the heart of the disastrous 3rd century, when the machine that was Rome careened down the tracks, no one at the helm, brakes shot, with the wheels coming off.  With the Rhine and Danube frontiers overwhelmed by a relentless barbarian tide, the new Sassanid Empire in the East under vigorous Shapur I clawing back ancient Persian lands, and an endless line of internal usurpers aiming for the throne, one can't help but feel sympathy for Gallienus - but does he belong in the hall of heroes if the world nearly ended on his watch?

Septimius Severus, Rome's first African emperor.  Born in Leptis Magna, he ended the civil war that erupted following Commodus' death during the Year of the Five Emperors, restoring order to the Empire, cowing the Senate, strengthening the borders, and ushering in a new era of warrior-emperors just in time for the Crisis of the Third Century that would shortly bring Rome to her knees.  Rome wouldn't look this good again for A LONG TIME.  Pretty impressive resume, except for the whole dying-and-leaving-the-Empire-to-Caracalla bit.

Lucius Artorius Castus, centurion of the Roman legions, Primus Pilus under Rome's Philosopher-Emperor Marcus Aurelius himself in the Legio V Macedonica.  This man went wherever the Empire needed him - from the scorching deserts of Syria to the frigid Danube at Belgrade and Carnuntum he served with distinction.  But his true star turn came when he was sent with the Sarmatian knights to serve on the Wall in Britannia, where his valor, bravery and remarkable deeds planted the seeds (we believe) of the legend that we know as KING ARTHUR!

Marcus Aurelius, the gentle philosopher who lived through the inconceivable, heart-wrenching loss of ten children.  Heir to Antoninus Pius against his will, he became emperor of 1/3 of the known world just as the Pax Romana began to fracture.  True to his stoic core, Marcus set aside personal wants and rose to the occasion, transforming himself from the first philosopher-emperor into the first warrior-emperor who spend his final 10 years camped on the Danube, fighting the barbarian wave that would eventually overwhelm the West.

Hadrian the Builder!  Third of the Five Good Emperors, and as unknowable as the sphinx.  He took over control of the Roman Empire from Trajan at its greatest territorial extent, inheriting a crazy Frankenstein of a territory that no one since Augustus had really focused on managing well, his predecessors had wanted to milk it or expand it, but Hadrian wanted to optimize it.  A remarkable ambition, a mysterious man, and a legacy worthy of remembrance, and debate.  But does he qualify as a Roman hero?

Trajan.  Why do we feel so conflicted when we think about you?  Well, Trajan was one of the Five Good Emperors, rising to power at a moment when Rome was the bully in the schoolyard and he knew how to wield that power brilliantly, Octavian-like, in a manner that did not threaten the Senate.  Golden boy, Pompey-ish.  Forever more, new emperors would be blessed in his name upon their ascension.  The Roman Empire would reach its greatest territorial extent thanks to his efforts.  But is he a hero???  Can we say no???

Agricola was a child of Rome's provinces whose father was murdered by Caligula shortly after his birth.  Raised by a remarkable mom, he entered the Roman army and distinguished himself in every way possible, eventually winning the confidence of the Emperor Vespasian who sent him to Britannia to accomplish the impossible - subdue the island.  Agricola reminded us of Agrippa in so many ways, and we had the benefit of hearing about his exploits from his son in law, the famous Roman historian, Tacitus.  This is a story that you cannot miss!

Equal parts cerebral and brawny, here comes Pliny, the original disaster flick action hero!  Join one of the most fascinating guys you've never heard of outside dusty academic circles. Pliny did it all, fought in Germania, was best buds with multiple emperors, and rode directly into the heart of darkness on August 24th of 29CE to save innocent lives as Vesuvius erupted, killing all in its wake.

Germanicus, son of Drusus, the golden boy!  As remarkable as his father in so many ways, he made his name campaigning across the Rhine just like dad, and managed to recover lost Eagles, to give a proper burial to the Roman dead at Teutoburg, and to teach Arminimus a lesson.  Perhaps he did too much in fact, inspiring jealousy in his adopted father, the Emperor Tiberius, and a suspicion that would bring about his early, tragic demise.

We enter the world beyond the Republic with the first Roman to have earned the cognomen "Germanicus", through blood sweat and tears.  Grandson of Marc Antony, son of Livia, step-son to Octavian, you might think that he was tempted to live in the lap of luxury but instead, Drusus was cut from an older cloth.  Determined to win military glory, and to live an exemplary life, he did so in spades before that life was cut short, but not before he planted some extraordinary seeds.

Join us for the last of two special episodes recapping the Heroes of the Republic, from Scipio Amelianus, the killer of Carthage, to Octavian, the midwife to Empire.  We give a little summary of each, revisit their scoring, bring a little fun, and then we will officially say goodbye to the Roman Republic, what a journey!  Next stop, the Principate!!

Join us for the first of two special episodes recapping the Lost Roman Heroes of the Republic, a great way for new listeners to receive an introduction to the podcast, and for longtime listeners to have one last look at Rome's republican glory days before we jump into the Age of Emperors.  In this first special episode, catch up with every Lost Roman Hero between Aeneas and Scipio Africanus.

Octavian transforms himself into Augustus, and transforms the broken hulk of the Republic that was, into the Principate that would preserve Rome for fifteen centuries, and lays the framework for the world that we live in today.  Need we say more?

Tis the season of warlords - there is no Republic anymore, nor is there Empire, there is only a land of warlords, picking over the carcass of what the great had once created.  This is it, this is where the fate of Rome is decided, does it fragment forever into the grubby hands of Antony, Sextus, Brutus and Cassius, or can the two twenty-somethings, Octavian and Agrippa, somehow find a way to thread the needle, and survive?

Octavian, ready for prime time!  Marc Antony disparaged him, the Senate disregarded him, and the Conspirators ignored him, all at their peril!  Join us as the 19 year old Octavian arrives in Rome with his BFF Agrippa and in 24 short months completes his meteoric ascent.

Silly, skinny little pleb Octavian, what were you thinking?  Or more importantly, what was Caesar thinking, what did he see, when the two of you shared a carriage from Hispania to Gaul in the autumn of 45BC, that made him change his will to name you the 17-year-old Gaius Octavius his sole heir and adopted son?  Join us in Episode 27 on the first steps of Octavian's journey, from awkward teen to colossus that bestrode the world (with the invaluable aid of Agrippa, the best, best friend that any human could ever hope for).

The younger son of a no-name family from a no-name provincial town, this young man would do more than anyone else (even more than Julius Caesar himself) to establish Octavian at the pinnacle of the Roman power structure, doing everything that needed to be done with supreme competency, and humility.   He vanquished Marc Antony, singlehandedly rebuilt Roman infrastructure, left buildings of indelible beauty, and always had Octavian/Augustus' back, from the day they met in school as teenagers to the day he died.

Join @LostRomanHeroes for a special episode on the men who conspired to murder Julius Caesar, with a special focus on Cassius, Brutus, and Decimus.  Were these men patriots, heroes of the Republic who brought down a tyrant, or, is the story more complex?

ALIA IACTA EST!  He crossed a little stream just north of Ravenna, and drove a stake through the heart of the Republic.  Join JC for the ride of a lifetime, as he sweeps through Italy, chased Pompey to Greece and Egypt, has an affair, has a love child with Cleopatra, and returns to Rome just in time for the Ides of March.  Ah Caesar, you were so close to your dreams.  But in the end, are you a hero?  Or just another aspiring tyrant?

Consul!  Gaul! Triumvirate!  Julius Caesar starts picking up steam, the situation on Rome's streets deteriorates, and the Senate, led by Cato the Younger, starts to get very anxious about Caesar, who is starting to smell vaguely Marian...

One of the most complex fellows that we will cover, Gaius Julius Caesar, the first of three episodes devoted to the man, the mystery, the legend.  What is a figure that is universally know doing in a podcast on Lost Roman Heroes?  What can possibly be lost about Caesar?  And what is heroic about Caesar, the man who drove a stake through the heart of the Republic?  Join us here for Part 1, Caesar's early years.

Julius Caesar's legate in Gaul, Titus Labienus was the original Marc Antony, a friend to Caesar in his early days and a critical piece to Caesar's victories in Gaul.  But when Caesar crossed the Rubicon, Labienus sided with the Republic, fighting under Pompey to preserve the government, until one day at Munda he found himself face to face with his old friend Caesar in a fight for his life.

Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, triumvir, the golden boy, the high school QB and most popular kid in school, always in the right place at the right time with the right friends.  Was he more than that?  What is the substance behind the legend? Who was Caesar's friend and mortal enemy, and does he merit a place in the Hall of Heroes?

Perhaps one of the most well recognized names from Roman history but what do we really know of Spartacus the man?  Born in Thrace, he may have fought in the Roman army before being enslaved and trained as a gladiator.  He would bring Rome to her knees, but was that really his objective, or was he simply a tragic hero who simply wanted to go home?  Can an enemy of Rome make it into the Hall of Heroes?

Crassus, Rome's richest man and one of the richest humans in history.  He was the elder statesman of the Triumvirate, ally of Caesar and Pompey and Sulla, yet he went through life with a chip on his shoulder, endless searching for glory.  For all that he was, and all that he accomplished, does he deserve to be in the Hall of Heroes?

Quintus Sertorius, perhaps one of the most remarkable Lost Roman Heroes that are truly lost, someone we had never heard of before we started researching this episode.  A contemporary of Marius, Sulla and Cinna, distinguished in battle, respected by friend and foe, proud of his one-eye earned in battle, who through no fault of his own it would seem found himself an exile, pitted against the entire Roman military.  And through it all, he handled himself with dignity.

Sulla, you are not at all what we expected!  The Roman Civil War, the first civil war, kicks off in earnest in this episode, and Sulla navigates the minefield left by his old mentor and adversary, Marius.  Is Sulla the savior of the Republic as he thought himself, or did he leave breadcrumbs on the path to tyranny that Caesar would follow?

Part 1 of Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix, Marius' lieutenant and fallen patrician devoted to the old order and the primacy of the Senate.  Was he an opportunist as well?  Did he ultimately do more harm than good?  For whom does the bell toll?

Novus Homo!  Marius, you were one complicated dude and your story complex.  Innovative on the battlefield, savior of the Republic, lauded as the Third Founder of Rome yet you, perhaps more than the Gracchi, but the Republic on a fast path for extinction.  Hero or Villain, or victim of your own inferiority complex.  You made us work hard on this one...

Tiberius Gracchus!  Hero of the people trying to cure the rot at the heart of the Republic, or populist demagogue determined to destroy the old order and make himself king?

Adopted grandson of Scipio Africanus, and grandson of Consul Paulus (of Cannae fame) - setup well at birth.  Loved by the Senate, sent to Africa for the third installment of the Punic Wars.  Successful in war and peace, Carthage didn't stand a chance.  What is that music we hear building in the background, is that the Imperial March???

The grand clash of Titans between Scipio and Hannibal, Roman and Carthage, that would determine supremacy of the Mediterranean.  Scipio shows his quality on and off the battlefield, and perhaps the old generals find peace after war.

SCIPIO AFRICANUS!  History remembers his nemesis, Hannibal, as the GOAT.  Why do they not remember this humble young man who watched his father fall in battle, and after learning from his mortal enemies, while most of Rome cowered behind the walls, took the fight to Carthage?  In Part 1 of this special 2 part series on Scipio, he steps onto the stage and ejects Carthage from Spain, setting up the final showdown with Hannibal (coming in Part 2).

Cunctator, 'the Delayer', was a tricky character.  Hannibal's original Roman nemesis, with a big wart on his upper lip, he did the Republic a grand service, before turning cranky in the end and opposing Scipio.  This might be our biggest challenge yet.

A plebeian Consul, led the new Roman navy in the largest navy battle of history against Carthage in the First Punic War.  But more important to his story was what he did off the battlefield.  Perhaps the most remarkable story of self-sacrifice in history.  Regulus, we salute you!

The Raven.  Won wars without drawing a sword, loved by Patricians and Plebs, and lived to be 100 years old.  Why have we not heard of him before?  This man just might be what this podcast is all about.

He stared down Brennus the Gaul, scourge of Rome, won wars without spilling blood, drained lakes and did other cool stuff, but can he make it into the Hall of Heroes?

Cincinnatus, the Curly Haired, general, farmer, and exceptionally self-restrained guardian of the Republic who inspired George W. and WKRP in Cincinnati?

LJ Brutus!  He ended the Roman monarchy, and is known as the father of the Roman Republic.  Man or Myth?  Hero or court jester?  Could this be our first member of the Hall of Heroes???

Exploring the man, the myth, the legend, Romulus, great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandson of Aeneas, founder of the city of Rome.

In Episode 2 we look at Rome's mythical progenitor, Aeneas of Troy, without whom, Rome would never have existed?  Or at least, that was the story the Romans told themselves....

Welcome to the Lost Roman Heroes podcast!  Join us as we explore the lost heroes from Roman history that were critical to the evolution, and survival of Rome, from its mythical founding (in the smoldering ruins of Troy) to its last breath with the death of Constantine XI on May 29th, 1453 when Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks.  We will cover some familiar names, and many more lesser known heroes that stood up when the odds were grim and the future bleak so that Rome would survive.  Join us on our adventure, and help us, share names of history makers so that together we can unpack, and unearth, the unforgotten past that contributed mightily to the world we know today..