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The History Chads feat. Patrick Wyman (Patreon)

Published:
2020-06-17 23:02:00
Imported:
2026-06

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Content

We've brought historian Patrick Wyman (@patrick_wyman) back on to discuss more of the Roman Empire collapse similarities with our current moment. We hope you enjoy this, as it's a chance for some deep cut Rome references that we cannot ever pass up.

Comments

MI

The American south is an institution and it was an epiphany at this time to watch footage of US confederate statues being pulled down, and they’d just fold over like mass-produced aluminum foil easter bunny wrappers, because they were.

Kylancomeault

Pat should address which Roman generals were A+ athletes imo.

David Gyllenhaal

As a Late Roman historian, I am contractually obligated to provide the text of the following letter of Symmachus, written on the eve of the calamitous (for the Western Empire) fifth century. He was the patriarch of one of the grand old families that had been growing continually richer since the early imperial period, and wrote this letter when 29 Saxon slaves—who he had purchased for gladiatorial games to celebrate his son's attainment to the rank of quaestor—strangled each other rather than die in the arena: SYMMACHUS FLAVIANO FRATRI. ferunt Socraten, si quando excidit cupitis aut destinatis, id sibi utile, quod evenerat, aestimasse; nam meriti sui securus interpres ea coniectabat esse meliora, quae casus dabat, quam quae animus adpetebat. sequor sapientis exemplum et in bonam partem traho, quod Saxonum numerus morte contractus intra summam decretam populi voluptatibus stetit, ne nostrae editioni, si quid redundasset, accederet. nam quando prohibuisset privata custodia desperatae gentis impias manus, cum viginti et novem Saxonum fractas sine lacqueo fauces primus ludi gladiatorii dies viderit? nihil igitur moror familiam Spartaco nequiorem velimque, si ita facile factu est, hanc munificentiam principis Libycarum largitione mutari. "Symmachus sends greeting to his brother Flavianus. They say that, if Socrates ever missed out on something which he desired or strove for, he considered what had occurred to be beneficial to him; for as he had no concern for his own worth he interpreted those things – which fortune had given him – to be better than the things which his mind was aiming at. I am following the wise man’s example and taking in good part the fact that death has taken away a number of Saxons from the total number I had decreed for the enjoyment of the people – lest, if it were overabundant, it might work to the disadvantage of my show. For when could private guards have held back the impious hands of a desperate group of men, when the first day of the gladiatorial games saw twenty-nine Saxons strangled without a noose? Therefore I am not wasting any of my time on that troop, who are more worthless than Spartacus; and (if it could easily be done) I would gladly replace this spectacle for the emperor with a show of Libyan beasts." Don't worry though he bounced back—the example of Socrates carried him through. On later games he dropped a cool 2000 pounds of gold, equivalent to a year's annona for 130,000 people. Truly, the Toby Young of the ancient world. (My Latin is rusty so I cribbed the translation from aleator classicus: https://aleatorclassicus.wordpress.com/2011/08/19/symmachus-letters-2-46-1-2/)

usr2047

“Fairies doing donuts on the river” confused me quite a bit before I realised it was Riley’s accent

Jane Pickering

Good Lord that was good! I remember being very impressed by the street news shouter in Rome, too. I liked his hand movements especially. Thank you💜x

Aaron Linnell

the whole boogaloo bois backstory sounds like an infinite jest plot point, which, i am required to disclaim that i haven't read.

Jesper Ohlsson

This historical stuff is super-fun, as it is when you do current stuff that's outside the UK. I know your're a UK podcast, and I guess it's important to keep tabs on that, but ever since Brexit it really feels like whatever is going on in the UK is a big "who could possibly care? You were small to begin with, and now you've made sure to make your mess even les relatable to outsiders". I'm specifically talking about nitty-gritty daily grind of UK politics, not broad topics that use UK as a lens, or specific example (those are still very interesting).

Jesper Ohlsson

(for example, in one episode you talked about the UK:s relationship to the US law enforcement as equipment supplier, that's both bad in and of itself, but also helps perpetuate the idea of being morally superior to the US by playing a more passive - but vital - role in the whole chain. That stuff is super-interesting.

Jesper Ohlsson

Ultimately though, it's your podcast, and you do as you please. Just highlighting a little feedback while I'm here. I think the strenght of this podcast - to me - is that it's chapo-like, but with an actual understanding of Europe, which has its own problems. And because there are so many countries (and more well-documented history) there's a lot of different angles to play with that a new country like the US just can't. It's useful for that, if nothing else.

Simon Pettersson

Gosh, it's quite something to hear others voice thoughts you've had for years. I absolutely loved the episode :).