Fundraiser! 14 Dec 2014 - 21 Jan 2015!

This engaging podcast series by Lars Brownworth explores Byzantine history by focusing on 12 key emperors, from Diocletian and Constantine to Justinian, Basil II, Isaac Angelus, and Constantine XI. Each episode delves into their rises, reigns, triumphs, and tragedies, highlighting the empire's resilience, intrigues, and ultimate fall. Originally a podcast phenomenon praised for its storytelling, it brings to life the forgotten Eastern Roman Empire.

This book examines the social structure of France before the French Revolution, focusing on the Ancien Régime. It explores the causes of the Revolution and discusses how, despite the Revolution's ideals, France eventually returned to a centralized government. Tocqueville intended this as the first part of a trilogy on the Revolution but did not complete the subsequent volumes.

Livy's 'The War with Hannibal' covers Rome's protracted struggle against Carthage in the Second Punic War, detailing Hannibal's invasion, major battles, and Rome's strategic responses. Livy combines narrative drama with moral and political reflections, emphasizing Roman resilience and leadership during crisis. The work provides rich depictions of key figures like Hannibal, Scipio Africanus, and other commanders while exploring themes of military strategy and civic virtue. Though parts of Livy's original text are lost, surviving sections continue to inform modern understanding of this pivotal conflict in ancient Mediterranean history. His narrative remains valuable for both its storytelling and its influence on perceptions of Roman-Carthaginian rivalry.

Michael Grant's 'History of Rome' narrates the evolution of Rome from a small Iron Age settlement on the banks of the Tiber to the centre of an empire that dominated the Western world. The book describes the individuals and events that made Rome a political and cultural conqueror and defines the dramatic circumstances of its eventual decline and fall. Grant emphasizes the conservative and authoritarian nature of Roman culture, the impact of civil wars, and the interconnected reasons for the empire's collapse. The book covers major wars, events, Roman society, philosophy, religions, literature, and the various emperors, consuls, and generals who played significant roles in Rome's history.

Suetonius's "The Twelve Caesars" offers a gossipy and detailed account of the first twelve Roman emperors, known for its scandalous anecdotes and insights into their personalities.