#1160 Edward Watts - The Romans: A 2,000-Year History

Oct 9, 2025

Dr. Edward Watts, a leading expert in Byzantine Greek History at UC San Diego and author of several history books, shares insightful perspectives on the vast legacy of the Romans. He discusses how Romans identified themselves and unpacks the origins of the Roman state from its founding myths to its remarkable absorption of diverse peoples. Watts examines significant events like the Punic Wars and structural shifts from Republic to Empire, while also tackling themes of elite corruption and identity continuity through centuries, including the Byzantine perspective.

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INSIGHT

Nero: Bad Execution, Broad Vision

Nero pursued real political aims like cultivating Greek elites but executed them incompetently, producing chaos and eventual revolt.
His failures nonetheless seeded policies later refined by second-century emperors who solidified imperial strength.

INSIGHT

Trajan Expanded, Hadrian Integrated

Trajan expanded Rome to its greatest territorial extent while Hadrian consolidated and Romanized the empire's core.
Hadrian's patronage and travel integrated Greek elites and turned provincial talent into imperial leadership.

INSIGHT

Constantine Made Christianity A Roman Project

Constantine fused Roman citizenship with Christianity to create a shared religious-political identity across the empire.
His conversion accelerated Christianity's rise from minority faith to majority within a century by leveraging imperial structures.

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Dr. Edward Watts is presently the Vassiliadis Professor of Byzantine Greek History at the University of California, San Diego. His research interests center on the intellectual and religious history of the Roman Empire and the early Byzantine Empire. He is the author of several books on ancient history, including Mortal Republic: How Rome Fell Into Tyranny, and The Eternal Decline and Fall of Rome: The History of a Dangerous Idea. His latest book is The Romans: A 2,000-Year History.

In this episode, we focus on The Romans. We start by discussing who the Romans were, the origins of the Roman state, the Roman Revolution, the counterrevolution, how the Republic was established, and how Rome expanded. We also talk about the rivalry between Rome and Carthage, the Punic Wars, the formation of the Roman Empire, and the reigns of Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Trajan, and Hadrian. We discuss how Rome was made Christian, what brought about the end of the Roman West, the Byzantines and the empire in the East, the Holy Roman Empire, and medieval Rome. Finally, we talk about how and when the death of the Roman state occurred, and the factors behind the longevity of Rome.

A HUGE THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS/SUPPORTERS: PER HELGE LARSEN, JERRY MULLER, BERNARDO SEIXAS, ADAM KESSEL, MATTHEW WHITINGBIRD, ARNAUD WOLFF, TIM HOLLOSY, HENRIK AHLENIUS, ROBERT WINDHAGER, RUI INACIO, ZOOP, MARCO NEVES, COLIN HOLBROOK, PHIL KAVANAGH, SAMUEL ANDREEFF, FRANCIS FORDE, TIAGO NUNES, FERGAL CUSSEN, HAL HERZOG, NUNO MACHADO, JONATHAN LEIBRANT, JOÃO LINHARES, STANTON T, SAMUEL CORREA, ERIK HAINES, MARK SMITH, JOÃO EIRA, TOM HUMMEL, SARDUS FRANCE, DAVID SLOAN WILSON, YACILA DEZA-ARAUJO, ROMAIN ROCH, DIEGO LONDOÑO CORREA, YANICK PUNTER, CHARLOTTE BLEASE, NICOLE BARBARO, ADAM HUNT, PAWEL OSTASZEWSKI, NELLEKE BAK, GUY MADISON, GARY G HELLMANN, SAIMA AFZAL, ADRIAN JAEGGI, PAULO TOLENTINO, JOÃO BARBOSA, JULIAN PRICE, HEDIN BRØNNER, DOUGLAS FRY, FRANCA BORTOLOTTI, GABRIEL PONS CORTÈS, URSULA LITZCKE, SCOTT, ZACHARY FISH, TIM DUFFY, SUNNY SMITH, JON WISMAN, WILLIAM BUCKNER, LUKE GLOWACKI, GEORGIOS THEOPHANOUS, CHRIS WILLIAMSON, PETER WOLOSZYN, DAVID WILLIAMS, DIOGO COSTA, ALEX CHAU, CORALIE CHEVALLIER, BANGALORE ATHEISTS, LARRY D. LEE JR., OLD HERRINGBONE, MICHAEL BAILEY, DAN SPERBER, ROBERT GRESSIS, JEFF MCMAHAN, JAKE ZUEHL, BARNABAS RADICS, MARK CAMPBELL, TOMAS DAUBNER, LUKE NISSEN, KIMBERLY JOHNSON, JESSICA NOWICKI, LINDA BRANDIN, VALENTIN STEINMANN, ALEXANDER HUBBARD, BR, JONAS HERTNER, URSULA GOODENOUGH, DAVID PINSOF, SEAN NELSON, MIKE LAVIGNE, JOS KNECHT, LUCY, MANVIR SINGH, PETRA WEIMANN, CAROLA FEEST, MAURO JÚNIOR, 航豊川, TONY BARRETT, NIKOLAI VISHNEVSKY, STEVEN GANGESTAD, TED FARRIS, HUGO B., JAMES, JORDAN MANSFIELD, CHARLOTTE ALLEN, PETER STOYKO, DAVID TONNER, LEE BECK, PATRICK DALTON-HOLMES, NICK KRASNEY, AND RACHEL ZAK!

A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY PRODUCERS, YZAR WEHBE, JIM FRANK, ŁUKASZ STAFINIAK, TOM VANEGDOM, BERNARD HUGUENEY, CURTIS DIXON, BENEDIKT MUELLER, THOMAS TRUMBLE, KATHRINE AND PATRICK TOBIN, JONCARLO MONTENEGRO, NICK GOLDEN, CHRISTINE GLASS, IGOR NIKIFOROVSKI, PER KRAULIS, AND JOSHUA WOOD!

AND TO MY EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS, MATTHEW LAVENDER, SERGIU CODREANU, ROSEY, AND GREGORY HASTINGS!