Roman Empire Quotes

“The various modes of worship which prevailed in the Roman world were all considered by the people as equally true; by the philosopher as equally false; and by the magistrate as equally useful.”
― Edward Gibbon, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

“Great empires are not maintained by timidity.”
― Tacitus

“Exhaling in resignation, Vanessa drew her sword, offered a silent prayer for Starke’s safety, and uttered, “Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.” ”
― Stephen A. Reger, Storm Surge: Book Two of the Stormsong Trilogy

“The archduke will see you now,” Bishop Riphaen said to von Pappenheim, interrupting his wishful thinking.  “And he is most eager to see what you have brought him.”
― Stephen A. Reger, Storm Surge: Book Two of the Stormsong Trilogy

“In his entire life, Father Abaddon Sohar had never seen anything like what was in that cell, and he knew instantly that at least one of those fantastic tales of the monstrous birth of some grotesque abomination was, in fact, very, very true.”
― Stephen A. Reger, Storm Surge: Book Two of the Stormsong Trilogy

“So much for the Emperor; the rest of this history must deal with the Monster.
—IV:22”
― Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars

“There is no indication that any church official suggested or supported the emperor's action against gay people. On the contrary, the only persons known by name to have been punished for homosexual acts were prominent bishops.”
― John Boswell, Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality: Gay People in Western Europe from the Beginning of the Christian Era to the Fourteenth Century

“Up till now it has been thought that the growth of the Christian myths during the Roman Empire was possible only because printing was not yet invented. Precisely the contrary. The daily press and the telegraph, which in a moment spreads inventions over the whole earth, fabricate more myths (and the bourgeois cattle believe and enlarge upon them) in one day than could have formerly been done in a century.”
― Karl Marx, Marx-Engels-Jahrbuch 2003. Die Deutsche Ideologie: Artikel, Druckvorlagen, Entwürfe, Reinschriftenfragmente und Notizen zu "I. Feuerbach" und "II. Sankt Bruno"

“Instead of inquiring why the Roman empire was destroyed, we should rather be surprised that it had subsisted so long”
― Edward Gibbon, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

“But its exclusive character and irreconcileable hostility to the religious cults and ceremonies with which the whole social life of the city-state and the empire were inseparably connected at every turn, brought the Christians into inevitable conflict with the government and with public opinion. To the man in the street, the Christian was an anti-social atheist who would take no part in the public feasts and the games, which played such a large part in city life. To the authorities he was a passive rebel, who would neither take his share of municipal offices nor pay loyal homage to the Emperor. Hence the rise of persecution, and the driving of the Christians into an underground existence, as a proscribed sect. The Church grew under the shadow of the executioner's rods and axes, and every Christian lived in the peril of physical torture and death. The thought of martyrdom coloured the whole outlook of early Christianity. But it was not only a fear, it was also an ideal and a hope. For the martyr was the complete Christian, he was the champion and hero of the new society and its conflict with the old, and even the Christians who failed in the moment of the trial - the lapsi - looked on the martyrs as their saviours and protectors”
― Christopher Henry Dawson, Religion and World History: A Selection from the Works of Christopher Dawson

“I am alone in my study. I have already put away Julian's papers. The thing is finished. The world Julian wanted to preserve and restore is gone... but I shall not write "forever", for who can know the future? Meanwhile, the barbarians are at the gate. Yet when they breach the wall, they will find nothing of value to seize, only empty relics. The spirit of what we were has fled. So be it.”
― Gore Vidal, Julian

“Both the European Union and the United States are in some sense the heirs of Rome. Like Rome, the United States is founded on a republican myth of liberation from a tyrannical oppressor. Just as the Rape of Lucretia led to the overthrow of the last Etruscan king, so the Boston Tea Party led to the overthrow of the British crown. The Founding Fathers of the United States sought quite literally to create a New Rome, with, for instance, a clear separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches of government—with the legislative branch called, as in Rome, the Senate. They even debated whether the executive branch would not be better represented, as in Rome, by two consuls rather than the president that they eventually settled for. The extended period of relative peace and prosperity since the end of the Second World War has been dubbed the Pax Americana [‘American Peace’], after the Pax Romana which perdured from the accession of Augustus in 27 BCE to the death of the last of the Five Good Emperors, Marcus Aurelius, in 180 CE. The United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union can be accounted for, in part, by the ghost of the nineteenth century Pax Britannica, when the British Empire was not merely a province of Rome but a Rome unto herself.”
― Neel Burton, The Meaning of Myth: With 12 Greek Myths Retold and Interpreted by a Psychiatrist

“Christ,” Philip said after a while. “Latin imperatives in bed. I had no idea. Well, now we know why the Roman empire declined and fell.”

“They were declining the wrong verbs.”
― K.J. Charles, Band Sinister

“The Empire is falling. The barbarians are at the gate. Even the mightiest civilizations can vanish. When its empire fell, Rome turned into a pathetic backwater, full of ruins, with sheep wandering through it, munching on the overgrown grass. All the glory was gone. Will the same fate befall Los Angeles and Manhattan? Will they be overrun by wild dogs, munching on the bones of dead Influencers and bankers? One can hope!”
― David Sinclair, Locusts, Hollywood, and the Valley of Ashes: Individualism Versus Collectivism

“Bears?” Epaphroditus wrinkled his nose. “Everyone knows Prometheus was tormented by vultures. Every day they tore out his entrails, and every night he was miraculously healed, so that the ordeal was endlessly repeated.”
Martial laughed. “The trainer who can induce vultures to attack on command will be able to name any price! I suspect we’ll see a lot of bears today.”
― Steven Saylor, Empire

“There were a great many other such tableaux. As Martial had predicted, bears featured prominently in most of them. A temple thief was made to reenact the role of the robber Laureolus, made famous by the ancient plays of Ennius and Naevius; he was nailed to a cross and then subjected to the attack of the bears. A freedman who had killed his former master was made to put on a Greek chlamys and go walking though a stage forest populated by cavorting satyrs and nymphs, like Orpheus lost in the woods; when one of the satyrs played a shrill tune on his pipes, the trees dispersed and the man was subject to an attack by bears. An arsonist was made to strap on wings in imitation of Daedalus, ascend a high platform, and then leap off; the wings actually carried him aloft for a short distance, a remarkable sight, until he plunged into an enclosure full of bears and was torn to pieces.”
― Steven Saylor, Empire

“The gospels are radical pacifist material. When the emperor Constantine adopted Christianity he shifted it. He shifted Christianity from a radical pacifist religion to the religion of the Roman empire. So the cross, which was symbol of the suffering of the poor was put on the shield of roman soldiers. Since that time the church has been pretty much the church of the rich and the powerful.”
― Noam Chomsky, What We Say Goes: Conversations on U.S. Power in a Changing World

“Where All Roads Lead by Stewart Stafford

As I journeyed toward Rome,
On the dusty road, I passed,
Beggars, lepers, soothsayers,
And dogs foaming at the mouth.

Through the fresh mountain pass,
Then the long descending road,
Temperature rising with each step,
Anticipation grew with the heat.

Class of companion changed,
Upon nearing the city of cities,
I heard talk of gladiators, and,
Barges of Venuses on the Tiber.

Thunder and before my eyes,
Stood a vision of distant Rome,
The curve of the Colosseum,
Teeming humanity to and fro.

© Stewart Stafford, 2022. All rights reserved.”
― Stewart Stafford

“For no matter what they made of him, Caesar Augustus always knew that he was nothing but mere mortal.”
― Emmanuel Onimisi, The Faces of Christmas

“With the Roman Empire effectively gone (...) Gaul disintegrated into a mass of small barbarian states under so-called kings, dukes, and counts. As we know however, nature abhors a vacuum, sooner or later one state becomes stronger than the rest and ultimately achieves domination. This time, it was the Salian Franks.”
― John Julius Norwich, France: A History: from Gaul to de Gaulle

“Looking back on Rome's success, it is all too easy to conclude that its victories were preordained. It is almost as if Rome arose with consummate certainty from the seven hills, gaining such a height that seemingly it could not be challenged. But in almost every phase of Rome's history there were crises”
― Geoffrey Blainey, A Short History of the World

“When the Germans invaded the Roman Empire they did not intend to destroy it. They were coming for plunder, to get the best lands and to settle down and enjoy the good things of life. They were happy to acknowledge the emperor’s rule. But the trouble was that in the 400s so many Germans came, and took so much land, there was nothing left for the emperor to control. In effect the Roman Empire came to an end because there was nothing left to rule.”
― John Hirst, The Shortest History of Europe

“A Herulian fighting in a Greek army that calls itself Roman. Destined to marry an Arab princess and fight in a Persian war,” Xerxes mused. “It seems too ridiculous for even the most outlandish of campfire tales.”
― William Havelock, The Gates of Carthage: A Novel of Belisarius

“A restatement of the primary evidence may therefore be helpful in understanding what the experience of having the Roman Empire on the doorstep may have meant for the early Caledonians. Firstly, no matter how it is framed, this was no mere interlude in Scottish history. The Roman Iron Age in Scotland spanned over 300 years of many recorded episodes of interaction, mostly violent, with one of the world's most powerful and expansionist empires. A third of a millenium that saw the presence of one of the highest concentrations of Roman military personnel - it has been estimated that at the height of occupation, at least one in eight Roman soldiers was serving in North Britain. The building of two great walls, the larger of which was maintained for a 300-year period and both with offensive and defensive characteristics of a magnitude not shared by any other Roman fronteir of its size. Unlike other zones of interaction, there is little evidence of regular trade and no manifestation of any meaningful civic development.”
― John H. Reid, The Eagle and the Bear: A New History of Roman Scotland

“In the realm of history, few things capture the imagination as much as ancient artifacts. Among these treasures of the past, rare Roman coins stand out as exquisite objects that not only hold immense historical significance but also carry a unique appeal for collectors and enthusiasts alike. In this article, we embark on a journey to explore the fascinating world of rare Roman coins, their historical context, and the joy of discovering these precious relics of antiquity.”
― Stefan Chardakiliev

“Villicus Vadum: Soldier Of Fortune by Stewart Stafford

I am the ghost of lupine Romulus,
Founder of Rome, hear my tale,
Of Villicus Vadum - young, driven,
Steward to Senator Lucius Flavius.

Villicus wanted Flavia, the senator’s daughter,
But she was betrothed to Marcus Brutus;
A consul of noble and virtuous stock,
Villicus conspired to take Flavia's hand.

Treachery and deception were his tools,
Knavish peacock of Rome's epic stage,
Sought to take Flavia from Marcus Brutus,
To snatch and cage his treasured gem.

Bribed a false soothsayer to trap her,
Believing her beloved began with V,
Flavia agreed to elope with him to Gaul,
With Brutus vowing deadly vengeance.

Fleeing to the bosom of Rome's enemy -
Vercingetorix, at war with Julius Caesar,
Villicus offered to spy on the Senate,
While plotting to seize Gaul's throne.

Queen Verica also caught his eye,
Villicus was captured by Mark Antony,
Taken to Caesar's camp as a traitor;
Brutus challenged him to a duel.

Brutus slashed him but spared his life,
They dragged Villicus to Rome in chains,
To try him for his now infamous crimes;
Cicero in defence, Cato as prosecutor.

Cicero argued Villicus acted out of love,
And that his ambition merited mercy,
Cato wanted death for his wicked threat,
Julius Caesar pondered a final verdict.

Villicus - pardoned but banished from Rome,
Immediate death if he returned to Flavia,
Villicus kissed the emperor's foot for naught,
Flavia refused to join him in fallen exile.

Now learn from this outcast's example, friends,
That I, Romulus, warn you to avoid at your peril,
Villicus Vadum, the wrath of the gods upon him,
Until time ceases, sole spectre of night's edge.

© Stewart Stafford, 2023. All rights reserved.”
― Stewart Stafford

“The Diverted Imperium by Stewart Stafford

Welcome to my lush vineyard,
As we crush poison grapes,
Forcing that last vinegar sip,
Of this “first citizen’s” foul wine.

In spite of meeting in night's shade,
It is not the taint of shame's veil,
But a new dawning concealed,
Our hand to reveal in due course.

Fellow senators, my brethren!
Men of honour, and, you, Brutus;
The noblest of all at our gathering,
But your eyes are on yonder hill.

Our dreamer’s conference tonight:
Seeks sacrifice, not bloodlust;
A fly caught in Necessity’s web,
And, is no more, for that is Nature.

Stakes of the bear pit arranged,
A swift consumption of power,
Nipping retaliation in the bud,
Smoothing our ascendancy.

A patriot in a traitor's pall?
Liberty's stars in alignment
Or noose of the ill-omened?
History’s verdict in absentia.

The hand beneath the cloak
Shakes the dagger mightily,
Mercy’s coup de grâce stills,
Bloody tip to inked treaties.

Once the bloodshed has passed,
Martial backing shall follow,
And our regime commences,
The Imperium by right diverted.

© Stewart Stafford, 2023. All rights reserved.”
― Stewart Stafford

“Blood & Sand by Stewart Stafford

Enduring to be burned, bound, beaten,
And to die by the sword if necessary;
Verus and Priscus entered the arena,
To stain Colosseum sand with blood.

Emperor Titus drained Nero's lake,
Built the vast Flavian Amphitheatre,
Panacea to the idle citizens of Rome,
Symbol of his beneficence and might.

Priscus, far from his Germanian home,
Fighting within a symbol of Rome's power,
Which ravaged his life and fatherland,
For them to decide if he is free or dies.

Verus, the hulking, bullish Murmillo;
Trained to deliver heavy punishment,
Priscus - lightly-armed, agile Thracian;
Primed to avoid his rival's huge blows.

Titus showed he was Nero's antithesis;
No hoarding of tracts of primo Roma,
In a profligate orgy of narcissistic pride,
Nor taking his own life to escape execution.

Domitian, the brother of Titus, watched in envy,
The emperor-in-waiting who favoured Verus,
And the direct Murmillo style of fighting,
Titus favoured Thracian counter-punching.

Aware of the patriarchal fraternity's preferences,
The gathering looked on in fascinated awe,
As their champions of champions clashed,
Deciding who was the greatest gladiator of all.

Titus had stated there would be no draw;
One would win, and one would perish,
A rudis freedom staff the survivor's trophy,
Out the Porta Sanavivaria - the Gate of Life.

One well aware of the other, combat began,
Scared eyes locked behind helmeted grilles,
Grunts and sweat behind shield and steel,
Roars and gasps of the clustered chorus.

For hour after hour, they attacked and feinted,
Using all their power, skill and technique,
Nothing could keep them from a stalemate;
The warriors watered and slightly rested.

The search for the coup de grâce went on,
Until both men fell, in dusty exhaustion,
Each raised a finger, in joint submission,
Equals on death's stage yielded in unison.

Titus faced a dilemma; mercy or consistency?
Please the crowd, but make them aware,
Of his Damoclean life-and-death sword,
Over every Roman and slave in the empire.

Titus cleaved the Rudis into a dual solution;
Unable to beat the other, both won and lived,
Limping, scarred heroes of baying masses,
None had ever seen a myth form before them.

It was Romulus fighting Remus in extremis,
Herculean labours of a sticky, lethal afternoon,
In the end, nothing could separate these brothers;
Victors united as Castor and Pollux in Gemini.

For life and limb on Rome's vast stage,
Symbiotic compensation of adulation's rage.

Stewart Stafford, 2023. All rights reserved”
― Stewart Stafford

“Після Великого повстання проти Римської імперії, яке спалахнуло в Юдеї 66 року н. е., римляни знищили Єрусалим і Єрусалимський храм. Кілька основних течій юдаїзму зникло, зокрема садукеї (священники й аристократи) та зелоти, які боролися за незалежність євреїв; фарисеї ж — порівняно поміркована фракція, яка віддавала вивченню релігійних текстів перевагу над церемоніальними богослужіннями в храмі, — стали панівною групою в юдейському світі. Вчені фарисеї закликали до масової доступності освіти, а згодом застосовували культурні санкції проти родин, які не віддавали синів до школи, мимохідь спонукаючи бідніших відмовлятися від юдаїзму.”
― Oded Galor, The Journey of Humanity: The Origins of Wealth and Inequality

“Athens, or Greece in general, was a virile world; like the Roman Empire. But I can't understand the idea that it is the greatest benchmark for democracy in the Western world.”
― Mwanandeke Kindembo