Why constantine III? He destabalzied and undermined the empire when it was weak? Also, where is honorius on your worst list?
-
We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
Honorius gets a bad rap. Dude never had a chance. It was an awful period for the Western Roman Empire. How much an 8 year old could have done about it... well...
Honorius was the worst emperor in roman history, elegablus and the other people that get thrown on the worse list are saints by comparison. Honorius let the entire western empire collapse, he reigned for 30 years, so he was only in his minority for the minority of his reign. Most important, he single-handedly ruined the military situation and the city of rome by refusing the incredibly generous offer Alaric offered him, which would have been to have alarics army fight for nothing more than a generalship and supplies. That's one of the largest unforced errors in all of roman history. And he was 25 then, hardly an 8 year old. Or how he executed Stillicho, one of the best generals rome had, and caused the defection of a bunch of romes precious troops as a result.
And, right at the time that Alaric was raiding Italy, Honorius killed Stilicho and a bunch of people whom he thought were allies of Stilicho, which caused mass desertion from his army (to Alaric's army). That also didn't help
what was he supposed to do?
he was raised by obsequious functionaries who were entirely reliant upon him and his position. he was a simple man intentionally.
I dunno, when a huge army says they'll fight for you almost for free, say yes? Like, this is a no brainer.
That's a curious one, why tiberius? What do you think makes him good?
eh. there's always strings attached. even if we can't see them a millenium and a half on.
Alaric's army was going to starve, so they offered to fight for grain. That's *incredibly* cheap for a veteran army, and instead he said no and they sacked rome instead.
He was a very good and general and i think that he is kind of underrated.
Mainly his military campaigns. Also to be honest, he doesn't seem to be very popular so this was a bit of a "pity point"
Tiberius sounds like an interesting character, have to read up about him I believe.
Say, wasn't there an emperor who actually didn't want to become an emperor (because it was that time of history where being emperor was both for live and very short) and hid in the palace but was found, dragged out and made emperor at gladius-point?
Say, wasn't there an emperor who actually didn't want to become an emperor (because it was that time of history where being emperor was both for live and very short) and hid in the palace but was found, dragged out and made emperor at gladius-point?
Claudius probably did want to become emperor but he hid in the palace for fear of being killed in the bloodbath that followed the assasination of Caligula.
Claudius, if we are to believe the chronicles. I'm not entirely convinced, but that is the story.
There was also a Byzantine Emperor whose name I forget (Maurikios/Maurice perhaps?) who went and hid in a forest when he learned they intended to make him emperor. That guy really didn't want the job.
But they found him and gave it to him anyway lol.
Maybe you are thinking about Hypatius, who was installed as Byzantine Emperor during the Nika Riots? He really didn't want the job, but that didn't stop Justinian from executing him after the riots were crushed.
I'm sure it was later than the Nika Riots. I'd like to say it was around the 8th/9th/10th century. Been a while since I read my J. J. Norwich triology though and I've read a lot inbetween so I might be getting confused.
Edit - it was Theodosius III, early 8th century, emperor for a short time after Anastasius. Apparently tried to hide in the forest of Adramyttium (probably spelled that wrong).
Last edited:
Well, some elements do make it not all that bad :
1. He assured a continuity to the Principate after Augustus, when it could have devolved into yet another civil war between ambitious senators or family members. Tiberius, even if reluctantly, is the one who ensured that the succession would remain within the Julio-Claudian family.
2. Tiberius stopped unnecessary or costly wars of expansions, which contributed to leaving a Treasury with billions of sesterces in surplus.
3. He did succeed in reigning in Germanicus. If it was just for him, he would have bled the Legions dry in Germany for his personal glory. Now, if he did conspire to have him poisoned or not is another story...
4. Had he died before becoming Emperor - or even just a few years after his succession, Tiberius would have been celebrated as one superb Roman general.