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Rating: ![4 stars](http://www.reviewfocus.com/images/stars-4-0.gif) Summary: A good general history of the Antonines Review: 'The Antonines' is a necessary work on the second century A.D. by a respected Roman historian. Part One of this work by Michael Grant gives a brief presentation of the salient imperial powers of the time, Antonius Pius (138-161), Marcus Aurelius (161-180), Lucius Verus (161-169) and Commodus (180-192) in a concise manner. However, it is as it reads - a nicely presented synopsis of Roman imperial history from 138 to 192 A.D. Part One's opening chapter provides the reader with details of Antonius Pius' actions, a diagnostic on his character to explain those actions - leaning heavily on the potential explanations for the Pius appellation - Aurelius' conservatism, Veres ineffectiveness and Commodus dramatic impact on the empire to a degree not seen since Nero. Moving swiftly onto Marcus Aurelius, Grant summarizes his reign as coping "with appalling problems with a conscientiousness that raised him to the top class of rulers." Touching on Aurelius' time spent on the Rhine frontier, his famous Meditations, conflict with Avidius Cassius, his wife Faustina and his state of health, Grant portrays Marcus Aurelius as a ruler who engendered a great deal of respect, a respect that swiftly disappears with the biography of Commodus. After a brief note on the eternal critcism of Aurelius for having his son succeed him, (there is an insistence by the author on the idea of hereditary dynastic succession in Imperial Rome which doesn't bear much proof particularly as two pages later he states that "the senate, though conscious that the selection of the 'best man' had ceased to have any reality..." thus implying there was no concept) Grant sweeps into his biography of Commodus. Grant's commentary on Commodus highlights him as a ruler who provided a strong and favourable impression in the first few years of his reign, but later biographies depict him as a drunkard, debauched from the earliest years, and focus on his unseemly gladiatorial enthusiasm all of which leads to serious administrative disaster for the empire. Eventually, as Grant states: his 'wild self-indulgence and quasi-mystical autocratic religiosity' led to his murder. Part Two deals with two themes of the Antonine Age: literature and art. The first is split into three sections: Latin, Greek and Christian writings and is no more than a brief biography and synopis of the extant works of each. Moving from first rate (as the author terms it) authors such as Fronto, Lucian, Aurelius, Pausanias Justin to other authors including the Second Sophists, the Apologists, Gnostic writers Grant gives what is fundamentally a brief history, notable works and precis of the major writings of each in each section. The second focuses on the art and architecture of the Antonine period, from busts and statues to theatres, expanded by many pictures and Grant concludes with a chapter on the Antonine Age. The work comes through as a neat biographical history of the Antonine Emperors and the leading literay and artistic names of the period. As such this is an excellent starter book for anyone interested in the period and a useful reference book to students more familiar with the period.
Rating: ![5 stars](http://www.reviewfocus.com/images/stars-5-0.gif) Summary: Typical Michael Grant Greatness! Review: This is a book about Rome's "Golden Age." It covers the period from Antoninus Pius to Commodus (138-192 A.D.). Antoninus Pius & Marcus Aurelius (as well as Trajan & Hadrian, who came shortly before) are among the greatest of the Roman emperors. Sadly, Commodus (Aurelius' son) was one of the worst leaders of all time. As a matter of fact, Commodus was SO bad that many Romans accused his mother of infidelity as they could not believe how such an egregious fellow could have possibly sprung from the loins of one so noble as Aurelius. Grants' book gives a detailed look at this epoch, as well as a glimpse at the art & literature of the time. The book contains helpful illustrations & photographs of Roman architecture & coinages of the time. This book gives a detailed picture of one of the most pivotal moments in Roman history. Some would say that Roman history went downhill from the reign of Commodus onward. While I think that this is a slight exaggeration, there is nonetheless evidence that this was (until Commodus) the closest that Rome ever came to achieving their utopian "Camelot." A great work by an astute scholar.
Rating: ![5 stars](http://www.reviewfocus.com/images/stars-5-0.gif) Summary: Typical Michael Grant Greatness! Review: This is a book about Rome's "Golden Age." It covers the period from Antoninus Pius to Commodus (138-192 A.D.). Antoninus Pius & Marcus Aurelius (as well as Trajan & Hadrian, who came shortly before) are among the greatest of the Roman emperors. Sadly, Commodus (Aurelius' son) was one of the worst leaders of all time. As a matter of fact, Commodus was SO bad that many Romans accused his mother of infidelity as they could not believe how such an egregious fellow could have possibly sprung from the loins of one so noble as Aurelius. Grants' book gives a detailed look at this epoch, as well as a glimpse at the art & literature of the time. The book contains helpful illustrations & photographs of Roman architecture & coinages of the time. This book gives a detailed picture of one of the most pivotal moments in Roman history. Some would say that Roman history went downhill from the reign of Commodus onward. While I think that this is a slight exaggeration, there is nonetheless evidence that this was (until Commodus) the closest that Rome ever came to achieving their utopian "Camelot." A great work by an astute scholar.
Rating: ![4 stars](http://www.reviewfocus.com/images/stars-4-0.gif) Summary: A good general history of the Antonines Review: `The Antonines' is a necessary work on the second century A.D. by a respected Roman historian. Part One of this work by Michael Grant gives a brief presentation of the salient imperial powers of the time, Antonius Pius (138-161), Marcus Aurelius (161-180), Lucius Verus (161-169) and Commodus (180-192) in a concise manner. However, it is as it reads - a nicely presented synopsis of Roman imperial history from 138 to 192 A.D. Part One's opening chapter provides the reader with details of Antonius Pius' actions, a diagnostic on his character to explain those actions - leaning heavily on the potential explanations for the Pius appellation - Aurelius' conservatism, Veres ineffectiveness and Commodus dramatic impact on the empire to a degree not seen since Nero. Moving swiftly onto Marcus Aurelius, Grant summarizes his reign as coping "with appalling problems with a conscientiousness that raised him to the top class of rulers." Touching on Aurelius' time spent on the Rhine frontier, his famous Meditations, conflict with Avidius Cassius, his wife Faustina and his state of health, Grant portrays Marcus Aurelius as a ruler who engendered a great deal of respect, a respect that swiftly disappears with the biography of Commodus. After a brief note on the eternal critcism of Aurelius for having his son succeed him, (there is an insistence by the author on the idea of hereditary dynastic succession in Imperial Rome which doesn't bear much proof particularly as two pages later he states that "the senate, though conscious that the selection of the `best man' had ceased to have any reality..." thus implying there was no concept) Grant sweeps into his biography of Commodus. Grant's commentary on Commodus highlights him as a ruler who provided a strong and favourable impression in the first few years of his reign, but later biographies depict him as a drunkard, debauched from the earliest years, and focus on his unseemly gladiatorial enthusiasm all of which leads to serious administrative disaster for the empire. Eventually, as Grant states: his `wild self-indulgence and quasi-mystical autocratic religiosity' led to his murder. Part Two deals with two themes of the Antonine Age: literature and art. The first is split into three sections: Latin, Greek and Christian writings and is no more than a brief biography and synopis of the extant works of each. Moving from first rate (as the author terms it) authors such as Fronto, Lucian, Aurelius, Pausanias Justin to other authors including the Second Sophists, the Apologists, Gnostic writers Grant gives what is fundamentally a brief history, notable works and precis of the major writings of each in each section. The second focuses on the art and architecture of the Antonine period, from busts and statues to theatres, expanded by many pictures and Grant concludes with a chapter on the Antonine Age. The work comes through as a neat biographical history of the Antonine Emperors and the leading literay and artistic names of the period. As such this is an excellent starter book for anyone interested in the period and a useful reference book to students more familiar with the period.
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