Crisis of the Third Century Part 1: Age of Iron and Rust
At the time that Marcus Aurelius became emperor in 161, the Roman Empire had enjoyed nearly two centuries of relative peace and prosperity. Over the 19 years of his reign, he would be forced to contend with a cascading sequence of wars, plague, natural disasters and civil conflict that gravely undermined the stability of the empire.
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Cover Image: Detail of the ‘Ludovisi Battle Sarcophagus.’ Dated to 250-260 CE, currently on display in the Museo Nazionale Romano.
Opening Theme: Symphony No. 9 in E minor, "From the New World", Op. 95, B. 178 by Antonín Dvořák.
Closing Theme: Movement II of “Pines of Rome.” Composed by Otto Respighi. Recording of 1959 performance by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Fritz Reiner.
