This episode was originally recorded on July 21, 2024.
We are watching the transformation of the 21st century into something romantic that resembles our history here in the 1st century A.D.. We’re in Londinium, we’re peaceful men, we are far from Rome. We're eques class. We don't spend money on senatorial tricks.
However, what compels us is the events of the 21st century.
We're imagining the 21st century and where it's going, but right now, the best understanding is what we call The Year of Four Emperors.
It happened violently between Nero and the end of the Julio-Claudian reign. It was 68 A.D.. Nero had lost the confidence of the Senate. In fact, they wanted him gone. Nero was a troublesome person.
He saw himself as an actor. He won all the prizes when he went to the Olympics; he sang on the stage. He wanted to be an actor so much that he neglected his duties as emperor, and the legates, the generals who guarded the frontier, were unhappy with him.
In quick succession, a general named Galba marched on Rome, and Nero committed suicide, so Galba was named emperor. And then a general named Otho challenged Galba and marched on Ungava and killed him.
Otho also was then challenged by Vitellius. These are all generals, and eventually Otho committed suicide, and then Vitellius was defeated by an army unit that was representing another general, Vespasian. And when Vitellius was defeated, the mob tore him apart, leaving us with an emperor named Vespasian, a general who had not participated in the bloodbath, but who now was going to establish his time in office.
All of Rome experienced civil war while this was going on, including burning big pieces of it. I tell the story quickly because it occurs to Germanicus and I that we're now entering a period of five emperors.
There is former President Trump and his vice presidential choice, Senator Vance, for two emperors. There is President Biden and former senator, now Vice President Harris, for four emperors. And with Mr. Biden stepping aside now, Miss Harris, who is endorsed by Mr. Biden but not legally bound, will need to choose a vice president if she is to be the nominee.
Five emperors of equal weight in two parties. And what this tells us in 68 A.D. is that there will not be calm. There will be turmoil, there will be men and women coming forward saying, why not me?
How do you measure our time with four emperors compared to the American empire, which inherited Roman institutions? The American empire now begins The Years of Five Emperors—how are they doing compared to how we did?
Watch the full discussion above, or listen to an audio version below:
LINKS:
CBS Eye on the World with John Batchelor on YouTube
The John Batchelor Show on Apple Podcasts:
Share this post