078- Imperial Stop Gap

After Trajan ascended to the throne in 98 AD he fought two wars against the Dacians, finally annexing the country in 106 AD. 

Trajan greatly improved the infrastructure of the Empire and finished his reign by conquering much of the Middle East. 

Though Hadrian's career had long been guided by Trajan, when the Emperor died in 117 he still had not named Hadrian heir. 

After the fall of Napoleon, the Bourbon monarchy was restored.  

With revolution spreading, the young Franz Joseph I succeeded to the throne of the Habsburg Dynasty in 1848. The new emperor set to work crushing an insurrection in Hungary, negotiating with the King of Prussia, and ensuring his rule would be absolute. Learn more about your ad ch ... Show More

Despreciado por su propia familia a causa de sus defectos físicos, Claudio se vio marginado del poder por Tiberio y sufrió luego las crueles burlas de Calígula. Pero tras el asesinato de éste los pretorianos, para sorpresa de todos, lo auparon al trono imperial. Con el tiempo, se ... Show More

By the late 14th century, England was in decline. Already weakened by the Hundred Years’ War, both Edward III and his son, the Black Prince, had died, leaving the country in a perilous state. Richard II, the new king, was only a child. With the poor facing increasingly harsh poll ... Show More

In 37 CE, Caligula became the third emperor of Rome, ushering in a brief era of prosperity before pilfering the treasury and embarking on a quest to conquer Britannia. Before too long, his sadistic — and sometimes darkly comedic — rulings inspired a fatal conspiracy. Learn more a ... Show More

Synopsis: Ongoing strife in Anatolia and Egypt allows Antiochus VII to campaign east against the Parthians.  His early successes inspire hopes of a resurgent Seleucid Empire, hopes shattered by his unexpected death. “In Asia, Attalos III as soon as he came to the throne began t ... Show More

After a coup puts Napoleon in power, he gets to work shoring up his authority and crafting his legacy. He overhauls the country’s legal system, and spends years fighting wars across Europe. With decisive victories, he positions France as a world superpower — and himself as empero ... Show More

In the latest in our series charting the contested reputations of key historical figures, Laura O’Brien and David Andress discuss the life and afterlife of Napoleon Bonaparte, and explore why his story – including his rise to power and his role as the driving force in the bloodsh ... Show More

Who's that girl? It's Anne! Anne Boleyn is one of the most infamous figures in British history. Her short life is often defined by her marriage to King Henry VIII, her role in the English Reformation, and ultimately, her execution. However, in this episode (part of our Tudor Week ... Show More