视听文本

There is little doubt that Augustus himself found the idea of being worshipped as a god as repellent and absurd,

毫无疑问奥古斯都发现了被当做神来崇拜的荒谬，

but if it would help Augustus maintain the Principate and maintain the Pax Romano,

但是这可以帮助奥古斯都保持元首地位，罗马和平，

peace over the Roman world,

罗马帝国的和平，

Augustus considered his duty to play along.

奥古斯都决定顺从这种崇拜。

In segment 11d the twelve Caesars

11章D 奥古斯都的继任者

we meet Augustus' successors some were good, some were better than good and some were genuinely awful.

罗马12帝王中有些是不错，有些要好一点，有些真的很糟糕。

Although the system of the Principate solved the Roman Empire's greatest problems

尽管元首统治的体制解决了罗马帝国的最大问题，

it did not provide for a smooth transition of power to a worthy successor.

但是它没能保证政权平稳过渡到值得信任的继任者手中。

There is also the problem of how to remove an incompetent Princeps.

如何撤掉不称职的元首也是个问题。

The solution usually involved the Princeps' bodyguard that is the Praetorian Guard.

这里就涉及到元首的守卫，也就是禁卫军。

The Praetorian guards provided a quick solution by murdering the Princeps

禁卫军提供了一个迅速的解决方案，就是杀死元首，

but in so doing they set a bad precedent,

但是这样做就开启了非常糟糕的先例，

which would be repeated over and over again.

以后这样的事就会不断发生。

The year of four emperors 68 to 69 AD was the only real breach in the Pax Romana

四帝之年 公元68至69年是罗马帝国和平时期唯一的例外，

but it was more Nero's fault than the fault of the system of the Principate.

但是这是尼禄的错误，而不是元首制的错误。

At least it was quickly resolved and at least it resulted in the succession of a very capable emperor,

至少罗马人迅速的解决了这件事，还好继承皇位的是一位有能力的皇帝，

Vespasian, who ruled form 69 to 79 AD and who was able to restore the Roman world to its pre-Nero situation.

维斯帕先，他在公元69至79年统治罗马，能够使罗马世界从之前尼禄的局面中恢复过来。

Segment 11b Augustus and the Principate

11章B 奥古斯都和元首统治

Young Gaius Octavius beat long odds to become Rome's second founder, Augustus Caesar, Octavian,

盖乌斯·屋大维出人意料的成为了罗马的第二任创始人，奥古斯都·凯撒，

as we will call him for the time being was a adopted at age 18 in Julius Caesar's will.

我们暂时称他为屋大维 他18岁时被尤利乌斯·凯撒收养。

As Caesar's adopted son he now bore the name Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus.

作为凯撒的养子盖乌斯·尤利乌斯·凯撒·屋大维亚努斯。

Both Cicero and Mark Anthony looked at Octavian as just a kid with a famous name,

是他的新名字 西塞罗和马克·安索尼觉得屋大维只是一个有着响亮名字的孩子，

someone to be used abused and then tossed aside.

被当做娈童之后就会被抛弃。

They paid for their mistake with their lives.

但是后来他们为这个错误的认识付出了生命。

Unlike his adoptive father Octavian was not a military genius or even a soldier.

和养父不同的是屋大维不是军事天才，甚至不是军人。

He relied instead on his name but more than that on his political skill

相反他的名声更多的来源于他的政治技能

and his right hand man the general Markus Agrippa.

和他的得力助手马库斯·亚基帕将军。

Above all Octavian was guided by an extremely clear sense of Roman culture

总而言之 引导屋大维的是非常清晰的罗马文化感，

unlike his adoptive father Julius Caesar he knew the Romans would never stand for rule by a king

这和养父尤利乌斯·凯撒不同，他知道罗马人永远不会接受被国王统治

or by anyone suspected of wanting to be king.

或是任何有嫌疑要成为国王的人。

So instead he convinced the Roman world that he was merely a regular guy

因此相反他使罗马世界相信他只是一个普通人，

who just happened to be in temporary charge of the government and the military.

碰巧在现阶段掌管罗马政府与军队。

视频及简介

课程介绍:

本课程对罗马帝国和前苏联的兴衰进行回顾，探讨它们历史变迁的内在规律，并将现代的超级大国——美国与它们进行比较，从而作出对未来可能的一些预测。

原声视频：