视听文本

Diocletian's biggest reform was the Tetrarchy a very complicated scheme designed to provide the empire with four emperors
戴克里先最大的改革是四人统治制度，这是一个非常复杂的机制为帝国提供四位皇帝，
and a logical means of succession.
拥有符合逻辑的继位方式。
Although the Tetrarchy failed soon after Diocletian left office Diocletian's other reforms were enough to buy the empire two more centuries of survival in the West,
虽然戴克里先离任后，四帝共治制也随之失败，但是他的其余一些改革已经足以将罗马帝国在西方的存在再延续200年，
and another 1200 years of survival in the East.
在东方再延续1200年。
The cost of these reforms though was terrific, personal liberty had died for good.
但是这些改革的代价也是惨重的，民众永远的失去了个人自由。

Personal initiative was more dangerous than it was helpful.
个人行动非但没有益处反而是危险的。
Even though the borders had stabilized
尽管边疆稳定，
the roman people never seemed to regain the pluckiness and the optimism the faith in Rome's destiny that they had possessed before the crisis of the third century AD.
罗马民众却似乎再也无法拥有公元第三世纪危机之前人们对于罗马命运所持有的胆量，乐观，与信念。
Segment 13 b The roman imperial military
13b 罗马帝国军队
Augustus' invention of the principate determined once and for all the role of Rome's military.
奥古斯都所开创的元首制永远地定下了罗马军队的角色。
As always the roman army was responsible for maintaining the roman world's internal stability and external defense.
罗马军队的责任就是维护罗马世界的内部稳定和外部防御。
But since the principate was a military tyranny disguised as a republic,
但是由于元首制是共和国伪装下的军队暴政，
control of the army meant control of the government.
控制军队就意味着控制政府。
Augustus had to assess the empire's military needs carefully. And maintain just the right sized army.
奥古斯都需要谨慎地评估帝国的军事需求，保持规模合适的军队。
Not too large and expensive but strong enough and fast enough to do the job well.
不能规模太大太昂贵 但是也要有足够的实力和速度要能够胜任。
Most importantly though, the military had to be completely loyal.
更重要的是军队要完全忠诚。
After consolidating his power over Rome Augustus first cut the number of Roman troops
奥古斯都巩固了自己的权力之后，将罗马军队的规模
from roughly 280 000 to roughly 150 000 elite veterans.
从大约28万人减为了大概15万老兵。
These veterans swore an oath of allegiance not to Rome but to the Augustus personally.
这些老兵并不是对罗马宣誓而是对奥古斯都本人宣誓效忠。

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：