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Segment 13 a Introduction
13a 內容介紹
When Marcus Aurelius' biological son, Commodus, became emperor in 180 AD the era of five good emperors went right down the toilet.
馬可·奧勒留的親生兒子康茂德在公元180年繼位，意味著五賢帝時期的終結。
Whether Marcus had any one better to co-opt as his heirs, is anyone's guess.
沒有人知道馬可有沒有更好的人選來擇為繼承人。
Despite the great achievements of the Anthonine emperors the Roman bureaucracy was getting bigger.
盡管安敦寧皇帝們取得了極大的成就，羅馬的官僚作風卻也在漸長。
And the Romans themselves frankly were getting a bit complacent.
羅馬人自己說實話，也開始自鳴得意。
Most worrisome was the increasing barbarian action on Rome's northern and eastern frontiers.
最令人擔憂的是，羅馬北部和東部邊疆野蠻人的進攻日益增多。
The skills with which the Anthonines had balanced Rome's military and social needs became all the more evident when an absolute lunatic became emperor.
有這么一個絕對是瘋子的人成為皇帝之前安敦寧皇帝們權衡軍事和社會需求的技巧本領就顯得更出眾了。
The Severin dynasty 193 to 235 AD held the line for a short time by focusing on military needs.
公元193到235年之間的塞維魯王朝堅定不移地注重于軍事需求。
But once the Severin dynasty fell the days of the Pax Romano were over.
但是一旦塞維魯王朝衰亡，羅馬和平時期也就此終結。
The crisis of the third century 235 to 284 AD which followed the end of the Pax Romano was probably inevitable.
之后公元235到284年間的危機，可能也是無法避免的了。
The borders were crumbling while the government itself collapsed.
隨著政府自身的坍塌，邊境線也在崩塌。
As many as thirty men were named Imperator during this time.
這一時期皇帝像走馬燈似的換了多達三十位。
And the empire came very close to imploding.
羅馬帝國瀕臨內爆。
The only cure for what ailed the empire involved dumping the principate for a totalitarian dictatorship better known as the Dominate.
唯一能夠拯救羅馬帝國的方法就是拋棄元首統治，采取極權主義獨裁，也就是主宰統治。
In segment 13 b the Roman imperial military
13b 羅馬帝國軍隊
we take a look at how Augustus' leaner meaner army worked.
我們要看一看奧古斯都精簡過的軍隊是怎樣運作的。
Commanded by tested and experienced generals it served its purpose well when a strong intelligent princeps lead the Roman state.
當時的軍隊由合格有經驗的將軍帶領，完全發揮了自身作用，那時領導羅馬政府的也是一位明君。
Most of Rome's soldiers by this time were not roman or even Italian,
當時羅馬大多數的士兵都不是羅馬人或者意大利人，
but this diversity was again a source of strength,
但這種多元化結構再次成為了力量之源，
non citizens who served in the army not only assisted the empire with their service,
這些非羅馬公民參軍幫助了羅馬帝國，
but the empire assisted them by making them citizens once they were retired.
羅馬帝國也幫助了他們，他們一旦退伍就會得到羅馬公民身份。
