評論
打印
Life in the countryside became worse, as invaders roamed the frontier regions as well and marauders joined them in their roamings.
農村地區的生活狀況更為糟糕。入侵者在邊境地區游蕩，搶劫者也加入他們的隊伍。
Oddly the luckiest peasants were those who were allowed to work on a Fudian style farm.
那些在農場里工作的農民反倒比較幸運。
Even though they were little better than human farm machinery at least their employers that is to say their masters could afford to protect them from the brigands.
盡管他們的勞作類似于機器似的，但至少他們的雇主，也就是他們的主人能夠保護他們免遭強盜襲擊。
This crisis of the third century AD was a bigger gut check for Rome than Hannibal had ever caused.
第三世紀危機比漢尼拔給羅馬帶來的危機還要嚴重。
Rome had never been in such dire straits some emperors waon quick popularity by persecuting the Christian church.
羅馬從來都沒有陷入過這樣的困境，一些皇帝因為迫害基督教堂而得到了民眾的歡迎。
Which was growing by leaps and bounds in these troubled times.
基督教堂在這個艱難時期有了突飛猛進的發展。
The Christians were blamed for wrecking the Pax Deiorum and the emperors made use of it.
人們怪罪基督徒破壞了羅馬的神明和平，皇帝們也就利用了民眾這一心理。
Otherwise capable emperors like Valerian 253 to 260 and Aurelian 270 to 275 got control of the state
而像公元253-260年間在位的瓦萊良和公元270到275年間的奧勒良執政期間，
only to lose their lives in stupid attempts to take out the Persians.
都因為試圖擊退波斯人而丟了性命。
Aurelian was murdered on their way out to fight them and he got off lightly compared to Valerian.
奧勒良在去往戰場的路上就遇害身亡。相比之下，瓦萊良就沒有這么輕巧了。
Valerian was taken alive by the Persian empire Shapur the first.
他先是被波斯皇帝沙普爾活捉。
Supposedly Valerian lived out his days as Shapur's personal footstep
在余下的日子里都屈辱地充當沙普爾的腳凳。
alghough this could well be an urban legend spread by the Christians whom Valerian very eagerly persecuted.
當然，這個說法也有可能是飽受瓦萊良迫害的基督徒所捏造出來的。
Regardless of its truth this footstool anecdote provides a very vivid image of how far Rome's prestige had fallen
但是不管其真實性，這種腳凳的軼聞足以證明羅馬的威望已經跌到了冰點。
no roman would ever have dared whisper a story like this about Augustus of Vespasian or Trajan or even Septimius Severus.
從前羅馬人是絕對不敢講關于奧古斯都或圖拉真甚至是賽維魯的這種傳聞的。
More in one moment.
我們稍事休息。
