Rome Sacked/Falls to Barbarians- 410

Today I interviewed King Alaric.

Q: Why did the Barbarians move toward Rome?
A: We were trying to escape the Huns, who were a vicious group from East Asia.

Q: How did you sack Rome?

A: Well, in 378 when we tried to enter Adrianople, the Romans tried to push us away but they lost the battle and we won. This is when we noticed the Roman army was weaker than it had been. In 410, I sacked Rome from the Roman army.

Constantine the Great- 312

Today, I interviewed Emperor Constantine.

Q: When did you become emperor?
A: I became emperor in 312 after Diocletian under the Byzantine Empire.

Q: What was the Edict of Milan?
A: It granted freedom of worship to all citizens of the Roman Empire and created religious tolerance.

Q: What else did you do for the Byzantine Empire?

A: I started to favor Christianity more and more to try and get people to worship that religion. It eventually became the official religion of the Roman empire. I also moved the capital to Constantinople, which is known today as Istanbul in Turkey.

Julius Caesar/ Fall of the Roman Republic (100-44 BC)

Q: When did you and your army first set out?
A: In 58 BC.

Q: Why did Pompey ask you to disband your army?
A: He was jealous of how much my army was expanding, so he persuaded the Senate to stop me. But I didn't listen. So secretly, I led my army across the Rubicon River to Rome. I defeated Pompey and went on to control Rome.

Q: What did you do after that?
A: I forced the Senate to make me dictator so I had absolute control. I Kept most features of the Republic, but I was in control.

Q: What changes did you make?
A: I made several reforms to try and help our economy. I also created the Julian calendar (which we still use today).

Caesar's enemies feared he was getting too powerful, so on March 14, 44 BC, as he walked into the Senate, he was assassinated by its members, and the Roman Republic was over.

Alexander the Great 356-323 BC

Today, I interviewed Alexander the Great.

Q: How did you come to the throne?
A: My father, Phillip II conquered the Greek city-states in 359 BC. He had a bigger dream to conquer the entire Persian empire, but never got to live that dream because he was assassinated at my sister's wedding. So at the at the age of 20, I took the throne as an heir to my father.

Q: Did you ever take the Persian empire like your father's dream?
A: In 334 BC, my ships and I crossed the strait between Europe and Asia Minor. I won my first victory against the Persians at the Granicus river. That wasn't enough for me, though. I kept going and kept winning into Palestine and Egypt, then to Babylon in 331 BC. When my troops and I reached northern India in 326 BC, we faced troops on war elephants. Although we had never lost a battle, my soldiers were tired so we returned to Babylon.

Q: Do you feel like you changed any of the areas  you conquered?
A: I feel like I spread Greek culture to new countries. As the Greeks settled, they introduced the culture to these people in the new areas. I married a Persian woman, and encouraged the blending of eastern and western cultures as I realized that no one culture was best.

Alexander died suddenly of a fever at the age of 32. No on proved strong enough to take over for Alexander, so 3 generals split up the empire into Greece, Egypt, and Persia and eventually came the Hellenistic age.

Axis Age/Golden Age of Greece 500-300 BC

Today I interviewed Pericles (460-429 BC)
Pericles was a leader of Athens who was responsible for rebuilding Athens after the Persian War. He was also leader of Athens during the Peloponnesian War, but he died of the plague that spread through the city.

Q: Where did you rule?
A: I ruled the city-state of Athens.

Q: What were some of your accomplishments during this period?
A: I established a direct democracy in Athens. A direct democracy is when all citizens can help and be a part of the government. The difference between a direct democracy and today's democracy is in today's democracy, people indirectly participate through elected officials.

Q: What else happened during this time?
A: Greece made great advancements in architecture, art, science and math. A philosophy called humanism (reaching one's fullest potential) also came about during this time. Socrates created the Socratic Method, "a way to seek truths by your own lights." Basically, to ask questions to get answers. Another philosopher, Plato, created the ideas of a republic. Theatre was another important element in the Golden Age.\

Q: What was the Peloponnesian War?

A: The other city-state, Sparta, did not like our Athenian domination. So they formed the Peloponnesian League and we went to war for 27 years. We had a big disadvantage, because we could not attack Sparta with our navy because they were inland. But when Sparta came to attack us, I told the people living in the cuontryside they could come live in the city for protection.

There were so many people living in the city, a plague broke out that killed many Athenians, including Pericles. The Spartans won the Peloponnesian War, but it led to the decline of Greece.