This lecture will focus on the 3rd century CE historian Cassius Dio and his thoughts on how to organize a resilient form of monarchical rule. It is the dominant view among modern scholars that Dio promotes a form of monarchy where the ideal emperor governed in cooperation with Rome’s political elite. Professor Madsen argues that Dio favors a form of monarchy that was more autocratic than scholars have traditionally allowed for. He will also discuss why Dio spoke in favor of autocracy at a time when the Roman imperial monarchy experienced its worst crisis in more than a century.
Jesper Majbom Madsen is professor of Ancient History at the University of Southern Denmark. He chairs the international research project Responses to Imperialism in Roman Historical Writing. He is currently working on a book on political thinking in the writing of the 3rd century CE historian Cassius Dio.