CHRONICLE OF EMPIRES

The empires are gone. The record still turns its pages.

The whole record

Every record, A–Z

All 104 records, alphabetical by title. Every one links to the full long-read and its citation rail.

Or browse by time · by topic

A

  1. Abbasids, Zanj, and the Salt-Marsh Tax Loop (869) How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  2. Alexander's Bodyguard, 322 BC: The Rescue That Killed Him Heirs of the Spear: Alexander the Great's Successor Wars Cited
  3. Assyria Moved 4.5 Million People: The Labor Machine That Needed Force How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  4. Attila Demanded 2,100 Pounds of Gold: Rome's Tribute Loop, AD 447 How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  5. ATTO Is Still Cut Into a Roman Workbench: Vindolanda, AD 105-120 The Bronze Frontier: Roman Army & Frontier Life Cited Listen
  6. Augustus Taxed the Dead at Five Percent: Rome's Military Treasury Mint & Legion: The Roman Economy, Money & Empire Cited Listen
  7. Augustus' 170 Million Sesterces: Rome Put Veterans on the Books Mint & Legion: The Roman Economy, Money & Empire Cited Listen

B

  1. The Bloomberg Tablet Addressed To London The Bronze Frontier: Roman Army & Frontier Life Cited Listen
  2. Byzantine Themata: The Pay, Land, and Tax Loop How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen

C

  1. Caesar Built 25 Roman Miles of Wall Around Himself: Alesia's Siege Invoice Mint & Legion: The Roman Economy, Money & Empire Cited Listen
  2. The Caliph Bought Soldiers Who Owned the Throne (Samarra, 861) How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  3. Caracalla's 50 Percent Raise: The Army Bill Behind Citizenship Mint & Legion: The Roman Economy, Money & Empire Cited Listen
  4. Carthage 439: The Tax Base Rome Couldn't Buy Back How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  5. Charles Martel Loses at Tours, 732 - The Raid That Reaches the Loire The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  6. Claudius' 15,000 Sesterces: The First Payable Accession Mint & Legion: The Roman Economy, Money & Empire Cited Listen
  7. The Coin That Came From Urine: Vespasian's 40-Billion Sesterce Problem Mint & Legion: The Roman Economy, Money & Empire Cited Listen
  8. The Coin Worth 2 Denarii That Held the Silver of 1.5: Rome's Antoninianus Scam Mint & Legion: The Roman Economy, Money & Empire Cited Listen
  9. Crassus Bought Burning Houses With 500-Plus Builders: Rome's Fire-Sale Fortune Mint & Legion: The Roman Economy, Money & Empire Cited Listen
  10. Cyinda, 301 BC: The Treasury That Moved Alexander's Wars Heirs of the Spear: Alexander the Great's Successor Wars Cited

D

  1. Domitian's 98% Silver Denarii Dropped Out Early: Gresham's Law in Rome Mint & Legion: The Roman Economy, Money & Empire Cited Listen

F

  1. Fatimid Cairo's Nile-Grain-Price Loop How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  2. Forty-Four Wooden Clogs at Vindolanda: Rome's Bathhouse Shoes The Bronze Frontier: Roman Army & Frontier Life Cited Listen
  3. France Printed Church Land and Broke Its Money, 1790 How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  4. France's 112 Million Livre Deficit Loop How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen

G

  1. Gaykhatu's Paper Money Panic, 1294 How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen

K

  1. Kucuk Kaynarca's 4.5 Million Ruble Esham Loop How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen

L

  1. Lagash Was 97.8 Percent Barley: Sumer's Salt Loop, 2100 BC How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  2. A Lead-Tin Sheet For a Stolen Cloak: Bath's Docilianus Curse The Bronze Frontier: Roman Army & Frontier Life Cited Listen
  3. A Legion Ate 18,000 Grain Measures a Month: Rome's Mess Tin Ledger Mint & Legion: The Roman Economy, Money & Empire Cited Listen
  4. Londinio Mogontio: London's First Address on Wood The Bronze Frontier: Roman Army & Frontier Life Cited Listen

M

  1. The Maya Reservoir Loop: When 80 Percent Became a Warning How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  2. Ming Saved 685,720 Taels. Li Zicheng Collected. (1630) How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  3. Ming's 97 Percent Silver Tax Loop How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen

N

  1. Nadir Shah's Three-Year Tax Remission Loop How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  2. Nero Turned 84 Denarii Into 96: Rome's Quiet Pay Cut Mint & Legion: The Roman Economy, Money & Empire Cited Listen

O

  1. Ogedei Lives (1242): The Year Hungary Loses Its Shield The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  2. The Ottoman Coin That Priced The Palace How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen

P

  1. The Plague Didn't Kill Rome. It Killed the Farmers. (AD 165) How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  2. Pydna's 120 Million Sesterces: Rome Ended the Citizen War Tax Mint & Legion: The Roman Economy, Money & Empire Cited Listen

R

  1. A Roman Grain Bucket Was 3 Pints Too Big: The Carvoran Modius The Bronze Frontier: Roman Army & Frontier Life Cited Listen
  2. A Roman Lamp Had 3 Wick Holes: Imported Light for Hadrian's Wall The Bronze Frontier: Roman Army & Frontier Life Cited Listen
  3. A Roman Pan Named the Wall: Staffordshire's Hadrian Fort List The Bronze Frontier: Roman Army & Frontier Life Cited Listen
  4. A Roman Shoe Was 32.6 cm Long: Magna Fort's Giant Footprint The Bronze Frontier: Roman Army & Frontier Life Cited Listen
  5. A Roman Soldier's Masada Pay Slip: 50 Denarii In, 50 Out The Bronze Frontier: Roman Army & Frontier Life Cited Listen
  6. Rome Bought 200,000 Citizens' Loyalty With Grain: The Annona Ledger Mint & Legion: The Roman Economy, Money & Empire Cited Listen
  7. Rome Charged 2 Drachmas for a Temple It Destroyed: The Fiscus Judaicus Mint & Legion: The Roman Economy, Money & Empire Cited Listen
  8. Rome Froze Legionary Pay for 113 Years - Who Actually Paid the Army Mint & Legion: The Roman Economy, Money & Empire Cited Listen
  9. Rome Kept Taxing Empty Fields: Deserted Land and the Late Empire How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  10. Rome Made Tax Collectors Impossible to Quit (AD 370) How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  11. Rome Paid 5,000 Pounds of Gold and Still Lost the City (Alaric, 408) How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  12. Rome Paid an Army With Taxpayers: Aquitaine, AD 418 How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  13. Rome Paid for 200 Empty Feet: Building a Marching Camp Mint & Legion: The Roman Economy, Money & Empire Cited Listen
  14. Rome Rented Its Army - and Couldn't Pay the Rent How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  15. Rome Spent a Treasury to Buy Africa Back (Cape Bon, 468) How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  16. Rome's 297 Grain Tax: When Coins Couldn't Feed the Army How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  17. Rome's Taxpayers Ran to Patrons (AD 440) How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen

S

  1. Solinus, Not Tablet 97: The Stolen Bathing Tunic at Aquae Sulis The Bronze Frontier: Roman Army & Frontier Life Cited Listen
  2. Song-Liao Chanyuan: The Silver, Silk, and Peace Payment Loop How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  3. Song's Green Sprouts Loan Loop How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  4. Spain's Silver Fleet Arrived Already Claimed (1596) How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  5. The Sun Went Dim in 536. Justinian Kept Spending. How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen

T

  1. Tang Counted 8,914,709 Households. Then The Register Broke How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  2. The Tax Receipt That Put Britain Inside Bengal (1765) How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  3. Tiberius Lent 100 Million at Zero Interest: Rome's AD 33 Credit Crisis Mint & Legion: The Roman Economy, Money & Empire Cited Listen
  4. Trajan Paid Children With 5% Farm Loans: The Alimenta Ledger Mint & Legion: The Roman Economy, Money & Empire Cited Listen

U

  1. The Uley Glove Curse: Mercury Gets a Stolen Pair The Bronze Frontier: Roman Army & Frontier Life Cited Listen

V

  1. Venice's 85,000-Marks Debt Loop: How Constantinople Became Payment How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  2. Vilbia, If That Is Her Name: The Bath Curse Tablet The Bronze Frontier: Roman Army & Frontier Life Cited Listen
  3. Vindolanda 155: 343 Men In The Workshops The Bronze Frontier: Roman Army & Frontier Life Cited Listen
  4. Vindolanda 180: 320.5 Modii Before The Fort Could Fight The Bronze Frontier: Roman Army & Frontier Life Cited Listen
  5. Vindolanda 182: A Brewer, A Horse, And 60 Pounds Of Bacon The Bronze Frontier: Roman Army & Frontier Life Cited Listen
  6. Vindolanda 346: The Socks Letter as a Frontier Object The Bronze Frontier: Roman Army & Frontier Life Cited Listen
  7. Vindolanda Tablet 302: At A Fair Price The Bronze Frontier: Roman Army & Frontier Life Cited Listen
  8. Vindolanda's Black Pot: Pepper in a Roman Fort The Bronze Frontier: Roman Army & Frontier Life Cited Listen
  9. Vindolanda's Wooden Toy Sword: A Child in the Cavalry Barrack The Bronze Frontier: Roman Army & Frontier Life Cited Listen

W

  1. What If Alexander Survived Babylon (323 BC) - Arabia Comes First The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  2. What If Athens Escaped Syracuse (413 BC) - The Eclipse Nicias Ignores The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  3. What If Bayezid II Licensed Ottoman Printing (1493): The Press That Came Early The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  4. What If Carthage Won at the Aegates (241 BC) - Sicily Stays Punic The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  5. What If Constantine Lost at Milvian Bridge (312) The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  6. What If Crassus Took Armenia's Road (53 BC) - Carrhae Never Happens The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  7. What If Crassus Won at Carrhae (53 BC) - Rome's Mesopotamian Bridgehead The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  8. What If Hannibal Marched on Rome After Cannae (216 BC) - The Fork Everyone Gets Wrong The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  9. What If Harold Held Senlac (1066) - Normandy Inherits the Crisis The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  10. What If Harun al-Rashid Kept The Abbasid Succession Undivided In 809? The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  11. What If Justinian Fled the Nika Riot (532) - Italy Is Not Restored The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  12. What If Leo Phokas Won at Acheloos (917) - Simeon's Balkan Map Stalls The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  13. What If Majorian's Fleet Sailed (460) - Rome's Last Payroll The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  14. What If Ottoman Printing Started in 1627 - Istanbul's Press That Stayed Open The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  15. What If Persia Won at Salamis (480 BC) - Athens Loses the Sea The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  16. What If Romanos Held at Manzikert (1071) - Anatolia Falls Slower The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  17. What If Shahrbaraz Kept Egypt (629) - Heraclius' Unfinished Victory The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  18. What If the Black Death Killed Half as Many (1347) - The Wage Revolution That Shrinks The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  19. What If The Mongols Didn't Turn Back In 1242? The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  20. What If the Ottomans Took Vienna in 1683 - The Danube Shock That Holds The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  21. What If the Song Held Xiangyang (1273): Kublai Khan's Road Slows The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  22. What If the Umayyads Took Constantinople (718): The Siege That Almost Closed the Straits The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  23. What If Varus Believed Segestes In 9 AD The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen
  24. What If Vinland Took Root (~1000) - The Bull That Keeps the Western Route Alive The Forking Atlas: What If History (Plausible Alternate History) Cited Listen

Y

  1. Yuan Paper Money's Inflation Tax Loop, 1287 How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen

#

  1. The 10% Tax That Became Three Tithes: Roman Tax Farming Mint & Legion: The Roman Economy, Money & Empire Cited Listen
  2. The 120 Million Tael White Lotus Loop How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  3. The 1602 Copper Coin That Taxed Castile Twice How Empires Break: Why Civilizations Collapse Cited Listen
  4. The 4.5-Gram Coin That Outlived Rome: Constantine's Solidus Mint & Legion: The Roman Economy, Money & Empire Cited Listen