Vespasian, the Flavians, and Rome’s Colosseum Legacy
Vespasian and the Flavian Dynasty’s Rise
The emperor Vespasian (9-79 AD), the first of the Flavian dynasty, was a man of modest, non-aristocratic origins. For this reason, his arrival on the throne was a major event for the time. He sought popular favor, contrasting with the abuse of power that characterized the Empire before him.
Vespasian’s Public Works and Reforms
Vespasian undertook several key actions:
- He made many areas of Rome public, which Nero had arbitrarily privatized.
- He cleaned up state
Spain’s 1812 Constitution: Cádiz Reforms & Liberalism
Cádiz Cortes Reforms (Pre-Constitution)
Freedom of Expression
A decree approving freedom of the printing press was enacted, marking a liberal step. However, political censorship remained, and documents deemed religious were not exempt from scrutiny.
Abolition of the Feudal Regime
Beliefs underpinning the feudal regime were suspended through several measures:
- Jurisdiction: Manorial jurisdiction was abolished, removing a barrier to the modernization of provincial administration.
- Guilds: Guilds were abolished,
Franco’s Final Years: Crisis and Opposition in Spain
Opposition and Crisis in Late Francoism
Growing Opposition Movements
The seventies witnessed the end of the Franco regime, coinciding with the death of Francisco Franco and a general crisis. The reorganization of the opposition, fueled by economic and social changes in the sixties, led to increased resistance. More educated individuals often opposed the regime. In 1956, the Communist Party (PCE) launched a national reconciliation policy aimed at an alliance of all parties opposing the dictatorship,
Read MorePost-WWI Peace Treaties: Reshaping Central & Eastern Europe
Treaty of St. Germain (1919): Austria
This treaty was signed in 1919 and dealt with Austria following World War I. Key terms included:
- Territorial Losses: Austria lost Bohemia to Czechoslovakia; Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Croatia to Yugoslavia; South Tyrol, Tarvisio, and parts of Carinthia to Italy; and Galicia to Poland.
- Political Restrictions: Anschluss (political union with Germany) was forbidden.
- Military Limitations: Conscription was banned, a navy was forbidden, and the army was limited to 30,000
League of Nations: Formation, US Absence & Challenges
Formation of the League of Nations
After World War I, a consensus emerged to prevent future mass slaughter, leading to the agreement that a League of Nations could achieve this goal. However, disagreements arose regarding the organization’s structure.
Competing Visions for the League
- President Wilson (USA): Advocated for a world parliament where representatives of all nations could meet for discussions. This vision ultimately won.
- British Leaders: Preferred a simpler organization, similar to the existing
Understanding the Cold War: A Concise History
The Cold War: A Clash of Ideologies
The Cold War was an ideological, political, economic, and military conflict between the capitalist bloc led by the USA and the communist bloc led by the USSR. It spanned from 1945, the end of the Second World War, to 1991, the collapse of the USSR. It was termed ‘cold’ because the level of direct violence in Europe and North America was lower compared to previous conflicts. However, it had devastating consequences in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The two superpowers
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