The Iron Kingdom Database

Dio Cassius: Roman History
Translated by Earnest Cary

Number of quotes: 2

Book ID: 371 Page: 69

Section: 1B

This matter must be our next topic; for our history now descends from a kingdom of gold to one of iron and rust, as affairs did for the Romans of that day.

*John’s note: Dio is referring to Marcus Aurelius’ death and what follows.*

Quote ID: 8207

Time Periods: 2

Book ID: 371 Page: 295/297

Section: 3B

…he made it his business to strip, despoil, and grind down all the rest of mankind, and the senators by no means least. In the first place, there were the gold crowns that he was repeatedly demanding, on the constant pretext that he had conquered some enemy or other; and I am not referring, either, to the actual manufacture of the crowns—for what does that amount to?—but to the vast amount of money constantly being given under that name by the cities for the customary “crowning,” as it is called, of the emperors.

….

…and there were the gifts which he demanded from the wealthy citizens and from the various communities; and the taxes, both the new ones which he promulgated and the ten per cent. tax that he instituted in place of the five per cent. tax applying to the emancipation of slaves, to bequests, and to all legacies….

….

This was the reason why he made all the people in his empire Roman citizens; nominally he was honouring them, but his real purpose was to increase his revenues by this means, inasmuch as aliens did not have to pay most of these taxes.

Quote ID: 8669

Time Periods: 12

End of quotes