Kim Bowes: commitment

Transcript context

…They’re not sick of Italy, but they’ve done Rome. Everyone knows to go there. You send them to Trier, to Segovia, to Split? Let’s stick with our theme of trying to understand empire as empire while also understanding ordinary people. Yes, sure. Let’s go to Split and see the great palace of Diocletian, which is now home to some beautiful cafes and restaurants and gift shops, right inside the great courtyard where Diocletian would have greeted you if you were lucky enough to obtain an audience. This is an amazing palace because it’s a testament to an emperor who said, “I am stepping down. I said I was in here for a limited amount of time. I now observe my term limits.” It’s the first and only time in the history of the Roman Empire, and most empires, in which a leader has said this, and I am going to retire, and retire he did, and retire to this extraordinary palace/military garrison on the coast of Croatia. Then, okay, let’s assume that your traveler is able to cross military lines and go to some places that maybe, let’s hope, within our lifetime will once again be safe. This is an aspirational trip. Sure.…

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