Uploaded June 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Why, at the height of its power, did the Roman Empire stop growing? The cold northern climate and fierce Germanic tribes were only part of the answer...
My discussion with Adrian Goldsworthy: youtu.be/Ea20iQV-fHk
Check out my other YouTube channels, @scenicroutestothepast and @toldinstonefootnotes
Please consider supporting toldinstone on Patreon:
patreon.com/toldinstone
If you liked this video, you might also enjoy my book “Naked Statues, Fat Gladiators, and War Elephants: Frequently Asked Questions about the Ancient Greeks and Romans.”
amazon.com/Naked-Statues-Fat-Gladiators-Elephants/dp/1633887022
If you're so inclined, you can follow me elsewhere on the web:
reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/profiles/toldinstone
instagram.com/toldinstone
goodreads.com/author/show/20993845.Garrett_Ryan
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:16 From the Republic to Augustus
2:25 The problem of stability
3:38 Defining the frontier
4:24 Ecological boundaries
4:56 Mountains and climates
6:01 Demographic boundaries
6:54 The eastern frontier
7:35 A conversation with Adrian Goldsworthy
Why, at the height of its power, did the Roman Empire stop growing? The cold northern climate and fierce Germanic tribes were only part of the answer...
My discussion with Adrian Goldsworthy: youtu.be/Ea20iQV-fHk
Check out my other YouTube channels, @scenicroutestothepast and @toldinstonefootnotes
Please consider supporting toldinstone on Patreon:
patreon.com/toldinstone
If you liked this video, you might also enjoy my book “Naked Statues, Fat Gladiators, and War Elephants: Frequently Asked Questions about the Ancient Greeks and Romans.”
amazon.com/Naked-Statues-Fat-Gladiators-Elephants/dp/1633887022
If you're so inclined, you can follow me elsewhere on the web:
reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/profiles/toldinstone
instagram.com/toldinstone
goodreads.com/author/show/20993845.Garrett_Ryan
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:16 From the Republic to Augustus
2:25 The problem of stability
3:38 Defining the frontier
4:24 Ecological boundaries
4:56 Mountains and climates
6:01 Demographic boundaries
6:54 The eastern frontier
7:35 A conversation with Adrian Goldsworthy










