Having now watched this film a second time, a rather ironic truth struck me.

The 'hero' of Gladiator II is thoroughly unlikeable, and the most sympathetic character is actually Emperor Geta, closely followed by Emperor Caracalla.

Here's why... 🧵 A consistent narrative problem of Gladiator II is that what the film tells us about certain characters is wildly different from what the film shows us about them.

This applies to both the protagonists and the antagonists. Consider Hanno/Lucius, the 'hero' of this film.

18th century Venice was the most beautiful city in the world.

Many artists tried to capture her beauty - but one man did so better than any other.

Here’s how his art conquered hearts and markets, and why it’s still so revered today… 🧵 Born in 1697, Giovanni Antonio Canal would live in the final century of his country's independence.

For while the city of Venice had never been more beautiful, the world's longest lived republic that governed her was a shadow of its former self.

"What an artist dies in me!"

With these words, the reign of a man long since held up as the archetype of tyranny came to its theatrical close.

But why did so many Romans mourn the Emperor Nero when he was gone? Let us explore the forgotten side of Rome's greatest showman... 🧵 Tales of Nero's malice, from alleged matricide to the persecution of Christians, are legend. How many of these stories were actually true is another matter.

It says much that the most iconic story of Nero, fiddling while Rome burned, is almost certainly a fiction of propaganda.

"You are made for Rome, and Rome is made for you"

Such were the words of an awed Pope Urban VIII to Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the greatest sculptor of the 17th century.

His works are now world famous. His story, rather less so. Let us examine the life of a prodigy...🧵 Born in Naples on the 7th December 1598, Gian Lorenzo was the sixth of the thirteen children of a Florentine father, Pietro Bernini, and Neapolitan mother, Angelica Galante.

While his siblings played, the young boy loved watching his father, a sculptor, toiling in his workshop.

THE DYNASTIES OF ITALY 🧵

The House of Montefeltro

Origin: Monte Copiolo, Emilia-Romagna
States: Lordship, County and Duchy of Urbino, Papal States
Highest Titles: Duke of Urbino, Count of Montefeltro, Count of Castel Durante Heraldic Blazon

Bendy of six azure and or

As a branch of the dynastic counts of Carpegna, the Montefeltro adopted their arms, replacing silver with gold. Following their ennoblement by Frederick II in 1213, the eagle of the Holy Roman Empire was added to the upper golden bend.

THE DYNASTIES OF ITALY 🧵

The House of Corsini

Origin: Poggibonsi, Tuscany
States: Republic of Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, Papal States, Kingdom of Italy, Republic of Italy
Highest Titles: Pontifex Maximus (Pope), Prince of Sismano Heraldic Blazon

Bendy Argent and Gules, a fess Azure

Disputed origin, however the Corsini arms (left) are likely derived from Hugh the Great, Margrave of Tuscany (953-1001), who various Tuscan families honoured by adopting variants of his arms (right) as their own.

The Olympic Theatre of Vicenza

On this day, the 3rd March 1585, the first permanent theatre to be built in the West since the days of Ancient Rome opened in the Italian city of Vicenza. How was this possible?

This is the story of a cultural and architectural resurrection 🧵 1/ The Italian Renaissance, in its most literal essence, was the move to rebirth and reinvent the classical world, whose architectural and artistic vestiges were emerging from the soils of medieval Rome. In its earliest days, it was a time of profound reckoning for the West. 2/

The Theft of a Saint

On this day, the 31st January AD 828, a priceless treasure arrived in Venice. Yet aboard that ship was no earthly gold, but relics holy indeed - the body of Saint Mark the Evangelist.

This is the story of how the City of Canals gained her patron saint 🧵1/ Following a gruelling victory in AD 810 over the armies of Pepin, son of Charlemagne, Doge Agnello Partecipazio took a momentous decision - to transfer the capital from Malamocco, on the Lido of the Venetian Lagoon, to the more protected Rivo Alto, or 'Rialto', at its heart. 2/

The Secret Room of Michelangelo

It scarcely seems possible that so modest a chamber, illuminated by the light of a sole barred window, once housed one of the greatest minds who ever lived.

Yet here, for two months in 1530, Michelangelo Buonarroti would hide for his very life 1/
It was on the 17th May 1527, just days after the rebellious mercenary Landsknechts of the Emperor had sacked Rome with ruthless abandon, that the oligarchs of Florence seized the opportunity afforded by the chaos to cast out the ruling House of Medici, and install a Republic. 2/

On the Australian 'Voice', and the case of Austria-Hungary

If there is one thing that unites the West, beyond the paper trail of debt and supranational allegiance, it is a historic crisis of legitimacy.

Australia, long deemed the 'Lucky Country', is now on the frontline 1/ On the 14th October, Australia is to hold a referendum on the following question:

“A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.

Do you approve this proposed alteration?” 2/