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On December 17, 546, the ancient city of Rome fell to the Ostrogoths under their determined king, Totila, in a dramatic chapter of the Gothic War. The once-glorious city, still a symbol of power and prestige, was left defenseless as Totila's forces plundered its wealth, marking yet another blow in the ongoing struggle between the Ostrogoths and the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire. The siege was part of a broader conflict that had raged since 535, as Emperor Justinian I sought to reclaim the western territories of the former Roman Empire. The Ostrogoths, determined to defend their hold over Italy, were led by Totila, a charismatic and ruthless leader who had revitalized their cause. By 546, Rome had already suffered from previous invasions, sieges, and depopulation, leaving the Eternal City a shadow of its former self. The Eastern Roman garrison, tasked with defending Rome, found itself in an increasingly hopeless position. Totila, recognizing their weakness, opted for a strategy that required more gold than blood. Bribing members of the Byzantine garrison, he ensured that his forces could enter the city virtually unopposed. On the night of December 17, the gates of Rome were opened, and Totila's Ostrogothic army marched in. What followed was a grim spectacle. Totila, though eager to demonstrate his dominance, reportedly sought to avoid unnecessary destruction of the city’s remaining monuments. Yet the plundering of homes, churches, and whatever treasures remained could not be prevented. The inhabitants, already battered by famine and hardship, faced further suffering as the Ostrogoths stripped Rome of its resources. In a symbolic act, Totila is said to have paraded through the streets, mocking Rome’s diminished status as a capital of the ancient world. He aimed to humiliate the Byzantines and send a clear message: the Ostrogoths would not yield easily. However, despite Totila's calculated restraint in sparing some monuments, the siege accelerated Rome's decline, leaving much of the city abandoned and in ruins. The capture of Rome was a severe embarrassment for Justinian and his general, Belisarius, who had been struggling to maintain control over Italy. Totila's victory reinforced Gothic morale and prolonged the war, though the Ostrogoths’ triumph would ultimately be short-lived. Belisarius would later retake the city, and after years of back-and-forth conflict, Justinian’s forces would finally crush the Ostrogothic Kingdom in 553.

@earthcurated @Fr33Water

On December 11, 969, the Byzantine Empire was rocked by a dramatic and brutal assassination that unfolded within the imperial palace. Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas, a renowned general and ruler, was murdered in a plot orchestrated by his wife, Theophano, and her lover, John I Tzimiskes, a trusted military commander. This event not only marked the violent end of a celebrated reign but also exposed the dangerous interplay of ambition, betrayal, and politics in the Byzantine court. Nikephoros II Phokas, known as the “Pale Death of the Saracens,” had earned his reputation as a brilliant military strategist long before he ascended to the throne. His campaigns against the Abbasid Caliphate and the Emirate of Crete expanded Byzantine borders and restored imperial prestige. In 963, following the death of Emperor Romanos II, Nikephoros seized power with the support of the army, marrying Romanos’s widow, Theophano, to solidify his claim. As emperor, Nikephoros focused on military and administrative reforms, strengthening the empire’s defenses and consolidating its holdings. However, his strict fiscal policies and ascetic lifestyle earned him many enemies within the court and among the aristocracy. His marriage to Theophano, a woman known for her beauty and political cunning, was fraught with tension. While initially a union of convenience, their relationship soured as Nikephoros’s rule became increasingly isolated and unpopular. Theophano, ambitious and unwilling to remain in the shadow of her husband, began an affair with John Tzimiskes, a charismatic and capable general who had served under Nikephoros. Together, they conspired to remove the emperor and seize power. On the night of December 11, 969, Theophano allowed Tzimiskes and his co-conspirators to enter the imperial palace. The assassins found Nikephoros in his private quarters, praying and unarmed. They brutally killed him, reportedly dragging his body from his bed and mutilating it before proclaiming Tzimiskes the new emperor. The assassination shocked the Byzantine world, but the aftermath was carefully managed to legitimize the new regime. Tzimiskes, now Emperor John I, distanced himself from Theophano, exiling her from court to placate opposition and consolidate his rule. He framed his actions as necessary to restore stability and soon embarked on a reign marked by military success and internal reforms, ensuring his place in Byzantine history.

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On December 7, 43 BCE, the Roman statesman, orator, and philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero met a grim end near the town of Formia. His assassination, carried out on the orders of Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony), marked the violent conclusion of a life that had shaped the political and intellectual fabric of the Roman Republic. Cicero’s death was not just the silencing of a prominent voice but a symbol of the Republic’s collapse under the weight of factional power struggles and the rise of autocracy. Cicero, born in 106 BCE, was one of Rome’s greatest orators and a staunch defender of the Republican ideals of liberty and governance through the Senate. His career was marked by both brilliance and controversy. He rose to prominence through his rhetoric and legal acumen, serving as consul in 63 BCE during a turbulent period. It was during his consulship that Cicero exposed and suppressed the Catilinarian Conspiracy, earning him both fame and lasting enmity from powerful factions. As the Roman Republic descended into chaos during the civil wars between Julius Caesar and Pompey, Cicero found himself navigating treacherous political waters. After Caesar’s assassination in 44 BCE, Cicero initially saw hope for the Republic’s restoration. However, the power struggle between the Caesarian faction, led by Mark Antony, and the senatorial forces created a volatile environment. Cicero became an outspoken critic of Antony, delivering a series of fiery speeches known as the Philippics, which condemned Antony as a threat to Rome’s liberty. This public denouncement placed Cicero squarely in Antony’s crosshairs. When the Second Triumvirate—comprising Antony, Octavian (the future Augustus), and Lepidus—was formed in 43 BCE, the triumvirs sought to consolidate power and eliminate their enemies. As part of their pact, a proscription list was created, marking individuals for execution and confiscation of their property. Cicero, a prominent voice of opposition, was placed high on this list. On December 7, Cicero attempted to flee from his villa in Formia, but he was intercepted by Antony’s soldiers. According to historical accounts, including those of Plutarch, Cicero displayed courage in his final moments, extending his neck and instructing his captors to strike quickly. His head and hands were severed and sent to Rome, where Antony had them displayed on the Rostra, the speaker’s platform in the Roman Forum. This gruesome act was intended to send a clear message to anyone who dared oppose the Triumvirate.