History Student Reacts to Sextus Pompeius and the Sicilian War Part 1/2 by Historia Civilis

Today we watch the first half of Sextus Pompeius and the Sicilian War (42 to 36 B.C.E.) by Historia Civilis.

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[Guanaco]

32:08 That reminded me of the aftermath of of the Chrismas Truce of WW1. Some brittish units refused to fight the germans they have been fratenazing with. Some managed to delay hostilities until january but preasure from their generals and the French eventually forces them to fight.

[LightxHeaven]

Octavian’s confiscation of land was certainly not pretty. But the people was never his power base, the army was. Thus his decision is entirely logical if we’re being fair. Not that it makes it any more morally just but I don’t agree with how Historia Civilis portrays Octavian as someone who was uniquely cruel and tyrannical. This was the only move he could make to keep his promises to the veterans.

[LightxHeaven]

I really want know what sources claim that Octavian performed these unnecessary acts of cruelty. This feels like a classic propaganda piece written by a disgruntled senator or historian. Whereas Historia Civilis usually is careful about highlighting the probable veracity of his sources he just seems to take these ones about Octavian’s supposed massacres at face value. It’s like he has some personal grudge towards him.

Kings and Generals who’s also covered these exact events never mention something like this, and they highlighted the cruelty of the proscriptions in vivid detail.