Many students make the mistake of treating Roman history as a monolithic block of dates and battles. The Roman state lasted over 2,200 years (from 753 BCE to 1453 CE if you include the Byzantine continuation). Without a focused guide, you risk becoming lost in the transition from the Brutus-led Republic to the Augustus-led Empire.
To the world, those letters meant power and legions. To Marcus, tonight, they meant a grueling exam on the Cursus Honorum
