The Man Who Discovered The Secret History

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This week I was in Rome on a research trip, so I took some time out to tell you the story of Niccolo Alemanni, who rediscovered and published The Secret History 400 years ago.

[@dreamtimeearth3595]

Great video Tom, just discovered your channel a few days ago but truly appreciate your sensibility for books and your skill for introducing scholar knowledge into pop culture. 🙌

[@tomwayling]

Welcome aboard!

[@GreenAppelPie]

I just recently visited the Vatican. Along with 2 miles or so of the museum collections. One simply cannot understand the scale of everything until you see it in person. It’s an amazing experience. There’s so much history there.

[@southernlady5085]

My husband and I were privileged to visit twice. It is an absolutely amazing place. In the museums themselves, everywhere one turns, quite literally, is a famous statue, or frescoes created by some of the greatest artists who have ever lived; and that’s just the beginning: the individual paintings, stained glass, tapestries, mosaics, and of course, all the historical manuscripts and books on display, are ALL a feast for one’s mind and certainly, for one’s soul. It’s hard to take it all in during a vacation, and one does so knowing there’s so much more behind the scenes, as well as historians, craftsmen, and scientists who conduct research or who are engaged in restoration or preservation of these priceless works of art . What awesome beauty is contained within the walls of the Vatican! It certainly gave me a completely new understanding of ancient history to be actually at the Vatican and have the opportunity to wander through its museums. To see such magnificent works of art as well as the ancient manuscripts that are housed there, is an experience I will never, ever forget! @GreenAppelPie

[@Fasciseus]

IMO, Tom, this is your best video to this date. I envy and admire your access to this volume and the Vatican Library; I could live the rest of my life exploring the Vatican's art, library and archives.

[@maryannec.moravec6289]

This channel is a true treasure. You provide such valuable nuggets of information. Thank you for your good work.

[@iicydiamonds]

This story is absolutely fascinating. Thank you so much for sharing!

[@zuzuspetals38]

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼love seeing a younger person so involved in history⭐️⭐️

[@jaybyrdcybertruck1082]

Amazing! Thank you for the work involved in this!

[@aadamtx]

I love that the Vatican Library has digitized part of the collection and made those items publically accessible. If you get a chance, take the tour that will let you outside on the roof of the Vatican - great view!

[@francesbailess942]

Or go up to the top of St Peter's Dome. Buy a ticket and go alone or with a companion. First it's a lift, then you walk, slowly up and up. Not for the claustrophobic, but keep going. The curved wall to the Dome is on your right, with the outer wall on your left, with occasional windows. At last you climb the final steps or ladder and emerge onto the viewing platform, which allows you to lean on a parapet and see the view from four sides. One way is St Peter's Square and the city. The other is the stunning Vatican Gardens, complete with private railway. Take your time and notice everything. You descend a different route. So worth it.

[@prkp7248]

At those time there was another scholar that proved himself by discovering ancient text - Poggio Bracciolini that hunted down rare manuscripts going from city to city, Convent to convent in search for them. Poggio discovered Lucretius "De rerum natura", "De architectura" by Vitruvius and many Ciceros speeches in St. Gallen. He also discovered in Monte Cassion Abbey the only known manuscript of "On the aqueducts of Rome" by Frontinus, who was Curator Aquarum when Nerva was emperor. It's very important book for me, as I wrote my master thesis "Aqueducts and Sewage in Ancient Rome", in which Frontinus book was one of the most important sources.

[@jadedequeljoe3283]

I have always wondered about sewerage in ancient cities. Not just Rome,but all throughout the Mediterranean, ancient Mexico and S. America, India,China and where ever in this world huge metropolis’s grew.

[@JayeCole]

We must have been a well behaved class because we got an antiquarian field trip! 🤘

[@4trahasis]

Glad to be here for more book nerdery and related history.

[@kurjan1]

I have placed an order for your book Tom. Cant wait to receive it. I sent you a message through your website.😃

[@ande100]

Oooh, fascinating! Thank You for another great presentation.

[@Lin-1785]

Is there other written evidence pointing to why Procopious accused her?

[@joseevaniersel7280]

So scientists have always been ready to cancel their friends once they were under suspicion of rocking the boat..?

[@emmahardesty4330]

Hmm. Based on the actions of Theidora that you cited I can only view her as a unique personality who irritated a frustrated man. Women who show up in ancient history are overwhelmingly slandered via sex. Wonder what she actually did. Yes, gonna buy your book. Congratulations.

[@dominofalling2038]

Exactly. Historical misogyny was always trying to destroy women’s achievements by reputation assassination. The Romans hated powerful women.

[@EyeLean5280]

Considering that the allegations against Theodora were probably entirely unfounded, it's just as well he didn't stir the pot at that time.

[@annfahy2589]

Lucky man to see and hold all these books 📚 😊

[@tassia1954]

Procopius hated Theodora all of her life's tortures she underwent as a child and young woman were described as sins by him .And she didn't abort she had miscarriages! Maybe she wasn't the best of people but she was true to Justinian!By the way Justinian's laws are probably still tought in law's universities!Thanks for the story of Alemani!I didn't know he wrote about those stories from that far back!

[@rl3293]

LOVE your channel! ❤

[@goldengordon9502]

Loving this channel. You love books more than me!

[@johnkeck]

I recall a FB reel you did on this subject some time ago. The subject is sensationalistic and I'm sure garners views, but the actual book Alemanni discovered sounds like some guy (Procopius) grinding an ax against the reigning regime. For a modern comparison, I'm wondering if any degree of future scholarship would redeem, say, republishing of The National Enquirer. Just wondering what the fuss is really about.

[@stevedoss5815]

Your videos along with the accurate information and content is superb sir! Thank you for all the content 🙏🏻

[@orglancs]

Do you own those copies that you held up to the camera, Tom? It seems you are at home, so maybe you do? You imply that they are included in that catalogue that you showed us. I'm not a potential buyer, am just interested in how close you have got to these priceless documents. Many thanks for your utterly fascinating videos. They are so interesting.

[@carolinepierson6776]

Brilliant. Your presentation is fantastically interesting.

[@MichaelBerthelsen]

I tried to find something else in the catalogue to purchase together with your Secret Histories catalogue, but sadly didn't find anything that was of particular interest at this time. May I recommend, though, that in your filter, you add the option only to display those items currently in stock?😊 I know it can change quickly for high-interest pieces, but would make it a lot easier to look through what's currently available.

[@msb8287]

I absolutely love your channel! Sent it to my book loving daughter too :))

[@coriejoelsutherland702]

Hold up, alemanni published in 1623, without the scandalous chapters that would have “shaken the Byzantine Empire to its core”, and yet this empire fell in 1453 to Mehmet and became the Ottoman Empire. So it kind of seems like it totally wouldn’t have mattered.

[@RamblinPhoenix]

I love this topic. My question for you is, what do you think of the Secret History itself? I have read that, generally, modern historians do not put much historical stock in it, and view it as written as Procopeus possibly venting, writing with a (for lack of a better word) kink to be subversive or as a trump card if Justinian fell (like he almost did during the Nika Riots) to show he was really on the side of the new leader. How accurate do you think it is, or is it perhaps more like the more scandalish parts of Seuitnoeus? Regardless, Alemani is a hero for preserving and publishing such a scandlous text in his own era! Regardless of the factual nature of the Secret History, their is something of worth in the ability to study Procpeus's public writings and private writings and study how and why they differ.

[@kirbymarchbarcena]

Thanks to Niccolo for his bravery and wiles. Thanks to Tim for his entertaining video about Niccolo

[@glockenrein]

Oooh was it Dan Brown? (I apologise but I couldn’t resist. 😂)

[@luigisturzo6967]

Fantastic video, I really enjoyed it! (P.S. 4:15 Your Italian made me smile a bit, sorry)

[@WordsCanBeLikeXRays]

Great content!

[@m.o.m.basiclifeskills2986]

Please summarize the content of the book. What's it actually about?

[@metatechnologist]

It was rather confusing to me what was and was not published and at what times. Catholics have always dealt poorly with scandals tbh.

[@annettecookson4870]

Hi Tom. LOVE your channel, and obviously love books!!! Would like your advice on an 'old book' I've already had for over 30years, but know it's much older then that! It's a miniture, and part of the 'Arabian nights' series...but I'm struggling to find help discovering who wrote it?, where it came from? Though there is a name hand written inside. Saddly a page at the front, after the front cover has been ripped out 😢😢😢 I'd just LOVE to know it's story 💯💯💯 How do I find help discovering it's history Tom?? Thank you for any help you can offer, and more then happy to spk to you privately 🙌🙌🙌

[@JacquesMare]

But..... Procopius... did you actually see the duck retrieve the bread, or.... is this all just hearsay? 😂😂😂😂

[@jperez7893]

i hope you are in a position to verify if the vatican folio #140 still exists. it's an aramaic codex discovered by joseph simon assemani in the chaldean patriarchate and brought to the vatican in 1718. it is an almost complete copy of the 4 gospels minus 10 pages of matthew, and with a colophon of the scribe at the end indicating that it was completed during the reign of the 3rd bishop of edessa in the year of the greeks, 389, or 78 ad. i'm not sure if it was never returned by the french during the napoleonic theft of the vatican library and archives. hopefully it is still in the vatican, otherwise, it might be in the louvre, bibliotheque nationale, or french archives

[@tinatieden8499]

I wonder if you have ever come across Lady Babylon youtube channel. Dr. Ammon Hilman reads some Greek stuff .

[@incredulity]

Video is awesome. You should do thumbnails differently

[@benitaplummer1401]

Thank you. Lease do a video about the lost translation assumed lost my n the Birmingham Riots, recently found in th Dr Williams Library 📚 n central London is n 2017. Joseph Priestley and his associates i.e. Mr Garnam .

[@brucetidwell7715]

Has it been translated into English? What edition do you recommend?

[@wordscapes5690]

Powerless men gossiping about powerful women. Nothing new.

[@TheOtherSteel]

I sense Robert Langdon somewhere in this.

[@PanglossDr]

Of course, the Vatican keeping everything controversial hidden. But, oh, they let Tom in? Could it be that Dan Brown was lying through his teeth?

[@SG-1-GRC]

You can't take religion out of the mix when you read vicious attacks on the character of others. You only have to be familiar with the two faced nature of courtiers in the Tudor court who were either Protestants under a Catholic monarch or Catholics under a CofE one to know what many said and did publicly did not reflect their opinions privately. True, many could privately assert genuine faults against the monarch that did not share their faith, but many also indulged quite readily in insult and slander and in wild and cruel speculation that was presented as having some foundation in truth Procopius was apparently a member of a different religious sect than Justinian and his wife. That and his wife's strong political influence might have just as readily generated resentment and a pack of lies and exaggerations rather than genuine and scandalous truths. Lacking other sources to support or deny the secret history we're no wiser.

[@user-qo6lk5ec9f]

Alemanni obviously would have German heritage.

[@Kinesicz]

Why didn’t he just publish it under a pen name or anonymous? I’m guessing that is why Shakespeare didn’t use his real name.

[@od1452]

So... this is really about Slut Shaming ? No insults to your Scholarship.

[@RuthvenMurgatroyd]

That wasn't the only accusation in the Secret History nor was it published as he said so no, not really. Plus, there's no reason to believe they were true either.

[@benitaplummer1401]

Sorry, below I meant Please*

[@Kokuraman]

Wayne Kerr!

[@Soekell]

I think Alimani doesn’t care anymore.

[@markmcarthy596]

The problem with most of the information gained from an expensive University is it’s false

[@anashashmi]

I wonder if the name is Arabic name Al-Imani?

[@Nono-hk3is]

Medieval KZbin drama

[@snookoed]

How did they abort so successfully back then?

[@ekurisona663]

how much access do private citizens have to the archives at the Vatican?

[@luciatheron1621]

You can get access. Contact the Vatican with your request. The Vatican authorities, can't just allow anyone access as not all people respect the collection. The Vatican is the world's museum. Like it or not. The preservation and restoration work done by professionals, experts in their field come from different countries different cultures and belief systems...yet they are there restoring for all. We are one.

[@redwawst3258]

😎

[@HussainFahmy]

[@swagmanandy]

NO-ONE gives a Norfolk hedge layers cuss about this.....