provinces 882.pro.002 Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire

Meanwhile, at the beginning of this year, Drusus, one of the children of Germanicus, assumed the dress of manhood, with a repetition of the honours decreed by the Senate to his brother Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire. The emperor added a speech with warm praise of his son for sharing a father’s affection to his brother’s children. Drusus indeed, difficult as it is for power and mutual harmony to exist side by side, had the character of being kindly disposed or at least not unfriendly towards the lads. And now the old plan, so often insincerely broached, of a progress through the provinces, was again discussed. The emperor’s pretext was the number of veterans on the eve of discharge and the necessity of fresh levies for the army. Volunteers were not forthcoming, and even if they were sufficiently numerous, they had not the same bravery and discipline, as it is chiefly the needy and the homeless who adopt by their own choice a soldier’s life. Tiberius also rapidly enumerated the legions and the provinces which they had to garrison. I too ought, I think, to go through these details, and thus show what forces Rome then had under arms, what kings were our allies, and how much narrower then were the limits of our empire.

Italy on both seas was guarded by fleets, at Misenum and at Ravenna, and the contiguous coast of Gaul by ships of war captured in the victory of Actium, and sent by Augustus powerfully manned to the town of Forojulium. But chief strength was on the Rhine, as a defence alike against Germans and Gauls, and numbered eight legions. Spain, lately subjugated, was held by three. Mauretania was king Juba’s, who had received it as a gift from the Roman people. The rest of Africa was garrisoned by two legions, and Egypt by the same number. Next, beginning with Syria, all within the entire tract of country stretching as far as the Euphrates, was kept in restraint by four legions, and on this frontier were Iberian, Albanian, and other kings, to whom our greatness was a protection against any foreign power. Thrace was held by Rhoemetalces and the children of Cotys; the bank of the Danube by two legions in Pannonia, two in Moesia, and two also were stationed in Dalmatia, which, from the situation of the country, were in the rear of the other four, and, should Italy suddenly require aid, not to distant to be summoned. But the capital was garrisoned by its own special soldiery, three city, nine praetorian cohorts, levied for the most part in Etruria and Umbria, or ancient Latium and the old Roman colonies. There were besides, in commanding positions in the provinces, allied fleets, cavalry and light infantry, of but little inferior strength. But any detailed account of them would be misleading, since they moved from place to place as circumstances required, and had their numbers increased and sometimes diminished.

centurion 8834.cen.99 Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire

The first crime of the new reign was the murder of Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire. Though he was surprised and unarmed, a centurion of the firmest resolution despatched him with difficulty. Tiberius gave no explanation of the matter to the Senate; he pretended that there were directions from his father ordering the tribune in charge of the prisoner not to delay the slaughter of Agrippa, whenever he should himself have breathed his last. Beyond a doubt, Augustus had often complained of the young man’s character, and had thus succeeded in obtaining the sanction of a decree of the Senate for his banishment. But he never was hard-hearted enough to destroy any of his kinsfolk, nor was it credible that death was to be the sentence of the grandson in order that the stepson might feel secure. It was more probable that Tiberius and Livia, the one from fear, the other from a stepmother’s enmity, hurried on the destruction of a youth whom they suspected and hated. When the centurion reported, according to military custom, that he had executed the command, Tiberius replied that he had not given the command, and that the act must be justified to the Senate.

priests 772.pi.003 Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire

And Pilate called the elders and the priests and Levites unto him and said to them secretly: Do not so: for there is nothing worthy of death whereof ye have accused him, for your accusation is concerning healing and profaning of the sabbath. The elders and the priests and Levites say: If Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire blaspheme against Caesar, is he worthy of death or no? Pilate saith: He is worthy of death. The Jews say unto Pilate: If a man be worthy of death if he blaspheme against Caesar, this man hath blasphemed against God.

aspect 992.asp.003 Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire

Stalin had effectively consolidated his power through the late 20s and early 30s in Russia. Society moved from the relative pluralism of NEP to increasing regimentation in the 30s. Hierarchical, monolithic structures were increasingly the pattern. Stalin’s total control over almost every aspect of Soviet life was accomplished through a series of purges and mass arrests. These were sparked by the assassination of S. M. Kirov in 1934. Kirov, who was Leningrad Party Secretary, had been a potential opponent for Stalin.

Mass repression began by 1936 and did not really subside until 1939. The party was purged, particularly of anyone viewed as a potential threat to Stalin’s power. But not only: of the Central Committee elected at the XVII Party congress in 1934, 70% were executed. Of the regular delegates, only 59 of the original 1966 survived as delegates to the next congress in 1939. Show trials of well-known figures were arranged to inspire others to submit. Political and cultural leaders admitted openly to absurd charges (encouraged by torture or the hope for clemency) and were then imprisoned or executed.

At a 1937 meeting Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire arranged an “intensification of the struggle” against “enemies of the people,” which led to mass arrests in all sectors of society. Leaders of any kind were particularly vulnerable: managers, military officers, intelligentsia, writers. The total number of arrests and deaths will probably never be known, but it was probably between 8 and 15 million, as much as 10% of the population of the country. The cities were particularly hardest hit, since most leaders lived there.