Of the tranquil reign of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius, Gibbon tells us that it had “the rare advantage of furnishing very few materials for history; which is, indeed, little more than the register of the crimes, follies and misfortunes of mankind”. This emperor, whose rule produced no history, was diligent, tolerant, commonsensical, and had a sense of humour. One authority adds the further compliment that “he had no intellectual tendencies”. Perhaps his tutelary hand has stretched benignly over Australia for the last couple of centuries? For it is widely said and widely believed that “Australia has no history”. Or, at…