Pax Romana Overview Intro –Prosperity –State Functions Emperors and Political History Romanization of Provinces

Pax Romana

Overview

• Intro– Prosperity– State Functions

• Emperors and Political History

• Romanization of Provinces

Roman Emperors • Overview

– Heredity – “Good” “Bad” “Crazy”– Lurking Power of Army

• Julio-Claudians

• Flavians

• Five Good Emperors

• Conclusion

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Tiberius (Ruled 14-37 AD)

Gaius (37-44), nicknamed Caligula (“little boot”) by the troops from when he was a little boy, was branded a total madman by ancient historians. Considering that he supposedly made his horse a consul, they were probably right.

Julio-Claudians•Augustus•Tiberius•Caligula

Gaius (37-44), nicknamed Caligula (“little boot”) by the troops from when he was a little boy, was branded a total madman by ancient historians. Considering that he supposedly made his horse a consul, they were probably right.

Julio-Claudians•Augustus•Tiberius•Caligula•Claudius

After the murder of the worthless Caligula, the Praetorian Guard found his cousin, Claudius, hiding behind a curtain and declared him the new emperor. Supposedly Claudius had played dumb to escape notice (and execution) in the unpredictable world of court politics.

In fact, Claudius was well educated in literature and medicine as seen where he treats a patient for some sort of ailment (left). The empire continued to prosper under his rule.

Nero, emperor from 54-68 CE, came to the throne at age 17. He was initially a good ruler, but later on turned into something of a tyrant. However, imperial government ran smoothly during his reign.

Julio-Claudians•Augustus•Tiberius•Caligula•Claudius•Nero

Among Nero’s antics was taking part in the chariot races in the Olympic Games, which, of course, he won. After his death, officials at Olympia purged the record of this travesty.

In July, 64 C.E., a massive fire destroyed much of Rome. Modern archaeological research has found an iron gate melted down by the heat of the blaze. The historian Tacitus tells us that many people suspected Nero of setting the fire, so he deflected blame on a new religious sect, the Christians.

While he did persecute the Christians, as Hollywood emphasized in the 1950s, there were too few Christians in Rome or the empire to amount to much at the time. The really serious persecutions did not take place until the late 3rd century.

When rebels led by the general, Galba, were closing in on Nero, he committed suicide, exclaiming “What an artist in me dies.”

Nero’s death signaled the end of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and triggered a 4-way struggle for the throne in what became known as the Year of Four Emperors (69 C.E.).

Galba Otho Vitellius

Vespasian

Vespasian (69-78) re-established strong stable rule for the empire.

Flavians

Titus (78-80), Vespasian’s son and successor finished putting down the Jewish revolt and displayed the plunder from the temple as seen on his triumphal arch (below right). He also was responsible for the building of the Roman Colisseum (bottom left).

Domitian (80-96) was especially hated by the Roman historian, Tacitus, who claimed he was so sadistic that he would spend his time catching flies and pulling off their wings.

Nerva (96-98) was the first of the five “Good emperors” who were chosen for their ability and appointed successors on the basis of their ability. The last of these emperors, Marcus Aurelius (161-180), finally broke the pattern by having his son, Commodus, succeed him.

Nerva’s chosen successor, Trajan (98-117), conquered Dacia north of the Danube River. It was the last province conquered by Rome and would be the first one given up.

Trajan’s Column in Rome, with its imposing spiral relief sculpture depicting his Dacian campaigns, is one of our best sources of information about the Roman army during the Pax Romana, showing details of his campaign as well as the tactics and equipment of the Roman army at that time.

An overview of Trajan’s Forum

Trajan’s empire

By his death in 117 CE, Trajan had defeated the Parthians and added Mesopotamia to the empire, bringing it to its greatest extent.

Hadrian is probably best remembered for Hadrian’s Wall, the line of fortifications he built across northern Britain.

Antoninus Pius (138-161) continued to oversee the Pax Romana, with nothing dramatic happening during his reign. However, the reign of his successor, Marcus Aurelius (161-180) would see what would prove to be the beginning of the end for the Roman Empire.

Antoninus Pius (138-161)

Marcus Aurelius (161-180)

Conclusion

• Commodus

• How Much Control Did An Emperor Have?

A aFC.33 THE SPREAD OF ROMAN CIVILIZATION IN WESTERN EUROPE DURING THE PAX ROMANA (31 B.C.E.-180 C.E.)

Heavy Romanization of urban areas & nobles’ villas in W. Europe, but less so in remote rural

areas which keep older native cultures

Merchants & other camp followers settle near the camp

Non-citizen soldiers (settle by camp & become

citizens after their discharge

Citizen legionaries marry local women & settle by camp

after their discharge

Military camps grow into Roman cities since:

Peace promotes growth of

native towns into cities

Roman troops are stationed in the provinces

Peacetime army builds 51,000 miles

of paved roads

Cities copy Roman govt. & customs Gain Roman citizenship

Influx of trade & Roman &

Italian merchants to the provinces

Roman Empire functions as a virtual confederation of cities which serve as centers of local government, culture, & civic pride

Despite the decline after fall of W. Roman Empire, civilization survives in Byz. Emp. & monasteries in W.

Europe Revives during the Italian Renaissance in 1400s (FC.76)

Cities in East retain older Greek lang. & culture

Greek culture carried on by Byzantine (E.

Roman) Emp. (FC.44)

Cities less deeply rooted in W. Emp. than East

Cities & civiliz. decline drastically after fall of W. Rom. Emp. (FC.36)

Rome conquers Britain (FC.32)

Rome conquers

Spain (FC.29B)

Augustus establishes peace & stability (FC.32)

Caesar conquers

Gaul (FC.31)

Rome conquers Dacia (FC.32)




Rome conquers

Spain (FC.29B)



Rome conquers

Spain (FC.29B)


Caesar conquers

Gaul (FC.31)



Rome conquers

Spain (FC.29B)


Caesar conquers

Gaul (FC.31)



Rome conquers

Spain (FC.29B)


Caesar conquers

Gaul (FC.31)



Roman troops are stationed where?


Rome conquers

Spain (FC.29B)


Caesar conquers

Gaul (FC.31)



Peace-> promoted

what?



Rome conquers

Spain (FC.29B)


Caesar conquers

Gaul (FC.31)






Whom did many city

dwellers act like & why?


Rome conquers

Spain (FC.29B)


Caesar conquers

Gaul (FC.31)






Peacetime army builds

what?



Rome conquers

Spain (FC.29B)


Caesar conquers

Gaul (FC.31)


Lugdunum-Founded after Caesar conquers Gaul-Becomes Admin Center-2nd Century: 40-200,000 peopl-Aqueducts and drainage-Run by a sort of “senate” and has Republican officials (e.g. Quaestors)


Who would settle near the camp?










of paved roads





Rome conquers

Spain (FC.29B)


Caesar conquers

Gaul (FC.31)




What did non-citizen soldiers get

& do after their terms of service?








of paved roads





Rome conquers

Spain (FC.29B)


Caesar conquers

Gaul (FC.31)






Where did citizen legionaries settle

down and with whom?






of paved roads





Rome conquers

Spain (FC.29B)


Caesar conquers

Gaul (FC.31)



Where did heavy Romanization esp. take place?











of paved roads





Rome conquers

Spain (FC.29B)


Caesar conquers

Gaul (FC.31)















of paved roads




Roman Empire functions as a virtual confederation of?


Rome conquers

Spain (FC.29B)


Caesar conquers

Gaul (FC.31)















of paved roads





How Romanized were cities in the East?


Rome conquers

Spain (FC.29B)


Caesar conquers

Gaul (FC.31)















of paved roads







Roman) Emp. (FC.44)

Cities in W compared to East?


Rome conquers

Spain (FC.29B)


Caesar conquers

Gaul (FC.31)















of paved roads







Roman) Emp. (FC.44)


Cities & civiliz. In West after the fall of the W.

Roman Empire?


Rome conquers

Spain (FC.29B)


Caesar conquers

Gaul (FC.31)















of paved roads





Long term fate of Roman civ. After fall of W. Empire?



Roman) Emp. (FC.44)




Rome conquers

Spain (FC.29B)


Caesar conquers

Gaul (FC.31)















of paved roads





Despite the decline after fall of W. Roman Empire, civilization survives in Byz. Emp. & monasteries in W.

Europe Revives during the Italian Renaissance in 1400s (FC.76)



Roman) Emp. (FC.44)




Rome conquers

Spain (FC.29B)


Caesar conquers

Gaul (FC.31)


Documents

Pax Romana Overview Intro –Prosperity –State Functions Emperors and Political History Romanization of Provinces