Roman EmperorsRoman Emperors

Where the Trouble Started…Where the Trouble Started… Augustus unable Augustus unable

to produce heirto produce heir Died in 14 CEDied in 14 CE "Alas for the "Alas for the

Roman people, Roman people, to be ground by to be ground by jaws that jaws that crunch so crunch so slowly!" slowly!"

TiberiusTiberius(Tiberius Claudius Nero)(Tiberius Claudius Nero)

Augustus’ adopted sonAugustus’ adopted son Reigned from 14-37 CEReigned from 14-37 CE Never wanted to be Never wanted to be

emperoremperor Failed at “playing Failed at “playing

Augustus”Augustus”

Bad Behavior in PublicBad Behavior in Public

Treason trialsTreason trials Rarely left RomeRarely left Rome Poorly managed Poorly managed

provinces, Spain in provinces, Spain in particularparticular

Neglected Public Neglected Public Works, Augustus’ Works, Augustus’ Temple, Pompey’s Temple, Pompey’s TheatreTheatre

Daily executionsDaily executions Nearly every Nearly every

crime became crime became punishable by punishable by deathdeath

More Succession ProblemsMore Succession Problems Tiberius withdrawn in Tiberius withdrawn in

later yearslater years No heir named, No heir named,

immediate family immediate family deaddead

Two possible heirs, Two possible heirs, Gaius Caesar and Gaius Caesar and Tiberius GemellusTiberius Gemellus

Died March 16, 37 CEDied March 16, 37 CE

CaligulaCaligula(Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus

Germanicus)Germanicus) Son of Germanicus, a Son of Germanicus, a

great Roman generalgreat Roman general Nickname stuck- “little Nickname stuck- “little

soldiers’ boots”soldiers’ boots” Very popular with the Very popular with the

masses and soldiersmasses and soldiers Reigned from 37 to 41 Reigned from 37 to 41

CECE

No Problems at FirstNo Problems at First

Caligula appeals to Roman peopleCaligula appeals to Roman people Recalled exilesRecalled exiles Held banquets and gave many giftsHeld banquets and gave many gifts Revived Public WorksRevived Public Works However, later in the same year he However, later in the same year he

was appointed, suffered a “brain was appointed, suffered a “brain fever”fever”

……Possibly Drove Him InsanePossibly Drove Him Insane Replaced heads of Replaced heads of

statues of gods with his statues of gods with his ownown

Wore a wig and Wore a wig and commoners’ clothes for commoners’ clothes for ‘nightly activities’‘nightly activities’

Declared himself a living Declared himself a living godgod

Cancelled some holidays Cancelled some holidays honoring Augustushonoring Augustus

Killed several relatives, Killed several relatives, painfullypainfully

More ExploitsMore Exploits Hoped for natural Hoped for natural

disastersdisasters Stole from Stole from

Alexander the Alexander the Great’s tombGreat’s tomb

Created poisons in Created poisons in spare timespare time

Named his horse to Named his horse to the councilthe council

Palace on the waterPalace on the water Emptied treasuryEmptied treasury Altered the games Altered the games

unexpectedlyunexpectedly Secretly killed Secretly killed

people for funpeople for fun Had people Had people

tortured while he tortured while he was eatingwas eating

Caligula Assassinated…Caligula Assassinated… 41 CE, Caligula 41 CE, Caligula

violently stabbed to violently stabbed to deathdeath

Issue of succession Issue of succession comes up again…comes up again…

Augustus took special Augustus took special measures to ensure measures to ensure that Tiberius Claudius that Tiberius Claudius would not become would not become emperoremperor

Only one ‘capable’ left Only one ‘capable’ left alivealive

ClaudiusClaudius(Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus (Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus

Germanicus)Germanicus) Reigned from 41 to Reigned from 41 to

54 CE54 CE Historians have Historians have

differing opinions on differing opinions on his characterhis character

Generally agreed Generally agreed that he had some that he had some forms of physical forms of physical disabilitiesdisabilities

Better than the Last Two..Better than the Last Two.. Erratic court behaviorErratic court behavior ParanoidParanoid Easily swayed by Easily swayed by

othersothers Killed thirty-five Killed thirty-five

senators and 300 senators and 300 equitesequites

GluttonyGluttony BriberyBribery Adopted NeroAdopted Nero

Succession Once Again Succession Once Again DisputedDisputed

Claudius died in 54 Claudius died in 54 CECE

Senate was Senate was naturally concerned naturally concerned with safetywith safety

Claudius named his Claudius named his adoptive son Nero adoptive son Nero as heir as heir

Not many options…Not many options…

NeroNero(Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus (Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus

Germanicus)Germanicus) Became emperor at age Became emperor at age

sixteensixteen Influenced by Agrippina Influenced by Agrippina

and Seneca early in reign.and Seneca early in reign. Ruled from 54 to 68 CERuled from 54 to 68 CE Promised to rule as Promised to rule as

Augustus hadAugustus had Difficult to discern fact Difficult to discern fact

from fiction.from fiction.

Nero’s OffensesNero’s Offenses Forced senators to Forced senators to

do battle in the do battle in the gladiatorial gamesgladiatorial games

Shows he put on Shows he put on were dangerous at were dangerous at timestimes

Would ignore pleas Would ignore pleas to return to Rometo return to Rome

Would don a Would don a disguise and attack disguise and attack men at nightmen at night

Petty crimesPetty crimes

Emptied Emptied treasurytreasury

Seized assets of Seized assets of those ‘disloyal’ those ‘disloyal’ to himto him

MatricideMatricide FratricideFratricide Gruesomely Gruesomely

killed auntkilled aunt

Great Fire of RomeGreat Fire of Rome

64 CE64 CE Strongly suspected Strongly suspected

Nero caused fireNero caused fire ““fiddled while fiddled while

Rome burned”Rome burned” Lasted six days, Lasted six days,

seven nightsseven nights

Persecution of ChristiansPersecution of Christians

First emperor to do First emperor to do soso

Would throw parties Would throw parties lit by Christians on lit by Christians on burning crossesburning crosses

Blamed fire on themBlamed fire on them Suspicious due to Suspicious due to

their strange rituals their strange rituals and monotheismand monotheism

End of Julio-ClaudiansEnd of Julio-Claudians Nero committed suicide Nero committed suicide

in 68 CEin 68 CE No living male relativesNo living male relatives Start of Flavian dynasty Start of Flavian dynasty

soon to followsoon to follow Rome may never have Rome may never have

truly recoveredtruly recovered Start of Flavian dynasty Start of Flavian dynasty

under Vespasian under Vespasian

Flavians

Following Nero’s death, civil wars raged in Rome

Four military leaders claimed throne in turn

Last, Vespasian reestablished order, as did reigns of two sons

Stability returned under Flavians

The Good Emperors

96 CE, new line of emperors established—Good Emperors

Five rulers governed Rome for almost a century

From provinces different than Rome, continued opening Roman imperial society

Nerva (96-98 CE)Nerva (96-98 CE) Considered a wise and moderate rulerConsidered a wise and moderate ruler

Trajan (98-117 CE)Trajan (98-117 CE) Strong military leader that put down revolts Strong military leader that put down revolts

and lead to an era of peaceand lead to an era of peace Hadrian (117-138 CE)Hadrian (117-138 CE)

Built the Pantheon in Rome and Hadrian’s Wall Built the Pantheon in Rome and Hadrian’s Wall in Englandin England

Antoninus Pius (138-161 CE)Antoninus Pius (138-161 CE) Deified his father, Hadrian, and released Deified his father, Hadrian, and released

senators sentenced to death by his fathersenators sentenced to death by his father Marcus Aurelius (161-180 CE)Marcus Aurelius (161-180 CE)

Strong military and civil leaderStrong military and civil leader

The Good Emperors

The Good EmperorsEmpire grew tremendously under Good Empire grew tremendously under Good EmperorsEmperors

Reached limits of expansion under Trajan Reached limits of expansion under Trajan

Added what are now Romania, Armenia, Added what are now Romania, Armenia, Mesopotamia, and the Sinai PeninsulaMesopotamia, and the Sinai Peninsula

Successor Hadrian thought empire too largeSuccessor Hadrian thought empire too large Withdrew from almost all eastern additionsWithdrew from almost all eastern additions

Built defensive fortifications to guard against Built defensive fortifications to guard against invasionsinvasions

Built wall 73 miles long in northern BritainBuilt wall 73 miles long in northern Britain