my roman empire

• agaustus saw disorder and instability in the empire
• he believed that the empire had become too large for the republican rule
• augustus kept all power for himself
• octavian came into power in 31 BCE
• he won the support of the senate by asking its advice, permitting it to run some of the provinces and have its own treasury
• the senators bestowed the title of "augustus" on octavian
• augustus - honored and majestic; and one formerly only bestowed on gods
• octavian became "augustus caesar" emperor of entier roman world
• augustus took control of the roman army in order to abolish the tradition of dictator-generals
• he granted citizenship people in the provinces
• he used the army to control troublesome provinces; gave senate control of peaceful ones
• restored traditional roman values

  • patriotism
  • close family ties
  • hard work
  • discipline
  • simple living
• he passed laws encouraging early marriage and raising large families
• he helped the poor by providing free / low-cost grain
• "roman peace" - time of stability, expansion, power, and prosperity that lasted over 200 years
• the empire had NO law of succession - no rule stating how the next emperor would be chosen
• the first four emperors after augustus were related to him or to his second wife, Livia.
• Tiberius is Augustus' stepson - he ran the empire well
• Caligula was

  • cruel
  • incompetent
  • bizarre
• caligula was assassinated by the members of the royal guard
• Claudius was a scholar chosen by the royal guard to be emperor
• claudius restored order and stability
• claudius added britain to the empire
• Nero is claudius' stepson
• Nero's reign became increasingly bloodthirsty over time
• many historians belive that nero started the infamous fire that destroyed rome in 64
• he committed suicide when the army rebelled against him
• following nero's death, lawlessness swept rome as military commanders battled for the throne
• military emperors restored discipline to army and government
• they swiftly put down rebellions in gaul and judea
• nerva adopted the new tradition of naming a successor
• trajan under nerva, the roman empire reached its greatest size
• hadrian devoted his reign in protecting and fortifying roman borders
• hadrian's wall built at the northern frontier of britain
• antonius pius is not especially notable
• marcus aurelius was scholarly; influenced by the greek stoics
• marcus was forced to concentrate on border wars with germanic tribes to the north
• the reign off marcus' son and his successor, commodus, marked the end of 'pax romana'
• pax romana was the era of political and social stability, military dominance, economic prosperity
• pax romana

  • art
  • architecture
  • literature
  • drama
  • science & medicine
  • entertainment & sport
  • religion & spirituality
  • law