Rome’s Emperors What changes did Augustus introduce? - PowerPoint Presentation

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Rome’s Emperors

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What changes did Augustus introduce?

How did he increase his power?

What isThe Principate?Describe the society that Augustus created

The Age of Augustus

(p.196-197)

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Stepson of AugustusAugustus outlived his five appointed successors

Great General

Conquered Pannonia (north and east of the Danube), Dalmatia (Albania, Bosnia, Croatia), and temporarily Germania Laid the foundations for the northern

frontier

Ruled with Augustus for last 10 years of Augustus’ lifeNever held administrative position beforeRuled from Isle of Capri – life of debaucheryA dark, reclusive, and sombre ruler who never desired to be emperorPliny the Elder called him tristissimus hominum, "the gloomiest of men”Christ crucified during his reign

Tiberius (14-37 CE)

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Bitter, little manSchemingSuspiciousInstituted a reign of terror

Bottom Line on Tiberius

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Caligula is Latin for “little baby boots”Adopted grandson of Tiberius

Great-grandson of Julius Caesar and Marc Antony

Became ill after a few months in power and became insaneSacrificed 160,000 slaves to the godsClaimed he was a godMade a serious attempt to have his horse elected ConsulVery cruel and unpopularAssassinated with wife and daughter (at 28 years old)

Gaius [Caligula] (37-41 CE)

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He demonstrates that mental illness can strike anyone without warning

Bottom Line on Caligula

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First emperor made by the Praetorian Guard (Emperor’s body guards)

Found him cowering as the

Pratorians were looting Caligula’s palaceNephew of TiberiusThough intelligent and well-educated, he was physically frail and crippledAdded province of Britain (43 CE) and named it after his son, BritannicusAll 5 marriages ended in failureFirst wife died on wedding night!

Poisoned to death (mushrooms) by fifth wife/niece, Agrippa (Nero’s mother)

Claudius (41-54 CE)

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Physically weakShrewd administratorExtended Roman citizenship in the provinces

Founded Roman cities in the provinces

Bottom Line on Claudius

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Emperor at 16 years and soon became a tyrantMurdered:

Agrippina, his mother (Caligula’s sister) in 59 CE

Poppaea, pregnant 2nd wife, by kicking her to deathSecond wife’s husbandSeneca, his teacher/advisorBritannicus, his step-brother (Claudius’ son) by poison

Nero (54-68 CE)

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64 CE – accused of setting fire to Rome2/3 of Rome destroyed

Nero bought up burned land for palace complex

Scapegoated Christians for fire and carried out first persecutions of ChristiansMany Romans sacrificed at “sports” eventsPainted, sculpted, sang, actedVery extravagant – taxed Patricians68 CE – committed suicide at age 30 as 3 provinces were in revolt and Praetorian Guard deserted himLast of Julius Caesar’s bloodline

Nero, cont’d

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Poster child showing the folly of excess

Bottom Line on Nero

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Senate gave him imperial power after the Year of 4 Emperors (civil war) following Nero’s suicideLed Roman invasion of Britain (43 CE) and subjugated Judea during Jewish rebellion (66 CE)

Gave citizenship to people in many provinces

Founded the Flavian dynastyFirst emperor to be succeeded by his own sonBuilt Flavian Amphitheatre (aka

Colosseum

) on grounds of Nero’s palaceFirst emperor since Augustus who did not die violentlyor unnaturallyVespasian (69-79 CE)

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StableAbleMemorable

Bottom Line on Vespasian

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Vespasian’s sonFamous for capture of

Jerusalem in 70 CE

Given a Triumphal ArchIdeal EmperorSpent lavish sums on games and monumentsGave financial aid to people who suffered from explosion of Mt Vesuvius and victims of the Great Fire in RomeDied of fever

Titus (79-81 CE)

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StableAbleMemorable

Bottom Line on Titus

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Younger brother of TitusEfficient but arrogant

Tyrannical and totalitarian ruler:

He saw himself as the new Augustus, an enlightened despot destined to guide the Roman Empire into a new era of brilliance. Religious, military, and cultural propaganda fostered a cult of personalityNominated himself as perpetual

 

censor, seeking to control public and private moralsPopular with the people and army but considered a tyrant by members of the Roman SenateFirst Roman Emperor who had demanded to be addressed as dominus et deus (master and god)Assassinated by those paid by the Senate and his wife Domitilla, thus ending the Flavian DynastyDomitian (81-96 CE)

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Potentially good, yet ultimately bad

Bottom Line on Domitian

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First of the so-called Five “Good” Emperors (i.e. he worked well with the Senate)Chosen by the Senate (first time) to rule after Domitian’s assasination

(Domitian’s advisor)

Started method of imperial successionTook the title of Augustus and chose a new Caesar to replace him (Trajan)Increased welfare payments to the massesNerva (96-98 CE)

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StableAbleMemorable

Bottom Line on

Nerva

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Born in SpainOutstanding soldier and general

Officially declared by the senate as 

optimus princeps ("the best ruler") Military conquests expanded empire to its maximum extentConquered Dacia (Romania) and ParthiaDacian conquests commemorated with sculpted column

Public works projects in Rome included baths, markets, basilica, new forum

Considered a “virtuous pagan” by medieval scholarsTrajan (98-117 CE)

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Great soldierAble administrator

Bottom Line on Trajan

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Succeeded his adopted father, TrajanGreat admirer of Greek cultureGreat soldier who spent much time with his armies on the frontier establishing permanent barriers against barbarians

Gave up new territories in east, accept Dacia

Political reformer: senators and Equities received trainingHadrian (117-138 CE)

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Hadrian built 73 mile (117 km) defensive wall across Britain to separate Romans from barbarians

Wall is 20 bricks high x 2.5m wide

Small forts installed every 1500m and lookouts every 500mManned by 13,000 auxiliaries living on south sideWall took 3 legions 5 years to buildHadrian’s Wall

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Great soldierBuilder of defensive wallsEnemy of Jewish peoples

Bottom Line on Hadrian

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Co-emperor with brother, Lucius Verus

, until

Verus’ death in 169 CESpent most of his rule on frontiers keeping barbarians outIncreased size of army and taxes, yet lowered taxes for poorLenient towards political criminalsPlague killed thousands during rule, causing much doubt in Empire

Marcus Aurelius (161-180 CE)

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Reign marked by fighting barbariansKnown for his Stoic philosophy

Transient nature of all things on earth

Do not let emotion override reasonDo not lament things that happen beyond your controlOnly thing you can control is your attitude and outlookBottom Line on Aurelius

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Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Heliogabalus (218-224 CE)

Emperor at 14

Held hereditary rank of high priest to Carthaginian and Syrian god Ba’al (human sacrifice)HomosexualWanted to be a woman: plucked hair from body, wore make-upAll-Time Worst Roman Emperor...

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Raped, married, then divorced a vestal virgin

known as

aquila severa (“the great sewer”)Prostituted himself in the taverns and brothelsEnjoyed severe punishment when caughtExecuted with his mother; bodies thrown in Tiber RiverHis followers’ fate: genitals ripped off and pierced by pikes in the anus “so that their death fitted their lives”