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Leaders of Rome . Nero’s Rise to Power . Age 16 – takes the throne His mother convinces his stepfather to make Nero heir Stepfather, Claudius, dies Characteristics: Paranoid Unstable Cruel Self-absorbed Provider . Nero the Good stuff . reduced taxes Banned capital punishment
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Nero’s Rise to Power • Age 16 – takes the throne • His mother convinces his stepfather to make Nero heir • Stepfather, Claudius, dies • Characteristics: • Paranoid • Unstable • Cruel • Self-absorbed • Provider
Nerothe Good stuff • reduced taxes • Banned capital punishment • Forbade contests involving bloodshed • Sponsored artists, poets, and musicians • No civil wars
Nero The Bad • Kills his whole family – including wife whose head was sent to him as a prize • Kills his former teacher • Watches Rome burn • Blames the burning on the Christians • Built the Golden House which destroyed the Roman budget
Trajan • Military officer • Appointed governor of Germany • Nerva (current emperor) adopts him • 98 C.E. – Trajan becomes emperor • Characteristics: • Firm decision maker • Love of his people • Respectful and respected • Modest personality
Trajan Accomplishments • Reduced taxes • Increased free food distribution • Maintain a constant supply of grain • Subsidies – created special funds for the poor • Major building program – roads • Aqueduct
Trajan Accomplishments • Forum • Puts down Dacian resistance and add them as a province • Defeated the Parthians and took their land
Hadrian • Cousin of Trajan • Served in military and political posts • May or may not have been named successor • Characteristics: • Loved learning • Jealous – no criticism • Willful and vengeful
Hadrian Accomplishments • Rebuilt a Greek city • Refomed the legal system • Appointed new judges to help • Put all principles and procedures into one Roman edict (document) • Sped up the legal process by adding more districts and judges • Managed provinces more directly • Allowed him to hear what the people want
Hadrian Accomplishments • Stopped a rebellion by the Jewish people • Hadrian’s wall • In Britain • 8 ft thick 20 ft high • Had forts and watchtowers
Inventions and Changes • Aqueducts – transported water across large distances • Water was held in tanks
Inventions and Changes • Economy – farming • Gaul and Spain – Grapes and olives • Britain and Egypt – grains • Economy – industry • Pottery, weaving, jewelry • Worked with glass, bronze, and brass • Economy – trading • Two large Ports – Puteoli(near Naples) and Ostia (near the Tiber) • Traded as far as China and India
Roads and Money • Roads – stretched 50,000 miles • (That is from here to California and back about 9 or 10 times) • Common Currency (money) • Same money is used everywhere • Standard system of weights and measures • Trade helped many but not all • Farmers and city dwellers remained port and/or enslaved