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Roman Empire

Roman Empire. Pax Romana 27 BC – 180 AD. Reign of Augustus. 1.      Heralded the Golden Age of Rome and the Pax Romana a.      brought peace to the Empire b.     economic prosperity returns 2.     Political restructuring a.      Augustus maintains legal appearance of authority

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Roman Empire

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  1. Roman Empire Pax Romana 27 BC – 180 AD

  2. Reign of Augustus • 1.     Heralded the Golden Age of Rome and the Pax Romana • a.      brought peace to the Empire • b.     economic prosperity returns • 2.     Political restructuring • a.      Augustus maintains legal appearance of authority • b.     Real power as control of army

  3. 1. Augustan Society • a.      Restructured social classes to reflect wealth • b.     Social legislation strengthens religion and family values • -        taxes higher for single people of the upper classes • -         laws limited expenditures for feasts and parties c. Morality laws carried penalties for adultery, divorce, etc.

  4. 1.     Golden Age of Latin Literature • A. received support from Augustus • a.      Latin Poetry begins to focus on more personal issues. • - Horace – wrote about virtues of Pax Romana • - Ovid – was exiled for The Art of Love • b.     Virgil writes epic story of Rome – Aenied • Aenied is Roman version of Iliad -Odyssey • Also wrote Georgics

  5. Successors to Augustus – the Julio-Claudians • 1.     Increased the real power of the emperor • 2.    Imperial bureaucracy established by during reign of Claudius • 3. Undermined authority of Senate

  6. No constitutional provision for transfer of powerAdoption is solution picked by Augustus • Ideally based upon competence • Most chose blood relatives • marginal success • Tiberius, and The Five Good emperors + • Caligula, Nero, and Commodus -

  7. The Julio-Claudians • 1.     Tiberius –14-37- son-in-law of Augustus – competent administrator- • 2.     Caligula – 37-41-relative of Tiberius – tyrannical and erratic – • 3.     Claudius –41-54 Claudius good administrator- had family issues • 4.     Nero – 54-68 seen as horrible emperor but was not that bad in reality

  8. Year of 4 Emperors 68AD • Nero commits suicide – “What an artist the world loses in me.” • 3 different people claim the throne • Vespasian wins and founds Flavian dynasty

  9. Flavian Dynasty • Vespasian – 69 - 79 • was seasoned commander • Returned stability to Rome • Began Coloseum – Flavian Ampitheater • Titus- 79-81 - • Domination – 81-96 • Seen as Cruel • Stopped using title of Princips- instead imperator • Was assassinated

  10. The Five Good Emperors • Nerva – 96 – 98 • Trajan – 98-117 • Born in Spain- first provincial • Rome reaches maximum size • Hadrian – 117-138 • Built frontier fortifications • Improved civil service • Antoninus Pius – 138-161 • Marcus Aurelius-161-180 • Seen as Philosopher-King- as per Plato

  11. Rome under the 5 • Roman military becomes romanizing influence • Large numbers of non Romans become citizens • Latin becomes primary language in Western Rome- Greek in East • Latifundia are worked by coloni • Literature enters Silver age • Tacitus prominent historian • Juvenal- satirical poet

  12. Roman building spread all over empire • Aqueducts all across Europe • Extensive road network – some still in use • Romans first to develop and use concrete in large quantities • City of Rome reaches 1 million • Large number of urban poor • City seen by some as parasitic • Bread and Circuses reach pinnicle

  13. The Terrible 3rd century • Combination of civil war, barbarian invasions, and natural disasters contribute to chaos • Germanic barbarians invade frontiers abandoned by legions fighting civil wars • Epidemics and famine follow invasions • From 180 to 284 a large number of emperors come and go. • Severus and Aurelian provide brief periods of stability

  14. Life in the frontiers becomes perilous • Economic activity declines • Local authorities assume mantle of protector • Non Romans begin to fill the ranks of Legions • Regular enlistees are given retirement benefits • Federati are entire barbarian units enlisted for shorter periods – almost mercenaries

  15. Late Roman Empire • Diocletion 284 – 305 • Sets up new adminstration system • Divides empire into four sections • Begins autocratic economic and social policies • Constantine 305 to 337 • Took over after brief fight – • Edict of Milan 313 -Recognized legality of Christianity • Moved capitol of Empire to Byzantium renamed it Constantinople

  16. Fall of Western Empire • Roman adminstration limps along for most of the fourth century under the reforms of Constantine • Increasing Barbarian pressure and economic decline further separate people of the west from the Empire • Battle of Adrianople 378 is turning point • Roman Emperor Valens defeated and killed by Gothic Armies

  17. Huns from the east push Germanic tribes into Rome • After Adrianople barbarians run unrestricted throughout western Empire • People turn to local commanders and sometimes Barbarian kings for protection • Last western Emperor is killed in 475 by Odoacer

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