– Julio-Claudian Emperors• 27 B.C. – 68 A.D.• Augustus• Tiberius• Caligula• Claudius• Nero• Civil Wars

– Flavian Emperors• 69 A.D. – 96 A.D.

– “Five Good Emperors”• 96 A.D. – 180 A.D.

Problems with imperial rule:

• Lack of a clear-cut succession policy

• Unsuitability of some candidates

• Civil Wars after each dynasty’s rule

• Support of army became critical factor in determining which candidate will prevail (the donativum, or gift of money to troops)

The Praetorian Guard

Julio-Claudian Emperors

• So named because each was related by blood or marriage to Augustus, who was the grandnephew and adopted son of Caesar

Julius Caesar

ADOPTION

AUGUSTUS (Octavian) 27 B.C.-14 A.D

• Review– Took complete control of the Roman Empire

(centralized imperial rule)

– Beginning of Pax Romana– Respect for Senate and traditions– Powerful speaker, personal prestige, skillful

diplomacy– Appointed trusted governors to the provinces– Adopted step-son Tiberius as his intended heir

8 C.E.The Roman World During the Reign of Augustus Caesar

Tiberius (14 A.D. – 37 A.D)

• Review– In the beginning, continued Augustus’ policies

– Army general, aloof– Respected Senate– Son (Drusus) was poisoned, sparked treason trials

and executed people based on hearsay– Senators distrusted him after this– Common people didn’t like him (refused to

sponsor lavish gladitorial games. Seutonius.

Caligula (37-41 A.D.) “Little Boots”

• His rule began with promise:– Pardoned political offenders– Abolished certain taxes– Ended treason trials

• BUT he got sick with a fever and there-after he became mentally unbalanced– Exhausted treasury– Abused power– Insulted public officials– Incitatus (Seutonius)– Revived treason trials to extort money from rich

• Assassinated by Praetorian Guard…

Claudius (41-54)

• Donativum

• Physical disabilities, eccentric

• Reforms and building projects

• Respected Senate

• Granted citizenship for “Romanized” peoples

Claudius conquered Celtic Britain

Personally participated in the conquest of Celtic Britain

47 C.E.The Roman World During the Reign of Claudius

Married Agrippina, Caligula’s sister (“Seemed like a good idea at the time…”)

– Fell under her influence– Convinced Claudius to accept her son Nero as

successor

– Assassinated Claudius A.S.A.P. (Tacitus)

“Such a good boy!”

Nero (54-68)

• Became emperor at 16, and like Caligula, he started off O.K.– Prosecuted governors extorting from populace– No gladiator games to the death– Engaged in defensive wars only

• BUT…in second year of reign, became resentful of his mother’s attempts to dominate him, so he started plotting… “But Mom, I want to

rule all by myself!”

Her death…(An example of his meanness)

• First, he accused mom of treason, but…– She was found innocent!

• Second, arranged for her to take a journey on a collapsible boat; the boat sunk, but…– She managed to swim to shore

• Lastly, in desperation, he just hired some sailors to kill her without court sanction

Now, Nero shows no restraint in pursuing his desires…

• Murdered wife to marry his mistress

• Neglected daily business of empire

• Devoted himself to music and poetry

• Forced people to attend concerts in which he played the harp, sang or recited his own poetry.

“We read of women in the audience giving birth, and of men being so bored with listening and applauding…”

-Seutonius

Fire in Rome (A.D. 64)

• Rumors started that Nero set the fire and that he fiddled while Rome burned

• Nero deflected criticism from himself by blaming the Christians

• Many Christians lost their lives, possibly including apostles Peter and Paul in this first recorded persecution of this sect

Nero discovers conspiracy…

• Ruthlessly crushed enemies

• Provinces revolted and Senate condemns him to death

• Nero fled Rome, took his own life, and was reported to have said:

“Oh what a great artist the world is losing.”

FLAVIAN EMPERORS (69-96 A.D.)

• Civil Wars after Nero

• Vespasian (69-79) gained upper hand– General– Sent his son Titus to put down revolt in Judea

Titus (Anthony Hopkins)

Titus (79-81)

• Plague, another fire, and Vesuvius

Pompeii

Domitian (81-96)

• Least popular Flavian

• Dictator, insisted on being called “Master and Lord” . Did not co-operate with Senate

• Christians and Jews scapegoats for the empire’s problems; severely persecuted them

• Feared treason, many executions

• Murdered by palace conspirators

• Ushered in era of the “Five Good Emperors”