1. Philosopher-Kings and Psychopathic-Madmen
The Roman Emperors
Philosopher-Kings and
Psychopathic-Madmen

2. Death of Julius Caesar Civil War 32-30 BC
Second Triumvirate BC
Civil War BC
Caesar’s murder did not save the Republic as his assassin’s had hoped
43 BC, Second Triumvirate took power – Caesar’s adopted son, Octavian, loyal officer Marc Antony, and General Lepidus
Lepidus pushed aside; Antony, Octavian agreed to govern half the empire each, Octavian in the West, Antony in the East
Civil war between Octavian and Antony broke out
Octavian defeated Antony and his ally, Egypt’s Queen Cleopatra
Cleopatra and Antony committed suicide; Octavian alone controlled the Roman world
Republic effectively dead; new period in Roman history beginning

3. From Octavian to Augustus
Octavian Takes Power
Octavian faced with task of restoring order to empire
Had no intention of establishing dictatorship when he took power
New Political Order
Octavian decided it would be impossible to return Rome to republican form of government
Created new political order, known today as the empire
Began the period of history know as the Pax Romana – Roman peace which would last for over 200 years
Principate
Octavian careful to avoid title of king or emperor
Called himself princeps, “first citizen”
Government called Principate
New Title
27 BC, Senate gave Octavian the title of Augustus, “the revered one”
Title a religious honour: able to wear laurel and oak leaf crown

4. The Augustan Age Legacy New Imperial Government Foreign Affairs
Augustus head of state for more than 40 years, made smooth transition to new imperial government with power divided between him and Senate
Most financial, administrative matters under Augustus’ control
Foreign Affairs
Started program to bring peace to the west, particularly to Gaul and Spain
Began a series of conquests that pushed the border eastward to Danube River
Also took special care of Rome itself
Legacy
Created police force, fire brigades; stockpiled food, water
Began building program; presided over moral and religious reforms
Great period of cultural creativity; great writers like Horace, Ovid, Virgil

5. Praetorian Guard
Augustus took the Praetorian Guard and turned them into the personal bodyguard of the Emperor
The leader of the Praetorian Guard, the prefect, would come to be an immensely powerful political position in Rome
Many later emperors would be chosen by the Praetorian Guard...and assassinated by them as well

6. The End of the Augustan Age
Augustus was unable to produce an heir
Died in 14 AD
“Did I play my part well in the comedy of life?”
Had extinguished a century of civil war
Had presided over 40 years of internal peace and prosperity
He forged the vision and power that cemented the Empire together
The Peace of Augustus came at a price...
Augustus (and the position of Emperor) had eclipsed the senate
Ruled as a monarch
Founded a dynasty that would terrorize Rome for the next half-century

7. The Julio-Claudians Tiberius Claudius Nero (Tiberius)
Step-son of Augustus
Reigned from 14 to 37 AD
Tiberius Claudius (Claudius)
Uncle of Caligula
Reigned from 41 to 54 AD
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (Caligula)
Great nephew of Tiberius
Reigned from 37 to 41 AD
Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (Nero)
Great nephew and step-son of Claudius
Reigned from 54 to 68 AD

8. The Julio-Claudians

9. Tiberius 14 to 37 Ad
Tiberius’ political inability, poor judgment and jealous led Rome into a dark age of political purges, murder and terror
Failed at “playing Augustus”

10. Tiberius 14 to 37 Ad Treason trials
Rarely left Rome
Poorly managed provinces, Spain in particular
Heavy Drinker- Biberius Caldius Mero
Miser
Neglected Public Works, Augustus’ Temple, Pompey’s Theatre
Theodorus – Greek teacher of Tiberius -‘mud, kneaded with blood’
Maiestas – treason law used to attack his enemies
Daily executions
Nearly every crime became punishable by death
Hated the games, cut back funding

11. Tiberius 14 to 37 Ad
In his later years Tiberius retreated to the island of Capri and left Rome to Sejanus, the very unpopular leader of the Praetorian guards
Many Senators and wealthy Romans were killed in the purges of Sejanus
Tiberius was hated even more as a result
On Capri, Tiberius indulged in all sorts of depraved and perverted pleasures that disgusted and disturbed Roman society
Here he brought his young grand nephew and heir apparent Caligula to live with him
When Tiberius died Romans rich and poor cheered
When rumours spread that Caligula had killed Tiberius the Romans cheered louder

12. Caligula 37 to 41 AD
Son of Germanicus, a famous and popular Roman general who was the adapted son of Tiberius
Germanicus was possibly poisoned as a result of his popularity
Grew up in the army camp and as a child wore a little army uniform and was given the nickname “little soldiers’ boots” - Caligula
Lived a privileged life – use to people bowing down to him at a young age
Grew up with violence around him
This would only intensify when he was brought to live with his great-uncle Tiberius on the island of Capri at the age of 19

13. Caligula 37 to 41 AD At first all seemed well
Caligula appealed to the Roman people
Recalled individuals exiled under Tiberius
Revived public works
Publically burned secret files that had been collected on Roman citizens
However, within a year something changed in the young Emperor

14. Caligula 37 to 41 AD
Many historians believe that Caligula suffered from some sort of mental disease, possibly hereditary, possibly brought on by his lifestyle
Modern researchers are able to use state-of-the art techniques to best discover the truth

15. Caligula 37 to 41 AD Declared himself a living god
Killed several relatives painfully
Appointed his horse a Senator
Emptied the treasury
Forced Senator’s wives to become prostitutes to raise money
Declared war on Neptune and had his soldiers gather seashells on the beach
And on and on and on...

16. Caligula 37 to 41 AD
41 AD, Caligula violently stabbed to death by his Praetorian Guard
Very few family members left alive to succeed as Emperor
Only one possible family member left alive...Caligula’s uncle Claudius

17. Claudius 41 to 54 AD
Had been an object of ridicule and scorn by his family – this most likely saved his life during the purges of Tiberius and Caligula
Had some forms of physical disabilities
The Praetorian Guard, after assassinating Caligula, declared Claudius Emperor

18. Claudius 41 to 54 AD Passed laws protecting sick slaves
Increased women’s privileges
Began the conquest of Britain
Allowed nobles from other parts of the empire to become senators

19. Claudius 41 to 54 AD
Constantly seen as vulnerable by the Roman nobility
Forced to shore up his position, resulting in the death of many senators
Damaged his reputation amongst ancient writers
Modern historians view him in a more positive light

20. Claudius 41 to 54 AD
Claudius had his first wife executed for her multiple affairs, despite loving her deeply
He would then marry his niece, Agrippina
Agrippina plotted to make her son Claudius’ successor – she was successful
She most likely poisoned Claudius and her son, Nero, would become Emperor

21. Nero 54 to 68 AD Became emperor at age sixteen
Influenced by Agrippina and his tutor Seneca early in his reign
Promised to rule as Augustus had
Difficult to discern fact from fiction – though Romans hated him at his death – it would be his persecution of the Christians that would have later historians turn him into one of the greatest villains in history

22. Nero 54 to 68 AD
Nero came to power as a result of the manoeuvring of his mother – he would later have a falling out with her
As a result he would kill both his mother and his brother
Matricide horrified Romans
He then divorced his wife to marry his pregnant mistress – a former slave girl
Now beyond caring what the public thinks

23. Nero 54 to 68 AD
Nero was a great lover of the arts and did much to beautify Rome – this would drain an already depleted treasury
He also performed on stage – this horrified Romans. Actors were seen on the same level as prostitutes

24. Nero 54 to 68 AD Great Fire of Rome 64 AD
This would be the significant event of Nero’s reign
Accused as the Emperor who “fiddled while Rome burned”
Modern historians believe he did much to save Rome and later rebuild it – though it would bankrupt the Empire

25. Nero 54 to 68 AD Persecution of the Christians
First emperor to do so
Blamed the Great Fire on them
Suspicious due to their strange rituals and monotheism
Had them tortured to such an extent it sickened average Romans
Final Descent into ‘madness’
Uncovered an assassination plot, as a result many Romans, guilty and innocent, are tortured and murdered
Rebellion in the provinces amongst the legions
The army marches on Rome to remove him from power
Nero has a plan to stop them

26. Nero 54 to 68 AD Senate declares Nero an outlaw
Nero committed suicide in 68 AD
No living male relatives
This would mark the end of the Julio-Claudian dynasty which had begun under the immense shadow of Augustus
It is ironic that during the Pax Romana Rome would be subject to some of its most sadistic Emperors

27. Year of the Four Emperors
After the death of Nero civil war broke out in the Roman Empire with four Roman generals vying to become Emperor
Vespasian, a popular and brilliant general responsible for putting down a massive rebellion in the Roman province of Judea, would
Flavian dynasty AD
Vespasian would bring financial stability back to Rome
The Colosseum would be built by Vespasian
Generally viewed as a competent and well liked Emperor
His two sons, Titus and Domitian, would not be as successful
Rome had yet to learn its lessons on dynastic emperors

28. The Five Good Emperors 96-180 AD
Coined by the political philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli
Included:
Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius
Trajan – the Roman Empire would reach its greatest extent, extensive public building programs and social welfare policies
Hadrian – pulled the Empire back and secured the borders (best illustrated by Hadrian’s wall in Northern Britain) a humanist and lover of Greek culture

29. Marcus Aurelius – Last of the Good Emperors
Considered one of the most important Stoic philosophers
Defeated many outside threats to the empire
His tome Meditations which he wrote on campaign is still revered as a literary monument to a philosophy of service and duty, describing how to find and preserve equanimity in the midst of conflict by following nature as a source of guidance and inspiration
Upon his death his son, Commodus, would become Emperor, returning Rome to dynastic rule
Commodus would be a disaster as Emperor and this would mark the decline of the Roman Empire