1. The Age Of AUGUSTUS Augustus 27 B.C.E. – 14 A.D. Primus Inter Pares
Pontifex Maximus
The Principate – 41 years
Princeps – primus inter pares - First among equals – no shoes = military hero, no crown ever, descendant of Venus – really first Emperor
Held power by making others feel he was sharing it –
also became Tribune of the People – quelling divide citizens and senators
Also Pontifex Maximus after Lepidus dies 12 BCE
Used this power of religion to consolidate power
Considered a god after death – Egyptian influence
Wife Livia gave her own orders
Rebuilt 82 temples in Rome alone
Built other public facilities
Instituted vigiles – police and firefighting squad
Used art as political propaganda
Temple of Mars Ultor
Jesus – born in 5 BCE, died in 30 AD
Tribune of the People

2. Propaganda in the Principate
Ara Pacis – Altar of Peace
Virgil’s Aeneid lends mythic weight to Augustus
Temple of Mars Ultor
Temple of Mars Ultor – Mars the Avenger, dedicated to Julius Caesar, now declared a god, in the Forum of Augustus
Altar of Augustan Peace – Dedicated on Livia’s birthday in 9 BCE – his family procession, reliefs of Aeneas, mother earth, fertility and bounty
Virgil’s Aeneid lends mythic weight to Augustus’ rule and makes Caesar, Augustus heirs of the gods, Aeneas and Romulus and Remus
Mosaics develop with tesserae – very small glass squares
Mosaics
Detail from Ara Pacis

3. SUCCESSORS OF AUGUSTUS
Tiberius
14 – 37 A.D.
Caligula 37 – 41 A.D.
The purge
Insane?
Tiberius – Augustus’ adopted son
Killed many rivals – the purge
Gaius Caligula
Insane?
Appointed horse as senator, war against Neptune
Adulterous, incestuous affairs
Written by Tacitus who discredited the Julio-Claudians
Murdered January 41 CE by senatorial conspirators
Claudius
Family thought he was an imbecile but actually okay
Began conquest of Britain in 43 CE
Married younger first cousin Aggrippina who had a son, Nero
Nero
61 CE tired of mother, had her killed
Very unpopular, rumour he had started great fire of Rome in 64 CE
He tried to blame the Christians – tied to poles, covered in pitch and lit for emperor’s party
Assassinated 68
Great fire, great cruelty
Claudius
41 – 54 A.D.
Nero 54 – 68 A.D.
Conquest of Britain

4. The Empire Expands under Good Emperors
Hadrian CE
Trajan CE
Trajan’s Arch
Marcus Aurelius
161 – 180 A.D.
Vespasian and Titus right after Nero – Titus sent aid to Pompeii when Vesuvius erupted
Domitian (81-96)
Persecuted Jews and Christians
Murdered in a conspiracy of wife and successor, Nerva
Trajan
Soldier and adminstrator in Iberia, Hungary and Rhineland
Built many monuments celebrating victories – column depicts victory over Dacians (modern Romania)
Huge expansion of empire
Hadrian
Trajan’s adopted son
Travelled all over empire
Founded cities, restored buildings
Put down Jewish rebellion in Jerusalem in 135 CE
Built a wall in northern Britain, Pantheon
Marcus Aurelius
Philosopher King
Empire is strong but depends on a strong leader
The Pantheon
Trajan’s Column

5. THE ROMAN PEACE Caracalla Citizenship to all free males 212 CE
Pax Romana
No military needed to keep people in line because included in empire, feel culturally Roman
Most emperors are not from Rome
City is less important
Citizens are made by the military postings – born in Iberia, posted to Britain, hook up with local girl and get moved to Morrocco. More Roman than wherever you were from in the first place

6. Changing Military Balance
The Praetorian Guard
Hadrian’s Wall

7. CULTURAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Coliseum
Pantheon

8. RISE OF CHRISTIANITY