Octavian Augustus CaesarOctavian Augustus CaesarThe First Emperor 27BCE-AD14The First Emperor 27BCE-AD14

• Under Augustus, Rome moves from a republic to empire

• In 27 BCE the Senate named him Augustus Caesar

• Power no longer resided with citizens, but a single ruler

• Rome enjoys 200 years of peace and prosperity known as Pax Romana

• Pax Romana• Disaster and Power

Octavian AugustusOctavian AugustusThe First EmperorThe First Emperor

• Augustus Caesar – Created a lasting system of government

– Glorified Rome with beautiful public buildings

– Set up a civil service to administer the empire

• Senate becomes “rubber stamp.” De facto power held by emperor

• Rise of Imperial cult

Pax RomanaPax Romana 27 BCE – AD180 27 BCE – AD180Pax RomanaPax Romana 27 BCE – AD180 27 BCE – AD180

The First Roman Dynasty The First Roman Dynasty Julo-Claudian EmperorsJulo-Claudian Emperors

The First Roman Dynasty The First Roman Dynasty Julo-Claudian EmperorsJulo-Claudian Emperors

The First Roman Dynasty The First Roman Dynasty Julio-Claudian EmperorsJulio-Claudian Emperors

• Julio-Claudian Emperors rule for nearly a century

• Julius Caesar, nephew Augustus, stepson Tiberius, nephew and stepson Caligula, uncle Claudius Claudius and Empire, and adopted son Nero (child of Agrippina)

• The Roman Empire PBS

The Extent of the Roman EmpireThe Extent of the Roman EmpireThe Extent of the Roman EmpireThe Extent of the Roman Empire

Imperial Roman Road SystemImperial Roman Road SystemImperial Roman Road SystemImperial Roman Road System

““May he be luckier than Augustus and May he be luckier than Augustus and better than Trajan"better than Trajan"

• Expansion reached its zenith under the Emperor Trajan 98-117 (second of the so-called Five Good Emperors. At its peak, the Empire controlled approximately 6,500,000 km² of land surface. Because of its vast extent and long endurance, Roman influence upon the language, religion, architecture, philosophy, law, and government of nations around the world lasts to this day

Roman EmperorsRoman Emperors

• Principate 27 BC – 235 · Augustus · Tiberius · Caligula · Claudius · Nero · Galba · Otho · Vitellius · Vespasian · Titus · Domitian · Nerva · Trajan · Hadrian · Antoninus Pius · Marcus Aurelius with Lucius Verus · Commodus · Pertinax · Didius Julianus · Septimius Severus · Caracalla · Geta · Macrinus with Diadumenian · Elagabalus · Alexander Severus

• Crisis 235–284 · Maximinus Thrax · Gordian I and Gordian II · Pupienus and Balbinus · Gordian III · Philip the Arab · Decius with Herennius Etruscus · Hostilian · Trebonianus Gallus with Volusianus · Aemilianus · Valerian · Gallienus · Claudius Gothicus · Quintillus · Aurelian · Tacitus · Florianus · Probus · Carus · Carinus · Numerian

• Dominate· 284–395 · Diocletian · Maximian · Constantius Chlorus · Galerius · Severus · Maxentius · Maximinus Daia · Licinius with Valerius Valens and Martinianus · Constantine I · Constantine II · Constans I · Constantius II · Julian the Apostate · Jovian · Valentinian I · Valens · Gratian · Valentinian II · Theodosius I

Marcus Aurelius and the Decline of the Marcus Aurelius and the Decline of the Roman EmpireRoman Empire

• Pax Romana ends in A.D. 180 with death of emperorMarcus Aurelius 161-180. Subsequent emperors are unable to govern and defend the immense empire

• A Stoic philosopher, Aurelius' work Meditations written in Greek while on campaign between 170 and 180, is still revered as a literary monument to a government of service and duty

• Succeeded by his son Commodus, a real trip…and the beginning of the end of the Roman Empire

Decline of the Roman EmpireDecline of the Roman Empire

• Economic Turmoil

– Overworked soil, war-torn farmland leads to food shortages

– Hostile tribes outside the empire disrupt trade

– Inflation weakens trade

• By third century A.D. (200s) Roman military in trouble. Soldiers loyal to commanders, not Rome; commanders fighting for throne

• Mercenaries hired to fight and defend empire

The Empire in CrisisThe Empire in CrisisThe Empire in CrisisThe Empire in Crisis

Diocletian Splits the Empire in TwoDiocletian Splits the Empire in Two

• In AD284 Emperor Diocletian restores order, divides empire in two, eastern and western empire with two emperors, one in Greek-speaking East, the other in Latin-speaking West

• Diocletian retires 304, rivals compete for power

Decline of the Roman EmpireDecline of the Roman Empire

• Constantine becomes emperor of Western Empire in 312. First Christian emperor

• Seizes Eastern Empire in 324 and moves Roman capital to Byzantium. eventually renamed Constantinople

• Istanbul (Not Constantinople) They Might Be Giants

The End of the Roman EmpireThe End of the Roman Empire

• Theodosius was the last emperor of semi-unified Roman Empire 395

• Mongol nomads from Asia, the Huns, invade northern borders of empire. Germanic tribes flee Huns, enter Roman lands and sack Rome AD410

• Attila the Hun unites the Huns in 444 and plunders 70 cities in East. Attacks Rome in 452, famine and disease prevents victory

• The last Roman emperor falls to Germans in 476; end of Western Empire

• East thrives for another thousand years (Byzantine Empire)

Barbarian Invasions 4Barbarian Invasions 4thth-5-5thth Century CenturyBarbarian Invasions 4Barbarian Invasions 4thth-5-5thth Century Century