Roman History                                                                                                back to Rome page

The  Pax Romana 27 BC - 180 AD

Octavian starts this period of Roman history as he accepts the royal name of Augustus. He preferred the name PRINCIP meaning first among equals and this period can be known as the PRINCIPATE. Augustus made a determined effort to restore religion to a place of importance by rebuilding temples and reviving religious festivals.

Other leaders of this period were Tiberius  (AD 14 - 37) who was the hand picked successor to Augustus. Jesus was crucified in Palestine (AD 33) during his reign.

Caligula (AD37 - 41) was a very irrational and mentally imbalanced leader who was eventually assassinated. Also Claudius (41 - 54) was put in power after the death of Caligula by the praetorian guard. He was a leader who was dominated by his wife and eventually poisoned by one of them. He conquered part of Britian and gave citizenship to the Gauls (French).

Nero who has already been mentioned in these notes ruled from (54 - 68). He eventually committed suicide. Vespasian (69 - 79) took over the rule of Rome after the 3 leaders who preceeded him lasted less than a year. He started to build the Coliseum. Titus (79 - 81) was Vespasian's son and ruled for 2 years. Domitian was an absolute ruler who believed in Emperor worship and called himself DOMINUS et DEUS meaning lord and god. He was a little paranoid and believed there were always groups plotting to kill him. He was assissinated by his wife in 96 AD

FIVE GOOD EMPERORS OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

NERVA (96 - 98) He was appointed by the senate. He did not have the support of the army and was forced to accept the next emperor from within his army.

TRAJAN (98 - 117) He came from Spain. He conquered Rumania and Armenia

HADRIAN (117 - 138) He built many military enforcements and put down revolts by the Jewish inhabitants of parts of the empire. He took all the Roman laws and made them into one unified code of laws.

ANTONIUS PIUS (138 - 161) He was a devoted follower of Hadrian and was granted the name PIUS. He was very interested in law and brought about the principle of equity or money payments for crimes.

MARCUS AURELIUS (161 - 180) He was a scholar and was not meant to be a ruler of an empire. He expanded the Roman empire into Germany and stopped the Parthians in northern Mesopotamia. The empire declined after his death and the next era marked by deaths, assassinations and brutality.s