Succession of Emperors Flashcards
What happened in the first 3 centuries AD?
- Very little
- Augustus died in AD 14
- Pax Romana (Roman Peace)
- Political freedom was sacrificed as the regime was dominated by the emperor (enormous amount hinges on personality of the emperor)
What happens after Augustus?
- Adopts Tiberius (rather than stepson)
- Julio-Claudian Dynasty until 68 AD
Attributes of Julio-Claudia Dynasty
- All family members
- Lots of Antony’s blood (many descendants from two daughters he had with Octavia)
- Gaius (Caligula), Claudius, Nero
What happened with Nero?
- Not interest in having serious empire (lost people’s confidence)
- Movement against Nero - led by rival members of upper class (senators weren’t happy)
- Nero commits suicide in June 68
- End of Julio-Claudia Dynasty
What is the competition after Nero’s death?
- Year of the 4 emperors (4 rivals for emperor)
- Two were commanders of major groups of legions (Germany, Syria). Another had support of praetorian guard
- Winner: commander of legions in Syria called Vespasian
Characteristics of Vespasian
Not related to Nero’s family
- Down to earth, not very aristocratic
- Nomen is Flavius. Flavian Dynasty.
- Emperor in 69 (consolidates his rule)
- Dies in 79 (reigned for 10 years)
What does Vespasian try to do?
- Restore army’s loyalty (both normal and Praetorian) - got army back on track, avoided civil war, stability
What was the significance of Vespasian (non-Julio claudian) becoming emperor?
Made idea of principate more institutionalized
Who succeeds after Vespasian?
Had heir and spare (less turmoil involved)
- Titus (oldest) in 79, died in 81.
- Domitian (youngest son) - didn’t get along with upper class; assassinated in palace in 96
What happens after Domitian’s assassination?
He doesn’t have a son, so Senate appoints Nerva (oldest Senator)
- Domitian picks senator Trajan (commander of legions in Germany; tough, young; from Spain, outside Italy); first time from out of Italy
What happens to Nerva?
Nerva dies in bed, chooses Trajan (emperor in 98)
What is the line of emperors (who don’t have sons)?
- Trajan adopts Hadrian.
- Hadrian adopts Antoninus and Marcus Aurelius (Antonine Dynasty)
- Aurelius dies in 180; appoints son Commodus who is not stable (last few years, they co-reign)
- own staff assassinate Commodus
What happens after Commodus?
- On New Years Day 193, big showdown between Septimius Severus and commander in Syria
Septimius
- Took 4 years for Septimius assert himself and eliminate rival in Syria (Severan Dynasty)
- Many supporters had supported Septimius’ rival, so when Septimius won, his relationship with Senate wasn’t favorable
- Assassinated in 235
Who succeeded Septimius?
His son Caracalla
Did Augustus or successors change setup?
- More equites, but not much difference in bureaucracy
- Saw Augustus as example (didn’t want high distinctions; wanted to be approachable/popular; administration was devolved from communities)
What kind of peace does Augustus want?
Parta victorias pax - peace produced by victory.
- He wanted to campaign his peace; to outcast Pompey and Caesar
- Wanted to be a world conquerer
What did Augustus think to do in order to be a world conquerer?
- Cross Rhine River and go to Albis (Elbe) –> take over Germany and be at north end of the work
- Though he couldn’t take all of Africa and Arabia, he still claimed this - boasted that envoys from British/Indian kings asked for friendship
Where does Augustus campaign in the 20s?
- Spain (wants the north west). Last time fought was Scipio against Celtiberians at Nomantia
- Wants near the Alps (push as far as River Danube)
What other places does Augustus take?
Raetia, Noricum, Pannonia, Moesia, Illyricum (Dalmatia)
What does Augustus do in the East?
Takes over Galatia, Judaea (Israel today), Armenia (client kingdom) - didn’t want to mess with Partians
What does he claim concerning Parthia?
20 BC - Treaty with Parthians, give back standards lost by Crassus’ army –> Says he conquered Parthia
- Parthian king (of Armenia) had to be recognized by Rome
What happens when he moves against Marcomanni?
They raise people in Pannonia for a huge rebellion; spread to Germany (AD6)
- Tiberius had to deal with Northern Germany (only defeated by AD9)
What happened during the German conquest/suppression of rebellion?
German chief Arminius (knows how Romans operate) ambushes Roman governor Varus at the Teutoburg Forest (site of massacre = Kalkriese)
- Arminius catches the Romans and massacred the three legions
What does Augustus tell Tiberius when he dies?
Don’t expand the empire any further, AD 14
- Tiberius knows they won’t get Germany and leaves frontier at the Rhine (never expand past Elbe)
Who tries to get more land (in North west) after Augustus?
Claudius
What does Claudius do?
- Expand into Mauritania (client kingdom), Thrace (client kingdom), Britannia
- Gradually, Romans pushed further north in Britain (got northern England and Whales)
What does Vespasian and sons do?
- Flavians take over Agri Decumates
- have fixed frontier called “limes” - can be stone or wood, built to patrol, watch, stop invasions, control trade
how does Trajan expand?
- Two tough wars in Dacia (north of Danube); slaughtered them, depopulated the locals; populates Dacia with Romans (many non-Roman citizens come) - share Latin (Romanian has most latin; called Romance language)
- Gets Armenia
- Failed fight against Parthians
- Expands to Petra, Arabia
What happened between Trajan and Parthians?
- Goes to Ctesiphon (Parthian capital) and pushes to red see.
- Parthian backlash
- By the time he died in 117, Parthians pushed them all the way back, and all of Traja’s gains were wiped out (still had high reputation)
What does Hadrian do to expand?
- Saw that Trajan overstepped
- Built Hadrian’s Wall (across north of England) so that expansion would be stopped)
- Sets up fort on Farasan Islands to look out for piracy; good trade with Indians (pepper and silk)
Whats the creation between Lucius Verus and Marcus Aurelius?
Lucius was also adopted, co-emperor, but died at 169
- Lucius brought the black plague with him after going to Euphrates to expand
What does Marcus Aurelius do?
- Tries to make new Roman provinces in central Europe (Quadi, Iazyges), but can’t make it work
What does Commodus do?
- not mentally stable
- He does stop everything, makes peace, and goes home. Gets a bad reputation, but this might have been a good step
What does Severus do?
- Big opponent was governor of Syria
- Goes to Mesopotamia, to Ctesiphon. He captures and loots it
- Pushes Roman control from Euphrates to Tigris River. This is as far east as Roman control ever expands
- Creates two new provinces: Mesopotamia and Osroene (200 AD)
- Failed conquest of Scotland (3 years)
- Dies at York/Eburacum in 211 (failed expansion)
