First Test Memorised Material

All material that needs to be memorised for the first test (no lecture content)

Julio Claudians

• Augustus

• Tiberius

• Gaius (Caligula)

• Claudius

• Nero

Year of Four Emperors

• Galba

• Otho

• Vitellius

• Vespasian

Flavians

• Vespasian

• Titus

• Domitian

Adoptive emperors

• Nerva

• Trajan

• Hadrian

• (L. Aelius Caesar) → adopted by Hadrian and made Caesar; never Augustus

• Antoninus Pius

• Marcus Aurelius

• (Lucius Verus) → co-augustus; brother of Aurelius

• (Commodus) → not actually adopted; son/successor of Aurelius

Severans

• Septimius Severus

• Caracalla

• Geta

• Elagabalus

• Severus Alexander

Pertinax

192-193

Didius Iulianus

March-June 193

Septimius Severus

193-211

Caracalla (M. Aurelius Antoninus)

197-217

Geta

209-211

Macrinus

217-218

Elagabalus (M. Aurelius Antoninus)

218-222

Severus Alexander

222-235

Maximinus

235-238

Gordian I and II

March-April 238 (22 days)

Balbinus and Pupienus

April-August 238 (99 days)

Gordian III

238-244

Philip I

244-249

Trajan Decius

249-251

Trebonianus Gallus

251-253

Aemilian

July-Sept. 253 (88 days)

Valerian

East; 253-260

Gallienus

West; 253-268

Postumus

Gallic; 260-269

Laelianus

Gallic; Feb./March-May/June 269

Marius

Gallic; May/June-fall 269

Victorinus

Gallic; 269-271

Tetricus I

Gallic; 271-274

Claudius

268-270

Quintillus

Sept. 270 (17 days)

Aurelian

270-275

Zenobia

Palmyra; first half 272

Vaballathus

Palmyra; first half 272

Tacitus

275-276

Florianus

June-Aug. 276 (88 days)

Probus

276-282

Carus

282-283

Carinus

West; 283-285

Numerian

East; 283-284

Maximian

West; 285-305

Diocletian

East; 284-305

Carausius

Britain; 286-293

Allectus

Britain; 293-296

Order of emperors from Pertinax-Maximinus

• Pertinax

• Didius Iulianus

• Septimius Severus

• Caracalla

• Geta

• Macrinus

• Elagabalus

• Severus Alexander

• Maximinus

Order of emperors from Maximinus-Gallienus

• Maximinus

• Gordian I and II

• Balbinus and Pupienus

• Gordian III

• Philip I

• Trajan Decius

• Trebonianus Gallus

• Aemilian

• Valerian

• Gallienus

Order of Gallic emperors

• Postumus

• Laelianus

• Marius

• Victorinus

• Tetricus I

Order of emperors Gallienus-Carus

• Gallienus

• Claudius

• Quintillus

• Aurelian

• Tacitus

• Florianus

• Probus

• Carus

Emperors of Palmyra

• Zenobia

• Vaballathus

Order of emperors Carinus-Diocletian

• Carinus (W)

• Numerian (E)

• Maximian (W)

• Diocletian (E)

Emperors of Britain

• Carausius

• Allectus

Western provinces bordering central provinces (N to S)

• Germania

• Alpes

• Mauretania Caesariensis

Central provinces bordering western provinces (N to S)

• Raetia

• Italy

• Corsica

• Sardinia

• Numidia

Central provinces bordering eastern provinces (N to S)

• Moesia

• Thracia

• Achaea

• Cyrenaica

Eastern provinces bordering central provinces (N to S)

• Bithynia et Pontus

• Asia

• Lycia et Pamphylia

• Aegyptus

IMPERIUM

The power to command, give legal orders

IMPERATOR

Person with imperium → after Republic, only emperor is imperator

IMPERIUM CONSULARE

Imperium of a consul → only applies within Rome

IMPERIUM PROCONSULARE

Imperium within a specific province → doesn’t apply outside

IMPERIUM CONSULARE MAIUS

Greater power than imperium consulare → allows overruling a consul

IMPERIUM PROCONSULARE MAIUS

Greater power than imperium proconsulare → allows overruling a proconsul

TRIBUNICIA POTESTAS

Power given to Tribune of the Plebs during Republic → veto power; power to create/enforce plebeian laws; sacrosanctitas

SACROSANCTITAS

Religious designation making one inviolable, physically or otherwise

IMPERATOR CAESAR DIVI FILIUS AUGUSTUS

Title making Octavian into an emperor after First Settlement (27 B.C.)

• Caesar divi filius → son of the divine Caesar

• Augustus → revered, majestic, etc.; not yet a position, just honorary

IUS PRIMAE RELATIONIS

Right to speak first in the Senate and set the agenda

PONTIFEX MAXIMUS

Chief priest and highest religious authority

PATER PATRIAE

‘Father of the Fatherland’ → idea of being the pater familia of Rome

AUCTORITAS

Form of power relying on having influence/respect of people rather than just legal designation

PRINCEPS SENATUS

Head of the Senate → allows one to summon the Senate

CONSISTORIUM

Group under the emperor to which different aspects of power are delegated → initially appointed per emperor, later becomes professional and carries between emperors

DIES IMPERII

Ceremony where emperor is officially given power, similar to a coronation

QUINQUENNALIA

5 year anniversary of dies imperii

DECENNALIA

10 year anniversary of dies imperii

VICENNALIA

20 year anniversary of dies imperii

TRICENNALIA

30 year anniversary of dies imperii

NOBILISSIMUS PUER/PUELLA

‘Most noblest child’ → title given to child of emperor at young age

PRINCEPS IUVENTUTIS

‘Prince of the youth’ → title given to son of emperor after nobilissimus puer

CAESAR (title)

Title given to designate emperor’s successor → begins to be used as such after Trajan with more adopted heirs

ARCANA IMPERII

‘The secret of empire’ → idea that emperors don’t have to be created within Rome; coined by Tacitus; appears after Nero

PANEGYRICS

Speeches given to emperor on celebrations → usually praising them; often fantastical

PAPYRI

Term for writings on papyrus

PAPYROLOGY

Study of papyri

EPIGRAPHY

Study of inscriptions

NUMISMATICS

Study of coins

SESTERTIUS

Brass (copper/zinc) coin → main coin ~Augustus; gradually more copper-based

DENARIUS

Silver coin worth 4 sesterces → starts being watered down under Nero

AUREUS

Gold coin worth 25 denarii; 5.4g of gold

ANTONINIANUS

Billon coin worth 2 denarii → introduced by Caracalla; worth not tied to lower silver content

Billon

Mix of cheaper metals including copper, iron, and lead → usually less than 50% silver

SOLIDUS

Gold coin → 4th century