Untitled Flashcards Set

JULIO-CLAUDIAN DYNASTY (27 A.D.-68 A.D.) o Augustus (27 B.C. – 14 A.D.)  Celebrated a triple triumph in 29 B.C.  Given the name Augustus by the Senate in 27 B.C., usually marks the beginning of the empire  Established the Principate  princeps senatus / princeps civitatis (first amongst the senators, viz., amongst the citizens)  Augustus actually relinquished his control to the senate, but retained the tribunicia potestas and maius imperium proconsulare  Extended the boundaries of the empire, annexing Egypt  Received the title “Pater Patriae” in 2 B.C.  Disaster at Teutoberg Forest  3 legions defeated under the command of Quinctilius Varus  defeated by Arminius (of the Cherusci)  Established the praetorian guard  Said to have “found Rome a city of brick, left it a city of marble”  Built the Forum of Augustus  Had Temple to Mars Ultor  Agrippa built the Pantheon and Baths of Agrippa  3 wives, 2 of significance – Scribonia (2nd), with whom he had Julia, and then Livia (3rd), mother of Tiberius  Heirs  First heir and nephew, Marcellus, died in 23 B.C.  Marcus Agrippa and Augustus’ daughter, Julia, had five kids o Lucius Caesar, Gaius Caesar, Agrippina the Elder, Julia the Yonger, Agrippa Postumus  Lucius Caesar and Gaius Caesar were adopted by Augustus, but died in 2 and 4 A.D. respectively  Tiberius (emperor) forced to divorce his beloved wife Vipsania to marry Julia (Elder)  Augustus died at Nola, his ashes placed in his mausoleum o Tiberius (14 A.D.-37 A.D.)  Had been a successful general under Augustus  He was characterized as gloomy, never really desiring to be emperor, and jealous of a fellow general, his nephew and adoptive son, Germanicus  Germanicus celebrated a triumph in 17 A.D. o Germanicus dies in 19 A.D., said to have been poisoned by the governor of Syria, Calpurnius Piso (who then killed himself)  Had exiled himself to Rhodes in 6 B.C. (Augustus still emperor)  Aelius Sejanus  Becomes Praetorian Prefect in 15 A.D. 15  Tiberius goes to his villa on the island of Capri in 26 A.D., never to return  Livia dies in 29 B.C. – Tiberius does not attend her funeral  Sejanus tries to kill or exile all members of the family of Agrippina the Elder – his villainy is eventually halted in 31 B.C. when he was summoned to the senate and killed  Sutorius Macro replaces Sejanus as Praetorian Prefect  The at one time hesitant Tiberius has no problem conducting mass treason trials prosecuting those connected to Sejanus  Two candidates to be the next emperor – Tiberius Gemellus, grandson of the emperor, or Caligula, a son of Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder  Caligula made quaestor, Gemellus executed by Caligula at the beginning of his reign  Tiberius died, his ashes placed in the Mausoleum of Augustus o Caligula (37 A.D.- 41 A.D.)  Caligula means “little boot”  Known for the fake invasion of Britain – commanded his soldiers to collect seashells along the English channel (on the coast of France. His army never reached Britain).  His favorite horse was named Incitatus, whom he attempted to make consul or a senator  Caligula's reign was short, he was killed by a member of the praetorian guard, Cassius Chaerea  The senate used Caligula’s assassinations to try and restore the Republic  Claudius, the uncle of Caligula, was found hiding behind a curtain in the imperial palace by the Praetorian Guard who then hailed him as Emperor.  Caligula’s ashes eventually placed in the Mausoleum of Augustus o Claudius (41 A.D.-54 A.D.)  Said to have been lame or handicapped (Cerebral Palsay)  First emperor born outside of Italy (Cisalpine Gaul)  Was the son of Nero Claudius Drusus and Antonia Minor, brother of Germanicus  Completed the annexation of Mauretania  The general Suetonius Paulinus put down the rebellions (41 A.D.)  Conquered Thrace and began the conquest of Britain.  The general Aulus Plautius led the invasion of Britain  Built two aqueducts, the Aqua Claudia, begun by Caligula, and the Anio Novus  Celebrated Rome’s 800th anniversary in 47 A.D.  Controlling freedmen  Narcissus was the secretary of correspondence, Pallas became the secretary of the treasury, Callistus became secretary of justice  Valeria Messalina 16  Manipulative and promiscuous third wife of Claudius who bore him a son, Britannicus  She was killed by the Praetorians in 48 A.D. after a supposed conspiracy against Claudius with one of her lovers, C. Silius  Agrippina the Younger  Daughter of Germanicus, sister of Caligula  Fourth wife of Claudius who had a son by another man (Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus) – named Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus – better known as Nero  Claudius adopted Nero, makes him joint heir with Britannicus  Death of Claudius  Poisoned at dinner with a dish of mushrooms at the instigation of Agrippina the Younger o Poisons were made by Locusta  Ashes placed in Mausoleum of Augustus o Nero (54 A.D.-68 A.D.)  Nephew of Caligula  Had Britannicus poisoned (55 B.C.)  Early reign considered stable  Influenced by tutor Seneca the Younger and Praetorian Prefect Afranius Burrus  Had his mother Agrippina murdered (59 B.C.)  Banished and then brutally killed his first wife Octavia  Burrus dies in 62 B.C., replaced by the much “darker minded” Tigellinus and then Nymphidius Sabinus, who supports Galba against Nero  Great Fire (64 B.C.)  Said to have “fiddled” while Rome burned  Built his Domus Aurea (Golden House)  Prosecution of Christians  Parthia and Armenia  The general Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo restores order  Revolt of Boudicca (60 A.D.-61 A.D.)  Queen Boudicca of the Iceni (tribe) revolts in Britain, put down by Suetonius Paulinus  Jewish Revolt (66 A.D.-70 A.D.)  Vespasian is sent to restore order  Participated in Olympic games, bribing the judges to win  Pisonian Conspiracy (65 A.D.)  Conspiracy against Nero’s life led by Calpurnius Piso  Death  Committed suicide in 68 A.D. - EMPERORS OF 69 A.D. o Galba  Governor of Hispania Tarraconensis 17  Was supported by Julius Vindex, governor of Gallia Lugdunensis, who revolted against Nero and supported Galba as new emperor  Verginius Rufus, commander in Germania Superior, put down the Vindex Revolt  Ruled starting in summer 68, was killed by the Praetorian Guard on Jan.15, 69 A.D. o Otho  Former Governor of Lusitania (modern Portugal)  Ruled in the early part of 69  Defeated at the First Battle of Cremona (Bedriacum) by the forces of Vitellius, commanded by Valens and Caecina  Killed himself o Vitellius  Commander of the forces in Germania Inferior  Vespasian, commander of the Roman forces in Judaea, gains support  Supported by governor of Syria, Licinius Mucianus  Vespasian’s commander, Antonius Primus, defeats Vitellius at the Second Battle of Cremona (Bedriacum)  Was killed when Vespasian’s troops entered Rome - FLAVIAN DYNASTY (69 A.D. – 96 A.D.) o Vespasian (69 A.D.-79 A.D.)  Came out of the year 69 A.D. victorious  Had been a soldier in Britain under Claudius, commanded the Judean forces against Jewish revolts  Placed an unpopular a tax on public toilet use (the toilets were called Vespasiani, “Vespasians”)  Began construction on the Flavian Amphitheater “The Colosseum”  On his death, said to have proclaimed "Vae, puto deus fio," - "Alas, I think I'm becoming a god!"  Made Julius Agricola governor of Britain o Titus (79 A.D.-81 A.D.)  Son of Vespasian  Fought for his father in Judaea  sacked the city of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.  served as Vespasian’s Praetorian Prefect  Carried on a controversial affair with a Jewish prince, Berenice  Had to deal with several disasters during his short reign  Mt. Vesuvius erupts in August 79 A.D., destroying Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Stabiae  A fire breaks out in 80 A.D.  A plague struck during the fire  Finished the Colosseum begun by Vespasian  Began a temple to himself and his father Vespasian  Died of the plague 18 o Domitian (81 A.D.-96 A.D.)  Younger son of Vespasian, brother of Titus  Completed the Arch of Titus on the Via Sacra, commemorating Titus’ Judean victories  Completed the Temple of Vespasian and Titus  Gave himself the title “Dominus et Deus”  Fought against the Dacians under their King Decebalus, losing and then winning a battle at Tapae, but never capturing the capital Sarmizegethusa  His wife, Domitia conspired against him; and a palace slave named Stephanus stabbed him  Suffered from Damnatio Memoriae - FIVE GOOD EMPERORS ERA (96 A.D. – 193 A.D.) o Nerva (96 A.D.-98 A.D.)  Chosen by the senate to be emperor after Domitian’s death  Was basically forced to adopt Trajan as his heir  This establishes the idea of cooptation – adopting someone to be your heir, not just a blood relative o Trajan (98 A.D.-117 A.D.)  Born in Italica in Spain  Considered one of the greatest Roman emperors, under him Rome reached its greatest territorial extent  His wife was Plotina  Conquered Dacians led by King Decebalus adding Dacia to the empire (106)  Trajan’s column commemorates his victories there – it is built in Trajan’s forum  Fought the Parthians, sacking their capital city Ctesiphon, adding Armenia and Mesopotamia to the empire (116)  Given the title of “optimus princeps” by the senate  Died of a stroke in 117 A.D. o Hadrian (117 A.D.-138 A.D.)  Born in Italica in Spain  Adopted son of Trajan (Hadrian was Trajan’s cousin)  Established a wall in Britain built from the River Tyne to the Solway Firth  Re-built the Pantheon  Was a big admirer of Greek culture (called “Graeculus” – “the Greekling”)  Spent the first part of his reign going on a large tour of the empire  His wife was Sabina  Attempted to place a statue of Jupiter Optimus Maximus in the temple mount in Jerusalem, which sparked the Second Judean Revolt  Suppressed the Jewish revolt in Judaea led by Simon Bar Kokhba (136)  Ashes placed in Mausoleum of Hadrian (the Castel Saint’ Angelo) o Antoninus Pius (138 A.D.-161 A.D.)  Gained the name Pius because he encouraged the senate to deify Hadrian  Married Faustina the Elder 19  Celebrated Rome’s 900th anniversary  Established a wall in Scotland, north of Hadrian’s Wall  Ashes placed in Mausoleum of Hadrian  Of the Five Good Emperors, he ruled the longest o Marcus Aurelius (161 A.D.-180 AD.)/Lucius Verus (161 A.D.-169 A.D.)  Marcus Aurelius was also a stoic philosopher  Wrote a work, the Meditations  Idea of being a “philosopher-king”  His general (Avidius Cassius) captured Ctesiphon in Parthia (164)  Fought against the fought the Marcomanni, Quadi, and Iazyges  His wife was Faustina the Younger  Was the last of the five good emperors  Died at Vindabona, modern Vienna  Lucius Verus co-ruled with him peacefully before dying in 169 A.D. o Commodus (180 A.D.-192 A.D.)  Was made Caesar under Marcus Aurelius in 177 B.C.  Was the blood son of Marcus Aurelius  His sister was Lucilla, his mistress Marcia  Imitated Hercules  Had a praetorian prefect, Cleander, who sold the imperial offices to the highest bidders  Often fought within the gladiatorial games  Changed the name of Rome to Colonia Commodiana  Reign was marked by lavish brothels and general upheaval  Was killed on New Year’s Eve, 192 A.D. in a conspiracy involving the praetorian prefect Aemilius Laetus who had Marcia poison him; when Commodus threw up the poison, his wrestling coach Narcissus strangled him to death o Pertinax (193 A.D.)  Brought to the praetorian camp by the conspirators who had killed Commodus and was proclaimed emperor the day after the assassination o Didius Julianus (193 A.D.)  Literally won the imperial thrown when he outbid a rival (Sulpicianus)  He paid each member of the Praetorian Guard 25,000 sesterces - SEVERAN DYNASTY (193 A.D.-235 A.D.) o Septimius Severus (193 A.D.-211 A.D.)  Born in Leptis Magna in the province of Africa  Had a powerful and influential wife, Julia Domna  Opened the ranks of the Praetorian Guard to provincials; he also filled up the Praetorian Guard with his own, loyal troops  Went east to Syria where he crushed his rival there, Pescennius Niger at the battle of Issus (194), then moved back west and defeated Clodius Albinus (whom Severus had made Caesar so he could focus on Niger) at Lugdunum (197) 20  Made war with the Parthians and captured Ctesiphon in 198 A.D.  Built The Arch of Septimius Severus to commemorate his and his sons victories over the Parthians (203 B.C.)  Died in Eboracum (York) in 211 A.D. o Caracalla (211 A.D.-217 AD.) Geta (211 A.D.)  Sons of Septimius Severus and Julia Domna who took control of the empire  Caracalla had Geta killed by the end of 211  Geta suffers Damnatio Memoriae  Established the Constitutio Antoniniana, granting citizenship to all freedmen throughout the empire  Built the extensive and magnificent “Baths of Caracalla”  Assassinated near Carrhae at the instigation of the praetorian prefect, Macrinus o Marcinus (217 A.D.-218 A.D.)  Was not actually part of the Severan family  First non-senator (or was never of senatorial rank) to become emperor  Was of “Moorish” decent o Elagabalus (218 A.D.-222 A.D.)  Was the son of Julia Soaemias, niece of Julia Domna  Worshiped the sun God ‘Sol Invictus’  Also forced people to worship a black stone from Syria which he placed in the newly built Elagabalium on the Palatine Hill o Severus Alexander (222 A.D.-235 A.D.)  Last of the Severan emperors, was the cousin of Elagabalus  His grandmother Julia Maesa and his mother Julia Mamaea had great power  Was killed by soldiers of Maximinus Thrax, ushering in the era of the Barracks Emperors - BARRACKS EMPERORS (235-284 A.D.) o During this time period, Rome saw many emperors with short reigns o Maximinus Thrax (235 A.D.-238 A.D.)  Thracian soldier who succeeded Alexander Severus, was one of the “6 emperors” of 238 A.D.  Gordion I, Gordion II, Gordion III, Puppienus + Balbinus were the five others of 238 o Gordion III (238 A.D.-244 A.D.)  Lived through 238 and became Rome’s sole emperor o Phillip The Arab (244 A.D.-249 A.D.)  Celebrated Rome’s 1000th anniversary o Decius (249-251 A.D.)  Known for his harsh prosecution of the Christians  First emperor killed in battle o Valerian (253 A.D.-260 A.D.)  Captured by The Persians under Shapur I o Gallienus (253 A.D.-268 A.D.)  Son of Valerian 21  During his reign, The Gallic Empire is established by Postumus (260) independent of the Roman Empire; at its height it contains Germania, Gaul, Britannia, and Hispania o Aurelian (270 A.D.-275 A.D.)  Received the title Restitutor Orientis ("Restorer of the East") after defeating Zenobia and restoring her Palmyrene Empire in 273  Her son Vabalathus had been made king  Received the title Restitutor Orbis ("Restorer of the World") for defeating Tetricus of the Gallic Empire in 274. - TETRACHY, CONSTANTINE, AND FALL (284 A.D.-476 A.D.) o Diocletian (284 A.D.-305 A.D)  Dalmatian peasant whose reign marks the end of the Barracks Emperors  Initiated the Tetrarchy in Rome in which the empire was ruled by 4 people, two of them holding the title of Augustus, two of them holding the title of Caesar (293 A.D.)  Diocletian was Augustus in the East, his Caesar was Galerius  Maximian was Augutus in the West, his Caesar was Contantius Chlorus  His patron god was Jove (Juppiter)  Established the Edict On Maximum Prices  Established the Baths of Diocletian  Maximian and Diocletian jointly abdicate from the throne on May 1st, 305 A.D.  Retired to Salona (Split), modern day Croatia o Constantine I (The Great) (306 A.D.-337 A.D.)  Son of the Caesar in the west, Constantius Chlorus – he was proclaimed emperor in Eboracum (York) when his father died  Fought in several wars that developed after the fall of the first tetrarchy  Defeated Maxentius (son of Maximian) at the Milvian Bridge in 312 A.D. o Looked up to the sun and saw a cross of light above it, saw the words "in hoc signo vinces," both phrases have the literal meaning "In this sign,[you shall] conquer;", used on shields  After Milvian Bridge, Constantine had full control of the west and Licinius had control of the east  Constantine eventually defeated Licinius in 324 A.D. and was emperor of the whole empire  Constantine issued the Edict of Milan that legalized Christianity across the whole Empire  Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.) – resolves the Arian controversy  Constantinople (former Byzantium) became the capital of the empire in 330 A.D.  Is famously known as the first emperor to convert to Christianity  Was baptized shortly before his death in 337 A.D. 22 o After Constantine’s death, his three sons split the empire o Julian (360 A.D.-363 A.D.)  Known at the apostate because he tried to restore paganism throughout the empire o Valentinian I (364 A.D.-375 A.D. in the west) o Valens (364 A.D.-378 A.D. in the east)  Killed at the Battle of Adrianople (378), crushing defeat for the Romans against the Ostrogoths o After their father Valentinian I, Gratian, Valentinian II rule in the west o Theodosius I (379 A.D.-395 A.D. in east; 392 A.D.-395 A.D. in all empire)  Was the last emperor to rule both the east and the west  Made Christianity the official state religion of the empire  When he died, his sons split the empire; Honorius ruled in the west and Arcadius ruled in the east o Valentinian III (425 A.D.-455 A.D. in the west) o Theodosius II (408 A.D.-450 A.D. in the east) o Romulus Augustulus (475 A.D.-476 A.D.)  Orestes, his father, placed him on the throne  Traditionally known as the last emperor in the west  Deposed by the German king Odoacer in September 476