Five Good Emperors and Beyond

1. Five Good Emperors and Beyond Does good leadership make a difference?

2. Rebellion • After the death of Nero provinces declared their own commanders emperor • For a yr commanders from the East and the West claimed power • Galba, Otho, and Vitellius all were emperors in one yr

3. Vespasian • Son of middle class Italians, father auctioneer, served all over the empire and gained experience under Julio-Claudian emperors, Nero’s companion, put in charge of stopping Jewish rebellion in Palestine, in process of destroying Jerusalem when Nero murdered by guards, stayed in Alexandria to secure Egypt • Left Titus in charge of destroying Jerusalem and the Jewish rebels who hid at Masada • Once emperor determined, practical and down to earth • Restored Rome through Public works, most famous was a new theatre called the Coliseum built on Nero’s lake of the palace • Put down rebellion all over the empire, extended citizens rights, promoted urbanization by building huge apartment complexes • Promoted his son and other to important positions, kicked intellectuals who criticized him out of Rome • When he died he had prepared for a smooth transition to Titus

4. Titus • Titus son of Vespasian, considered wild, immoderate and had been the one who did the dirty work of Vespasian • He fell in love with Bernice a Judean woman he had met while destroying Jerusalem, brought her to Rome, she hate Rome and forced Titus to break it off • Better emperor than heir, kind, compassionate, fair, intelligent and respected the office of emperor • Vesuvius exploded under his rule destroying Pompeii and Herculaneum, provided disaster relief and visited area, another fire in Rome, rebuilt bigger and better w/ public celebrations, quarantined sections of Italy as the plague began to spread • After 2yrs suddenly died, dying word I have made only one mistake.

5. Domitian • Rome unprepared for Titus’s death, no children or heir, his brother Domitian filled the gap, had ruled Rome after the death of Vitellius until Vespasian could rule • Terrible reputation, yet administered empire well, completed father’s and brother’s projects, put on extravagant games at the Coliseum suppressed rebellions, expanded empire • Many public works like roads, palaces, and settlements built without raising taxes • Acted arrogant and paraded around in royal garb at his palace and royal court • Championed Rome’s religion and attacked anything that was opposed to it, attacking Judaism and Christianity • Became paranoid, saw conspiracies everywhere, his wife, the palace guards , servants and high ranking senators all killed him in his bedroom, Rome celebrated by pulling down his statues

6. Nerva • An aging senator without an heir made emperor • Unable to maintain order • Military discontent • Revolt broke out, soldiers pushed past Nerva and killed Domitian’s killers • Adopted Trajan, governor of Germany, giving him the title father of the country, lived out life (months) in peace

7. Trajan • One of Rome’s most influential and popular emperors, ruled 20 yrs, military conquests, good gov’t, good relations w/ senate and good attitude • 1st emperor born outside of Italy, in Spain, after Nerva’s death spent 2yrs securing the northern borders • Created public assistance for poor children, rebuilt the forum (market) with large buildings, 2 libraries, brought in luxury goods from all over the empire, food, spices, and rare hides • Many military conquests, fell ill trying to put down rebellion in East, put Hadrian in charge and died of a stroke

8. Hadrian • Rose through connections in Trajan’s family, relationship w/ Trajan’s wife who really adopted him • Followed popular Trajan and cleaned up his messes, stabilized Rome, built defenses on borders like Hadrian’s wall in Britannia • Admired the Greeks so he wore a beard like a Greek, Studied Greek literature and gave privilege to Athens, Started another revolt in Jerusalem by building a temple to Jupiter where Solomon’s temple once stood • Cranky, strict disciplinarian, lived out last yrs in a Palace Tivoli suffering from a medical ailment that caused him to try to commit suicide • Died of natural causes

9. Antoninus Pius • Hadrian’s successor from a prominent family , little administrative or military experience, 51 and chosen to maintain order till Hadrian's nephew Marcus Aurelius was ready • Fair, judicious, good looking, well spoken, even tempered and unpretentious, loved ruling from his country estate, ruled 23 yrs , never left Italy, no major wars, military thinned out

10. Marcus Aurellius • Known as the philosopher emperor, wrote a stoic journal called Meditations • Travelled with Hadrian in battle • Requested that good friend Varus be made co-emperor • Persecuted Christians as a secretive cult, heard law cases, painful medical conditions led to drug addiction, died in Vienna

11. Emperors Continue • Commodus , Marcus Aurelius’s son next Gladiator movie about him, loved sex and sports, killed by senators and favorite concubine • Pertinax a 66 yr old senator who reluctantly to emperor, tried to bring finances in line, emperor 87 days • Severi –Septimus,Caracalla, Geta, Macrinus, Elagabalus and Alexander rule Rome with ever increasing failure, more money lost, legions unhappy, borders shrinking