The Good the Bad and the Just Plain

The Good, the Bad and the Just Plain Strange Rome’s Best and Worst Emperors

After Agustus Caesar died… The Julian-Claudians took the throne, they were some of the worst rulers Tiberius l Caligula l Nero l

Tiberius 14 -37 AD Stepson of Octavian Married step-sister (Octavian’s daughter) Exiled himself Possibly murdered nephew Killed most of family Incest

Caligula (Great Nephew of Tiberius; adopted grandson) 37 -41 Mentally disturbed Many wives Incest with sisters Heavy taxation Brothel Assassinated-so were his wife and daughter Succeeded by Claudius (Uncle)

Nero 54 -68 (Great nephew to Claudius) Good administrator but vicious Murdered many Persecuted Christians Attempted to murder mother X 6 Murdered ex-wives Murdered Christians Committed suicide

The Good Emperors Gradually peace came about under the “Good Emperors” l l l Nerva Trajan Hadrian Antoninus Pius Marcus Aurelius During their rules the empire increased in size and wealth.

Nerva 96 -98 (served under Nero and following emperor) Began choosing heir Oath – wouldn’t execute Senators Released innocent prisoners and exiles Loans+5% interest = support needed children No gold/silver statues

Trajan 98 -117(adopted son of Nerva) Empire reached its greatest extent Undertook vast building program Social welfare grew

Hadrian 117 -138 (second cousin of Trajan) Consolidated earlier conquests Reorganized the bureaucracy

Antoninus Pius 138 -161 (son in law of Hadrian) Reign largely a period of peace and prosperity

Marcus Aurelius 161 -180 Brought empire to height of economic prosperity Defeated invaders Wrote philosophy

Diocletian 245 -313 Doubled size of Roman armies Claimed descent from gods Persecuted Christians Divided empire into East and West

Constantine 285 -337 1 st Christian emperor Legalized Christianity Reunited East and West Moved capital and renamed Constantinople