Download AUGUSTUS and His Successors

AUGUSTUS and His Successors
Augustus, the first emperor of Rome, was a capable leader who did much to benefit
Rome. However all of his immediate successors were not the greatest leaders. They
included some of the most infamous and notorious leaders of all time.
Tiberius 14 AD - 37 AD
Caligula 37 AD - 41 AD
Caudius 41 AD - 54 AD
Nero 54- 68 AD
After Nero’s death Rome would eventually come under the rule of some great
emperors.
Known as the “Good emperors”
They included :
Nerva
Trajan
Hadrian
Antoninus Pius
Marcus Aurelius
All these rulers though would be part of Rome’s greatest period of peace and
prosperity.
THE PAX ROMANA (31 B.C - 180 A.D.)
The roughly two hundred year period that began with Augustus’ rule and ended with
Marcus Aurelius’ death in 180 ad. came to be known as the Pax Romana or Roman
Peace.
During this Period Rome:
- Had great economic growth
- Expanded their borders
- Became more united as an empire
- contributed some of its greatest cultural achievements
The Pax Romana would impact Rome in four major ways.
Economic Impact
Rome’s economy was greatly strengthened during the Pax Romana. Rome was able to
greatly increase its ability to trade. to do this first they established a uniform system of
currency. This way all parts of the provinces had one form of money that they knew the
value of.
To further increase trade throughout its large empire it had to improve its roads and the
safety of those who ventured into the provinces.
Rome excelled in road building and constructed many roads to connect to its most
famous road The Appian Way. During the Pax Romana, Rome built over 50,000 miles
of roads that connected its large empire.
Political Impact
During the Pax Romana, Rome would see a great change in its government. Rome’s
territory was now considered to be part of a large empire, under the rule of an emperor
with absolute authority.
The emperor would still need a great deal of assistance to have his policies carried out.
To meet this need Rome created a civil service system, where jobs would go to the
most capable people rather than be given out as favors to others.
However, there would be some other key changes in government.
More rights for those in the provinces
Augustus wanted to make sure that the people in the provinces had a role in the
government so that the empire would be more united. To do this Rome:
-allowed foreigners to serve in the Roman Army for the first time
-created a universal law code for the empire
Social Impact
Rome’s economy prospered during the Pax Romana. In general standards of living
went up. A true middle class started to develop in Rome as more Plebeians started to
acquire wealth. This led to much more stability among the social classes. With fewer
Plebeians living in poverty, and more available opportunities the Plebeians had less to
be upset about.
In addition, the government took great steps to try to make the lives of the poor a little
less miserable. Rome began to have public shows ad free entertainment at places like
the colosseum and circus maximus.
The circus maximus: A large chariot track that could seat 150,000 spectators
Artistic/Scientific Impact
During the Pax Romana the Romans made a number of key contributions in the areas
of learning.
Science/Technology/Architecture
The Romans used a key architectural design, The Roman Arch, to create public
buildings and projects.
They built structures used to move water over large areas of land called Aqueducts.
The Segovia Aqueduct
In addition they built better roads that lasted longer and were easier to travel on than
older roads.
Some key examples of Roman Architecture
The Colosseum (below): Host to Gladiator Battles and other public entertainment
Now
Then
The Pantheon (below): A temple dedicated to all the roman gods and built from a
breakthrough construction material: Concrete.
The Forum: Rome’s center for Trade and Politics
The Arch of Titus: A large arch remembering a Roman military victory over the
Hebrews
More Scientific Achievements
Astronomy
Ptolemy: Famous Egyptian Astronomer, his work on planetary motion would be of great
use to later astronomers .
Health and Medicine
Rome focused heavily on public health as well. The Romans constructed:
-public baths
-a public water system
-Medical Schools
Language/Literature
Latin: the official language of the Romans
- influenced many languages that developed in Europe.
- the Romance or Romantic Languages include : Romanian, Italian, French, Spanish,
and Portuguese.
Perhaps the greatest piece of Roman Literature Virgil’s The Aeneid was written during
the
Pax Romana. It is very similar to the Oddysey as it tells of one soldier, Aeneas, and his
return from the Trojan War. He eventually becomes the foundation for Latin civilization
and
Rome.
Click Here for a Link to a summary of the Aeneid