Lecture 9.The Five Good Emperors
I. Edward Gibbon Decline and Fall of the Roman
Empire
“the
condition of the human race was most happy and prosperous”
II. Marcus Cocceius Nerva (Nerva) (AD 96-98)
Senatorial;
begins principle of adoption
II. M. Ulpius Traianus (Trajan)
(98-117)
A.
Origin:Provincial (Spanish, Italica in Baetica) Military Experience
B.
Military Affairs
1. Dacian Wars:(101-2); Column;
Roads; Dacian king Decebalus defeated
(105-6); "Revolt" and Second Dacian War; new province
of Dacia lasts to 272
2. Annexation of Arabia (106)
3. Mesopotamia (115-117):Capture of capital of Ctesiphon;
title Parthicus; Chaos:Revolts in Syria; Jewish revolt
4. Greatest expansion in Roman history
C.
Building and Administration
1.
Construction:Forum of Trajan (112)
2.
Masses (Alimenta = child welfare expanded 101)
D.
Death
Ideal emperor:Optimus (Best) Princeps;
"May you be more fortunate than Augustus, and better than Trajan"
III.P. Aelius Hadrianus (Hadrian)
(117-138)
A.
Origins
Provincial
family:Italica; Military Experience
B.
Provincial Affairs
1. Quells chaos:external revolts; internal conspiracy;
massive distributions
2. Tour of the Western Provinces (121-126):Gaul, Britain
(Hadrian’s Wall), Spain, Africa, Greece
3. Tour of East (129-30):Greece, Syria, Arabia, Egypt
4. Jewish Revolt:Bar Kochba (132-135)
C.
Administration and Building
-Judicial
reform:Praetor's edict; improvements for slaves
-Construction:Pantheon;
Mausoleum; Hadrian's
Villa ("Canopus"; "Maritime
Theater")
D.
Death
Adoptions
and Succession
IV. T. Aurelius Fulvus Boionius Antoninus (Antoninus
Pius) (138-161)
Peace
and tranquility:boredom!
V. M. Aurelius Antoninus (M.
Aurelius) (161-180) / (L. Verus) (161-168)
A.
Origins
Marcus
Aurelius born at Rome of Spanish family (Baetica)
Succession
clear:First Dual Emperors
B.
Military Affairs
Chaos:Germany; Britain; Armenia
Parthian Expedition (165):L. Verus captures Ctesiphon,
but brings back plague
"Marcomannic Wars" (167-180):Column;
Germans invade territories on Danube
Revolt (175)
C.
Administration
Tremendous
cost of Warfare:Auction of imperial treasures
D.
Death:L. Verus (169); M. Aurelius (180) on Danube
VI. Trends
A.
Rise of Provincials
B.
Prosperity
C.
Signs of Trouble
