VII b. -- ALRItkwRom101Antonines.html
Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius were Gibbon's "five good Emperors". Lucius Verus was "co-emperor" to M. Aurelius, but he was decidedly secondary -- M. Aurelius was always in charge. Commodus, of course wasn't "good".Adoptive and/or Antonine Emperors (96- 192 AD)
Adoptive and/or Antonine Emperors (96- 192 AD)
These Categories overlapSome of the Antonines are counted as Adoptives, and to make it more complex some of both were counted as "The Five Good Emperors" (Gibbon's coinage)
"During a happy period of more than fourscore years, the public administration was conducted by the virtue and abilities of Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, and the two Antonines." Edward Gibbon, Decline and Fall, Ch. 1, Part 1, Para. 1 [The full text of Gibbon's Decline and Fall is on the Internet at:
http://www.ccel.org/g/gibbon/decline/index.htm.Chapters 1, 2 and 3 of Book 1 deal with the "Five Good Emperors" and Chapter 4 continues with Commodus -- the beginning of the decline.
http://www.ccel.org/g/gibbon/decline/volume1/index.htm ]
Nerva 96-98 ADShort but pivotal reignHeld posts under Nero and the Flavians
One of Domitian's "Amici" but may have been in limbo at the end
Already a sexegenarian when he takes the purple
More importantly, he's childless -- no hereditary heir
Vowed not to execute Senators
Amnesty for Domitian's political prisoners and political exiles
Great latitude to Senate
Led to chaos as Senators pursued enemies, i.e., each otherSocial reforms:Few "public works" projects due to short reign Abolished some expensive sacrifices, rituals, games
No gold or silver statues of himself
Land allotments for urban poor -- most sold quickly for the cash
Ended a 5% inheritance tax
State loans to landowners -- 5% interest to municipalities for ADCAdopted Trajan Dedicated "Forum of Nerva" after damnatio memoria of Domitian
Hired Frontinus to oversee water -- De Aquis
http://www.ukans.edu/history/index/europe/ancient_rome/E/Roman/Texts/Frontinus/De_Aquis/text*.htmlInternet Links:
http://www.roman-emperors.org/nerva.htm
http://www.ncl.ac.uk/~nclassic/research/nerva/
http://www.ualberta.ca/~csmackay/CLASS_378/Trajan.html
Trajan 98-117 AD
Perhaps Rome's most admired EmperorPliny the Younger's "Panegyricus"
Pliny-Trajan (staff?) correspondence
On duty along Danube when Senate approves his appointment
In Rome by 100 -- establishes good relations with the Senate Trajan didn't return to Rome immediately Back to the Danube front in 101 for his first Dacian War Essentially same policies as Domitian but sensitive to need to massage the Senate
Auctoritas rather than imperium(Apollodorus is his engineer and architect)
Decebalus surrenders in 102 -- Trajan wins -- becomes "Dacicus"
Decebalus recants surrender -- Second Dacian War (106) -- Decebalus suicideEconomics -- Improvement of grain suppliesTrajan's Forum and Column built with spoils
Trajan's Markets
Trajan's baths
Trajan Internet Links:
http://www.roman-emperors.org/trajan.htm
http://www.getty.edu/artsednet/resources/Trajan/index.htmlhttp://www.ualberta.ca/~csmackay/CLASS_378/Trajan.html
http://www.ualberta.ca/~csmackay/CLASS_378/Trajan.2.html
Hadrian 117-138Hadrian was raised by Trajan but not adopted until Trajan's deathNot clear that Trajan actually acted or adoption was posthumous
Proclaimed Emperor by the Syrian legions -- Senate was a rubber stamp
"Four Consuls" scandal before he returned to Rome
No proof he was complicit in their executionsPerhaps didn't return to Rome for another 11 months
Senate approved the action, perhaps at instigation of the Praetorian Prefect
Senate was sure Hadrian had forced the issueFirst order of business was deification of Trajan Spent little time in Rome -- visited all provincesLots of building in Rome
Pantheon Codification of magistral edicts into "leges"
Temple of Venus and Rome
Hadrianeum (his Temple, completed by his successor, Antoninus)
Mausoleum (Castel Sant'Angelo)
Villa in Tiburtina
Hadrian's Wall across England -- Wall just one example of policy of using natural and man made border fortifications
Some border withdrawals -- following policy initiated by Trajan
Use mountains, rivers, walls instead of legions on the straitened bordersCompletely revamped the legal basis while keeping same practices Multitalented: literature, oratory, architecture, law, arts, etc
Forerunner of Justinian Codeeither as practitioner or sponsor Antinous relationship? Homosexual or filial?Extravagant grief when Antinous drowned in 130 at age 20 Succession:Hadrian travels another 6 years, finally returning to Rome in 136 Hadrian's plans for young Marcus Verus derailed by death of his protector
Sixty years old, lonely and despondentEmpress Sabina died either in 136 or 137
Wanted a peaceful successionNext choice was Marcus Aurelius, but he was also too young
So Hadrian adopts Antoninus, already mature (52) at Hadrian's death Hadrian Links:First he made Antoninus adopt and designate M. Aurelius, then 17,as his heir Thought he'd be short term caretaker
Antoninus reigned from 138 to 161 -- 23 years (85 years old at his death)A long apprentiship for M. Aurelius! http://www.roman-emperors.org/hadrian.htm
http://www.ualberta.ca/~csmackay/CLASS_378/Hadrian.html
Antoninus Pius 138 - 161 ADPeace and quiet -- quiet before the stormAntoninus was ready for retirement when Hadrian tapped him as successor
Aelius Verus, adopted earlier by Hadrian, died.
Hadrian adopts Antoninus on condition that Antoninus adopts M. Aurelius
Antoninus gets full honors after Hadrian's death, including Deification Antoninus also adopted Lucius Ceionius Commodus (later, Verus) Unknown if this was also a condition Fawning Senate wanted to rename months after Antoninus and Faustina One reason for Antoninus' nickname, pius Senate Deified Faustina when she died -- Temple of Faustina in Forum He refused Conservative economic policy -- even returned part of his own pay
Stayed home and exercised power from Rome -- recentralization Warned his procurators to keep provincial taxes low But still had big games and gifts to soldiers and people
No new big building projects but did finish Hadrian's
Maintenance rather than new construction
Little travel -- too expensive
Coinages of 140's emphasized Roman history and traditional religion
Succession: No images of himself on these coins May have been associated with Rome's 900th birthday (147/148)
Another reason to call him "Pius" Antoninus Pius links: Faustina Minor (Daughter) married to M. Aurelius in 145 AD M. Aurelius given associate imperial powers
Both he and L.Verus had multiple consulships
Imperial financial surplus at time of succession
Joint succession of M. Aurelius and L. Verus, but former clearly in charge.
http://www.roman-emperors.org/tonypis.htm
Marcus Aurelius -- Pop philosopher and Emperor 161-181He clearly had too much time waiting to RuleNo surviving contemporary histories
During Antoninus Pius' reign, M. Aurelius rose through cursus honorum ranks Cassius Dio in abbreviated form and from the 230's (50 years later)
Most of what we "know" even later -- 4th Century Historia Augusta
Slanted Christian histories -- Tertulian, Eusebius, Orosius
Coinage, archeology offer cluesAntoninus died in March of 161 -- M. Aurelius then 40 Hung out with artists and philosophers
No military commands -- Antoninus left that to legatesTrouble on the borders Easy succession as Hadrian and then Antoninus had hoped
M. Aurelius immediately chose adopted brother, L.Verus, as his co-EmperorBut M. Aurelius clearly in charge German wars Britain, Raetia, most importantly Parthia Britain and Raetia handled by legates
M.Aureius sent L. Verus to ParthiaVerus's returning armies spread plague along their route back to Rome Verus had neither skill nor inclination but surrounded by good generals
By 166 Parthia capitulatedBy 166 trouble had also broken out along the Danube In 168, plague spread through Rome, German tribes smashed through Roman defenses In 169, Geman tribes came south again -- got as far as N. Italy Both brothers headed for the Danube front.
Campaigned one season and returned.First barbarians in Ialy since late 2nd century BC
Both Empeors headed north again
Verus to his death of sickness in 169
M.Aurelius to spend remaining years fighting Germans in the Danube regionIn 175 M.Aurelius broke off to fight a renegade governor in Syria
After winning there, short stay in Rome, then back to German front
Took his son Commodus (aged 16) with him.
Made Commodus Co-Emperor soon thereafter.Commodus was an apt pupil and led armies into battle.
M. Aurelius died of "plague" (generic) in 181
Still one year of fighting left, but Commodus didn't do it
One last battle to straighten lines, then Commodus back to Rome
Commodus made treaties with Germanic tribes and went home
Meditations -- latter year stoic jottingsVery popular in academia
Neither deep nor original, but beloved of the Left
Actually Claudius drunk was deeper than M. Aurelius sober
No really monumental remains except Antoninus Column, very early onAssessment of M. Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius Internet links: Either a great philosopher king or an inept wasteful general
Depends on who you ask
Commodus assessment also relevanthttp://www.roman-emperors.org/marcaur.htm
http://www.ualberta.ca/~csmackay/CLASS_378/Marcus.html
http://myron.sjsu.edu/romeweb/EMPCONT/e081.htm
http://classics.mit.edu/Antoninus/meditations.html
Commodus -- 180-192 AD -- most difficult because most hated by the power structureAgain, no contemporary histories
Political analysis: Commodus made treaties, sought peace, brought the armies home,Hated by later historians, modern academia -- he was just to low down He was hated by Roman power structure because he broke the (civilian) military-industrial complex -- no wars = no military sales.
Appealed to "populares" sentiments, beloved of the army as one of their own,
Skillful manipulator of military ranks and popular opinion
Bread and lots of circuses
Financial handouts (but more costly than war?)
Gladiatorial anticsBut probably the most popular emperor since Augustus -- appealed to the prolesBut clearly also a megalomaniac -- named months, renamed Rome after himselfCommodus Links: Gradually accumulated all magistracies
Thought he was Hercules? -- club and lion skin
Judged after death -- sometimes long after -- by people who looked down on him
Commodus "the Merciful"
Pardoned some plotters (not his sister Lucilla, ex-wife of Verus)Commodus leaves questions:http://www.ualberta.ca/~csmackay/CLASS_378/Commodus.html
http://members.aol.com/heliogabby/private/commogib.htm
http://www.roman-emperors.org/commod.htm
http://moviegladiator.tripod.com/wwcom.html
http://www.exovedate.com/the_real_gladiator_one.html
http://www.mmdtkw.org/VCommodus.htmlQ.: Did he spend down the treasury, or did he inherit war debt?
A.: Nobody knowsQ.: Were his handouts and circuses more costly than the M. Aurelius wars?
A.: Answer is more questions: (a) What's the cost of war when money is flowing to "multinational" arms supliers who might -- or might not -- shift profits back to the Roman economy? (b) What happens to the handouts and game expenses -- do they stay in the economy?Q.: Did the Empire decline after Commodus?
A.: Certainly. Otherwise Rome would still be a superpower.Q.: Did he cause the long decline or did the long decline just catch up with an over-extended Empire while he happened to be in power?
A.: You could argue either way, but it's politically correct to blame CommodusQ.: How much of the various Commodus stories -- damning or otherwise -- can we know for sure?
A.: Absolutely none. From the very start, he was just too controversial -- still is -- to get any unbiased assessment.Q.: Is there a "Good Commodus" dissertation out there waiting for some doctoral candidate?
A.: Almost certainly. It's a perfect choice -- not enough real evidence to contradict whatever speculative points might be adduced. It would have to be a dilly of a dissertation, however, to overcome entrenched political correctness. There's no "Evil Commodus" dissertation left, however -- all were written centuries ago.
Monuments and Remains:Apollodorus -- Architect of Trajan and Hadrian
http://www.greatbuildings.com/architects/Apollodorus_of_Damascus.html
http://sights.seindal.dk/sight/759_Apollodorus_of_Damascus.htmlTrajan's Forun
http://www.capitolium.org/eng/fori/traiano.htm
http://www.traiano.com/inglese/testi_html/home.htm
http://itsa.ucsf.edu/~snlrc/encyclopaedia_romana/imperialfora/forumtrajani.html
http://itsa.ucsf.edu/~snlrc/encyclopaedia_romana/imperialfora/forumtrajanimodel.html
http://www.comune.roma.it/cultura/italiano/musei_spazi_espositivi/musei/museo_fori/scavi/traiano.htm
http://www.ku.edu/history/index/europe/ancient_rome/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/.Texts/PLATOP*/Forum_Trajani.html
http://sights.seindal.dk/sight/585_Trajans_Forum.htmlBasilica Ulpia (in Trajan's Forum)
http://sights.seindal.dk/sight/586_Basilica_Ulpia.html
http://itsa.ucsf.edu/~snlrc/encyclopaedia_romana/imperialfora/basilicaulpia.html
http://itsa.ucsf.edu/~snlrc/encyclopaedia_romana/imperialfora/basilica.html
http://itsa.ucsf.edu/~snlrc/encyclopaedia_romana/imperialfora/trajancoin.htmlTrajan's Libraries/Libraries Ulpia (in Trajan's Forum)
http://itsa.ucsf.edu/~snlrc/encyclopaedia_romana/imperialfora/bibliothecaulpia.html
http://www.ku.edu/history/index/europe/ancient_rome/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/.Texts/PLATOP*/bibliothecae.htmlTrajan's Column (in Trajan's Forum)
http://www.mmdtkw.org/VTrajanColumn.html
http://sights.seindal.dk/sight/588_Column_of_Trajan.html
http://itsa.ucsf.edu/~snlrc/encyclopaedia_romana/imperialfora/columna.html
http://www.ukans.edu/history/index/europe/ancient_rome/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/Trajans_Column/home.html
http://cheiron.humanities.mcmaster.ca/~trajan/ (This is an entire book)
and The Astoria Column in Astoria Oregon: http://www.oregoncoast.com/Astorcol/Astorcol.htmTrajan's Market (next to Trajan's Forum)
http://www.capitolium.org/eng/fori/mercatitraiano.htm
http://itsa.ucsf.edu/~snlrc/encyclopaedia_romana/imperialfora/mercatus.htmlBaths of Trajan (built over the Domus Aurea)
http://www.ku.edu/history/index/europe/ancient_rome/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/.Texts/PLATOP*/Thermae_Trajani.html
http://www.ukans.edu/history/index/europe/ancient_rome/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/.Texts/PLATOP*/Domus_Aurea.html
http://www.romeartlover.it/Vasi33a.htm#Terme%20di%20Tito%20e%20di%20Traiano
http://www.finerareprints.com/classical/bartoli/vol_classical_bartoli_3526.htm
http://socrates.berkeley.edu/~nemeaucb/175b/week09/ThermTrai1.jpg
http://www.iath.virginia.edu/waters/forma/forma30.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/1274/titus-trajan.htmlHadrian's Pantheon
http://www.mmdtkw.org/VPantheon2002.html
http://rubens.anu.edu.au/htdocs/bycountry/italy/rome/popolo/database/new/index78.html
http://www.unicaen.fr/rome/anglais/geographique/pantheon.html
http://home.online.no/~cnyborg/mariamartyres_pantheon.html
http://web.kyoto-inet.or.jp/org/orion/eng/hst/roma/pantheon.html
http://www.ku.edu/history/index/europe/ancient_rome/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/.Texts/PLATOP*/Pantheon.html
http://www.ac-orleans-tours.fr/lang_anciennes/arapacis/arapac12.html
http://www.GreatBuildings.com/buildings/Pantheon.html
http://ancienthistory.about.com/msub_pantheon.htm
http://www2.siba.fi/~kkoskim//rooma/pages/PANTHEON.HTM
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/general_contents.html#Italy - Rome - Pantheon
http://web.tiscali.it/romaonlineguide/Pages/eng/rantica/sAMy6.htm
http://www.romeartlover.it/Vasi25.htm
http://gnv.fdt.net/~aabbeama/Christmas/Pantheon.html
http://www.romeguide.it/MONUM/ARCHEOL/pantheon/the_pantheon.htm
http://www.romanconcrete.com/chapt01.htm
http://www.romanconcrete.com/docs/chapt01/chapt01.htmHadrian's Temple of Venus and Rome (near the Colosseum)
http://www.mmdtkw.org/VTempleVenusRome.html
http://www.italycyberguide.com/Geography/cities/rome2000/K24.htm
http://itsa.ucsf.edu/~snlrc/encyclopaedia_romana/romanurbs/venusrome.html
http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Temple_of_Venus_and_Rome.html
http://www.cavazzi.com/roman-empire/tours/rome/temple-venus-roma.htmlHadrianeum -- Temple of Deified Hadrian, built by Antoninus Pius in the Campus Martius
http://www.mmdtkw.org/VHadrian.html
http://www2.siba.fi/~kkoskim//rooma/pages/HADRIANE.HTM
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas//rome/hadrianeum/thumbnails_contents.html
http://www.ku.edu/history/index/europe/ancient_rome/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/.Texts/PLATOP*/Hadrianeum.html
http://roma.desdeinter.net/romtadri.htmlHadrian's Mausoleum, Now Castel Sant'Angelo
http://rubens.anu.edu.au/htdocs/bycountry/italy/rome/popolo/midjpg/alphabetical/index5.html
http://www.italycyberguide.com/Geography/cities/rome2000/D28.htm
http://www.ku.edu/history/index/europe/ancient_rome/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/.Texts/PLATOP*/Mausoleum_Hadriani.html
http://sights.seindal.dk/sight/200_Hadrians_Mausoleum.html
http://www.ku.edu/history/index/europe/ancient_rome/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/Hadrians_Tomb/home.html
http://www2.siba.fi/~kkoskim/rooma/pages/MHADRIAN.HTM
http://www.ku.edu/history/index/europe/ancient_rome/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Mausoleum.html
http://itsa.ucsf.edu/~snlrc/encyclopaedia_romana/romanurbs/mausoleum.html
http://www.romeguide.it/MONUM/STORICI/castel/castel_eng.htm
http://www.ukans.edu/history/index/europe/ancient_rome/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Turkey/.Periods/Greek/.Texts/LETGKB/Mausoleum*.html
A report on the original Mausoleum -- Tomb of MausolusColumn of Antoninus
http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/romanpius/romanpius.html
http://www.ku.edu/history/index/europe/ancient_rome/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/.Texts/PLATOP*/Columna_Antonini_Pii.htmlTemple of Antoninus and Faustina
http://www.cvrlab.org/Library/LTUR/LTURAntoninus.html
http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/romanforum/forum.html
http://www.ku.edu/history/index/europe/ancient_rome/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/.Texts/PLATOP*/Templum_Antonini-Faustinae.html
http://coco7.ee.ucla.edu/europe1999/forum4.html
http://sights.seindal.dk/sight/175_Temple_of_Antoninus_and_Faustina.htmlMarcus Aurelius Column
http://www.mmdtkw.org/VMarAurColumn.html
http://rubens.anu.edu.au/htdocs/bycountry/italy/rome/popolo/midjpg/alphabetical/00214.html
http://rubens.anu.edu.au/htdocs/bycountry/italy/rome/popolo/midjpg/alphabetical/00215.html
http://www.beazley.ox.ac.uk/CGPrograms/Catalogue/Script/AureliusColumn.html
http://www.cavazzi.com/roman-empire/tours/rome/column-aurelius.html
http://sights.seindal.dk/sight/219_Column_of_Marcus_Aurelius.html
http://web.tiscali.it/no-redirect-tiscali/romaonlineguide/Pages/eng/rantica/sAHy1.htmMarcus Aurelius Equestrian Statue (now in Piazza Campidoglio on the Capitoline Hill)
http://sights.seindal.dk/sight/186_Equestian_Statue_of_Marcus_Aurelius.html
http://www.bible-history.com/past/Marcus_Aurelius_Bronze_Equestrian_Statue.html
http://www2.truman.edu/~capter/jins343/aure.htmBrief notes on the Projects from Nerva through the Antonines
http://www.people.ukans.edu/~prehak/RomeNotes/09_NervaAnton.html
