ROMAN EMPERORS
END OF ROMAN REPUBLIC - BEGINNING OF ROMAN EMPIRE (27 BC)
Octavian defeats Cleopatra and Marc Antony at the battle of Actium and takes the title of Augustus (exalted one) to become the first Roman emperor.
FIRST ROMAN EMPEROR (27BC - 14AD)
The first Roman emperor was Augustus and he had many accomplishments. Two of his most important accomplishments were:
1) Augustus changed and improved the Roman tax system by making the the tax collectors government officials. He did that because the tax collectors used to get a proportion of what they collected and could secretly steal more of the money but by paying them regular wages, they don't get to control how much they get and the tax system will run more smoothly.
2) Augustus also imported grain from Africa and fed it to the poor. He believed that a well fed population would not rebel against him.
JULIO-CLAUDIAN EMPERORS
Augustus- Ruled from 27 BC to 14 AD.
Tiberius- Ruled from 14 AD to 37 AD.
Caligula- Ruled from 37 AD to 41 AD.
Claudius- Ruled from 41 AD to 54 AD.
Nero- Ruled from 54 AD to 68 AD.
THE YEAR OF FOUR EMPERORS (69 AD)
Galba- First ruler of 69AD but one of his supporters turned against him and killed him in January.
Otho- Second ruler of 69AD for a short period of time. He fought Vitellius, he lost and was killed.
Vitellius- Third ruler of 69AD. The people thought they needed a better leader that actually paid attention to the people.The people in Rome chose another leader(Vespasian). That person had his friend kill Vitellius.
Vespasian- Fourth ruler of 69AD and the people were happy to settle down with one ruler.(Vespasian)
THE YEAR OF FIVE EMPERORS (193 AD)(following the death of Commodus)
Pertinax- First ruler of 193 AD but was then killed on March 28th.
Didius Julianus- Second ruler of 193 AD and was decapitated on june 1st by Septimius Severus.
Pescennius Niger- Third ruler of 193 AD and was killed while attempting to flee from Antioch.
Clodius Albinus- Fourth ruler of 193 AD
Septimius Severus- Fifth and final ruler of 193 AD
THE YEAR OF SIX EMPERORS(238 AD)
Maximus Thrax- First ruler of 238 AD and was assassinated by his praetorian guard.
Gordian II and Gordian I- They both became rulers of Rome but only lasted for twenty days.
Pupienus and Babinus- Made rulers after the Gordians, but they didn't last long either.
Gordian III- Sixth ruler of 238 AD and ruled alone until 244 AD
DIOCLETIAN (RULED FROM 284-305AD)
-He established property and income taxes to pay for roads, bridges,sewers and defense.
- To govern Rome, he established a tetrarchy. That means he put rome into four parts each with its own ruler.
- He split Rome into two parts. East and West.
- East and West both had ruler Augustus and a emperor in training named caesar.
- Emperor Augustus adopted Caesar as his son, which established a dynasty solving sucsession.
CONSTANTINE (RULED FROM 306-337AD)
- Became leader of the western part of rome in 306 AD after the retirement of Diocltian.
- He wrote the Edict of Milan, a scroll saying that Christianity is now legal.
THEODOSIUS (RULED FROM 379-395AD)
-Became emperor after Constantine died in 379AD
-Declared that Christianity would be the official religion of Rome.
- He outlawed the gladiator games. (took them away)
- Said that criminals that are getting punished could not be turned into gladiators.
-He declared by edict that christianity is the only religion in Rome.
REASONS FOR THE DECLINE OF THE WESTERN ROMAN EMPIRE
THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE (476 AD)
Odoacer, a german general had lots of support and he could take control He overthrew the emperor, 14 year old Romulus Augustus. From there forward, foreign powers ruled what used to be the Roman empire.
Octavian defeats Cleopatra and Marc Antony at the battle of Actium and takes the title of Augustus (exalted one) to become the first Roman emperor.
FIRST ROMAN EMPEROR (27BC - 14AD)
The first Roman emperor was Augustus and he had many accomplishments. Two of his most important accomplishments were:
1) Augustus changed and improved the Roman tax system by making the the tax collectors government officials. He did that because the tax collectors used to get a proportion of what they collected and could secretly steal more of the money but by paying them regular wages, they don't get to control how much they get and the tax system will run more smoothly.
2) Augustus also imported grain from Africa and fed it to the poor. He believed that a well fed population would not rebel against him.
JULIO-CLAUDIAN EMPERORS
Augustus- Ruled from 27 BC to 14 AD.
Tiberius- Ruled from 14 AD to 37 AD.
Caligula- Ruled from 37 AD to 41 AD.
Claudius- Ruled from 41 AD to 54 AD.
Nero- Ruled from 54 AD to 68 AD.
THE YEAR OF FOUR EMPERORS (69 AD)
Galba- First ruler of 69AD but one of his supporters turned against him and killed him in January.
Otho- Second ruler of 69AD for a short period of time. He fought Vitellius, he lost and was killed.
Vitellius- Third ruler of 69AD. The people thought they needed a better leader that actually paid attention to the people.The people in Rome chose another leader(Vespasian). That person had his friend kill Vitellius.
Vespasian- Fourth ruler of 69AD and the people were happy to settle down with one ruler.(Vespasian)
THE YEAR OF FIVE EMPERORS (193 AD)(following the death of Commodus)
Pertinax- First ruler of 193 AD but was then killed on March 28th.
Didius Julianus- Second ruler of 193 AD and was decapitated on june 1st by Septimius Severus.
Pescennius Niger- Third ruler of 193 AD and was killed while attempting to flee from Antioch.
Clodius Albinus- Fourth ruler of 193 AD
Septimius Severus- Fifth and final ruler of 193 AD
THE YEAR OF SIX EMPERORS(238 AD)
Maximus Thrax- First ruler of 238 AD and was assassinated by his praetorian guard.
Gordian II and Gordian I- They both became rulers of Rome but only lasted for twenty days.
Pupienus and Babinus- Made rulers after the Gordians, but they didn't last long either.
Gordian III- Sixth ruler of 238 AD and ruled alone until 244 AD
DIOCLETIAN (RULED FROM 284-305AD)
-He established property and income taxes to pay for roads, bridges,sewers and defense.
- To govern Rome, he established a tetrarchy. That means he put rome into four parts each with its own ruler.
- He split Rome into two parts. East and West.
- East and West both had ruler Augustus and a emperor in training named caesar.
- Emperor Augustus adopted Caesar as his son, which established a dynasty solving sucsession.
CONSTANTINE (RULED FROM 306-337AD)
- Became leader of the western part of rome in 306 AD after the retirement of Diocltian.
- He wrote the Edict of Milan, a scroll saying that Christianity is now legal.
THEODOSIUS (RULED FROM 379-395AD)
-Became emperor after Constantine died in 379AD
-Declared that Christianity would be the official religion of Rome.
- He outlawed the gladiator games. (took them away)
- Said that criminals that are getting punished could not be turned into gladiators.
-He declared by edict that christianity is the only religion in Rome.
REASONS FOR THE DECLINE OF THE WESTERN ROMAN EMPIRE
- They had a non-citizen army
- Christianity becomes intolerant of other religions
- Became too big to govern
- Became too big to defend
- Barbarian invasions
- Taxes too high
- Wealthy not doing their fare share
THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE (476 AD)
Odoacer, a german general had lots of support and he could take control He overthrew the emperor, 14 year old Romulus Augustus. From there forward, foreign powers ruled what used to be the Roman empire.