Roman Empire - Introduction
The Roman Empire laid its foundation in the year 27 BCE. At this point in time, Augustus became the sole ruler of the country Rome. The ruler and his successors maintained the culture of the Roman Republic. This preservation of their own image was done to justify and preserve their personal power in the land. Apart from this, Rome is known for its great architectural monuments and structures which totally transformed the face of Rome city.
This content will be interesting enough as we will revisit the Roman civilization and know about the Roman era virtually.
Roman Emperors
We now will provide a chronological list of all the Roman emperors of the 1st and 2nd centuries.
The list is as follows:
1st Century:
Augustus (31 BCE–14 CE)
Tiberius (14–37 CE)
Caligula (37–41 CE)
Claudius (41–54 CE)
Nero (54–68 CE)
Galba (68–69 CE)
Otho (January–April 69 CE)
Aulus Vitellius (July–December 69 CE)
Vespasian (69–79 CE)
Titus (79–81 CE)
Domitian (81–96 CE)
Nerva (96–98 CE)
In the 2nd Century:
Trajan (98–117 CE)
Hadrian (117–138 CE)
Antoninus Pius (138–161 CE)
Marcus Aurelius (161–180 CE)
Lucius Verus (161–169 CE)
Commodus (177–192 CE)
Publius Helvius Pertinax (January–March 193 CE)
Marcus Didius Severus Julianus (March–June 193 CE)
Septimius Severus (193–211 CE)
Roman Civilization History
By the eighth century B.C, ancient Rome initially grew from a small town which is located in the central area of Italy’s Tiber River, which expanded into an empire at its very peak by encompassing most of the continental area of Europe, Britain, and many parts of the western side of Asia’s continent. Northern Africa and the Mediterranean islands are also located by its side.
There are many legacies of Roman dominance which are widespread in this region. In this place the use of the Romance languages was prevalent. Roman languages include - Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and also Romanian. They also derived from the Latin language their modern Western alphabet and their calendar with the emergence of the Christianity religion which became a majority in terms of world religion.
The history of the ancient Roman civilization describes the Roman civilization quite perfectly as it starts from the founding of the Italian city in the 8th century. With the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th Century AD, it encompassed the Roman Kingdom, the Roman Public in its realm. The Roman Civilization history began with an Italic type settlement in the Italian Peninsula which gave its name to the empire that was ruled and to the widespread civilization when the empire was developed.
Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire
After about 450 years as a republic, Rome became a full-fledged empire at the beginning of Julius Caesar’s rise and fall which happened in the first century B.C. Rome experienced a long and triumphant reign under their first emperor named Augustus, under whom began the golden age of peace and prosperity of the country. While the Roman Empire’s decline and gradual fall by the fifth century A.D. were one of the epics and most dramatic collapses in the history of human civilization.
Augustus and the Empire
The Romans have experienced one of their golden times under the rule of Augustus, who became the first ruler of Rome. The Roman Republic gradually formed into a Roman Empire in 27 BCE when Julius Caesar had adopted a son, who was named Augustus. He later became the ruler of Rome. Augustus also established an autocratic form of government under his reign. In an autocracy, he was the sole ruler and he was the one to make all the important decisions.
We refer to Augustus as Rome’s first emperor, but studies reveal that Augustus never took the title of king or of an emperor. Following Augustus, neither of his successors used king or emperor as a title. They preferred to call themselves ‘Princeps, first citizen or Primus Inter Pares’, which meant first among the peers. The successors had their own choice of title which they maintained and that would appear as a limited power that has been so important under the Republic society.
Many of the reforms during the first phase were enacted by Augustus and followed by his successors; this had a long-term impact on the internal political and economic structure of Rome.
During the time Augustus ruled Rome, he had fundamentally reorganized the structure of the Roman state on how it functioned. With Augustus’s reforms, all these made very little difference and impact to the day-to-day social and economic structures of Rome today. Apart from this, Augustus’s massive building projects are still honoured all over the world as they increased foreign trade in Rome and brought goods, knowledge, and entertainment for the Roman souls.
Did You Know?
The Romulus and Remus story is actually a total myth. Probably, the name Romulus was invented to fit the name of the city Rome. He was said to have founded on Palatine Hill before killing his own twin.
By the fall of the fourth century BC, the mythical story of Romulus and Remus was believed by the Romans as they were proud of their own warrior founder. This story talks about the first history of the city, by the Greek writer named Diocles who resided in Peparethus. The twins and their wolf stepmother were represented on Rome’s first coins.
Rome’s first conflict was with the Sabine people. The Romans had enough of immigrating young men, hence the Romans needed female inhabitants as well to flourish their civilization, thus they kidnapped Sabine women. This led to the sparking of the war that ended with a truce with the two sides joining the forces.
From the beginning of the Roman era, they had an organized military force. There were regiments that included over 3,000 infantries with 300 cavalries who were called the legions.
The only source to know about the period of Roman history is Titus Livius or Livy (which was in 59 BC – 17 AD). After almost 200 years, when the conquest of Italy was over, he wrote 142 books on Rome’s early history, while only 54 survive in the shape of complete volumes.
Tradition says that Rome had seven kings before it became a full republic society.
Conclusion
Thus, in this article we have learned about the Roman Empire and the important aspects of it. We have covered the list of the rulers, it's history, rise and fall, about Julius Caesar as well as Augustus without whom to read Roman history would be incomplete. Roman civilization was said to have risen from a small town of Ancient Rome near the Tiber river.
FAQs on A Virtual Trip to Roman Civilization – Roman Empire, Rulers, etc
1. What exactly was the Roman Empire, and who was its first emperor?
The Roman Empire was a powerful and vast state that began after the Roman Republic. It was characterised by being ruled by an emperor. Its first emperor was Augustus (originally Octavian), who came to power in 27 BC. The Empire controlled large territories around the Mediterranean Sea in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.
2. What is the main difference between the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire?
The main difference lies in their system of government. The Roman Republic was governed by elected officials, primarily the Senate and Consuls, with a system of checks and balances. The Roman Empire, on the other hand, was ruled by a single, supreme authority known as the emperor, who held most of the political and military power.
3. What were the main social classes in Roman society?
Roman society was highly structured. The main social classes were:
- Senators: The wealthiest and most powerful political class, who owned most of the land.
- Equites (Knights): A class of wealthy property owners below the senators, often involved in business and administration.
- Plebeians: The general body of free Roman citizens, including farmers, artisans, and merchants.
- Slaves: Considered property with no rights, they formed a large part of the workforce.
4. Why is the 'third-century crisis' considered a major turning point in Roman history?
The 'third-century crisis' was a critical period of about 50 years marked by constant civil war, foreign invasions, and severe economic collapse. It is considered a turning point because it nearly destroyed the Empire and led to fundamental changes. Emperors like Diocletian and Constantine later restructured the army, administration, and economy to solve these problems, setting the stage for the later Roman Empire, also known as Late Antiquity.
5. How did the Roman Empire manage to control such a vast and diverse territory?
The Romans used several effective methods to control their vast empire. Key strategies included a powerful, well-organized professional army stationed in the provinces, an extensive network of roads for quick troop movement and communication, and a system of provincial governors. They also promoted a common culture, language (Latin in the west, Greek in the east), a unified legal system, and a single currency, which helped in administering diverse populations effectively.
6. What was the importance of cities in the Roman Empire?
Cities were the backbone of the Roman Empire. They served as centres for administration, culture, and economic activity. Major decisions were implemented through city governments, and taxes were collected through them. Cities like Rome, Alexandria, and Antioch were hubs of trade and learning, helping to spread Roman culture and maintain control over the surrounding rural territories.
7. What were some of the key goods traded across the Roman Empire?
Trade was vital for the Roman economy. Some of the most important traded goods included grain (especially from Egypt and North Africa), wine and olive oil (from Spain, Gaul, and Italy), pottery like amphorae for transporting these goods, and metals like gold and silver from various mines. Luxury items such as silk from the East and spices were also highly sought after.
8. How did the role of the army change from the Republic to the Empire?
Under the Republic, the army was largely a citizen militia that served during specific campaigns. In the Empire, Augustus established a professional standing army, where soldiers served for long terms (typically 20-25 years) and were paid by the state. This professional army was loyal to the emperor, not the state, making it a powerful political tool that could make or break emperors.
