Roman Emperor Timeline

27 BC- 14 AD Augustus is Emperor- Julio-Claudian Dynasty

27 BCE

Augustus names himself emperor at the age of 36 in which he becomes the first Roman Emperor. He died after ruling for 40 years in 14 AD in Rome.

27 BC Pax Romana

27 BCE

Augustus begins 200 year period of peace and growing of the Roman Empire known as the Pax Romana. During his 40 year reign he expanded the empire to almost double its size including locations in Asia Minor and across Europe.

23 BC Lex Iulia

23 BCE

Augustus made many laws during his reign one being the Lex Iulia which made adultery illegal. His goal was to make marriage of more importance and to last longer, he even banished his grand-daughter for adultery. Augustus also followed all of the laws he passed during his reign.

19 BC The Aeneid

19 BCE

The poet Virgil wrote the Aeneid from 29-19 BC and the epic poem was published(possibly unfinished) in the year 19 after Virgil’s sudden death. The story's protagonist and hero Aeneas was based off of the current emperor Augustus

14 AD- 37 AD Tiberius Caesar Augustus is Emperor- Julio- Claudian Dynasty

14

Tiberius who was the stepson of Augustus became emperor after his father’s death. He was known as a good ruler in the beginning who did not start conflict with other people who were not Roman. He even stopped the waste of the Imperial Treasury, it ended up that he left 20 times more wealth than he had inherited. He eventually died due to an injury from javelin which followed with illness that sent him into a coma.

27 Tiberius Goes AWOL

27

After his son’s death in 23 AD Tiberius became saddened and was not the same after that. In 27 AD he went for a trip to the south of Italy and stayed in Capri where he was far away from Rome and his duties.

33 AD Crucifixion of Jesus

33

Jesus was crucified by the Roman Pontius Pilate with the Emperor being Tiberius who was in Capri when the crucifixion happened.

37 AD- 41 AD Caligula is Emperor Julio-Claudian dynasty

37

Named Gaius/Caligula Caesar Augustus Germanicus became emperor after the death of Tiberius, he was next in line being the adopted son of Tiberius., Caligula at 24 year old became emperor with no governmental, diplomacy, or military experience.

37 Caligula's Illness

37

During the beginning of his reign he became gravely ill and almost died, but he quickly recovered later that year. It was said that after his illness he became unhinged and was not the same anymore, he showed the worst side of himself.

40-39 AD Caligula’s Campaign

40

Caligula led a military campaigns to the Rhine and English channel, however he avoided battles and the campaigns did not have a purpose or strengthening outcome for the empire.

41 Caligula's Death

41

Caligula grew to be a very unpopular emperor because he would flaunt his power and force parent to watch executions of their children. So after a sporting event guards came and stabbed the emperor 30 times and buried him in a shallow grave. His daughter and wife were also murdered.

41-54 AD Claudius is Emperor - Julio-Claudian dynasty

41

Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus became emperor after Caligula was murdered. He had physical disabilities including a limp and was unadmired in the Julio-Claudian family.

43 Annexation of Britannia

43

Claudius sent out troops to take Britannia to expand the empire further. After the successful offense into Britannia Claudius himself came with more troops and elephants to assure Rome’s power in Britannia and make it an official colony.

54 Claudius' Death

54

Claudius died after 13 years of being emperor he died from ingestion from a poison mushroom and it is rumored that he was poisoned by his own wife Agrippina.

54-68 Nero is Emperor Julio-Claudian dynasty

54

Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus became the emperor after the death of Claudius and was the last emperor from the Julio-Claudian Dynasty. He was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius. He grew with power after murdering Agrippina his mother, executing Octavia(who he was suppose to marry) and later almost killed his wife Poppea in a fit of rage.

64 AD The Great Fire of Rome

64

A fire in the shops by the Circus Maximus began. The fire blazed for nine days and there was a lot of destruction, 3 of Rome’s 14 districts were completely destroyed and 7 others had damage from the fire. Rumors said that the emperor started the fire himself to make space for a large palace on Palatine Hill but it was never confirmed. Nero blamed the fire on the christians and executed many people who he accused of being related to starting the fire.

68 Death of Nero

68

After many conspirators planning on killing him, Nero executed many senators, officers, and even his close advisor. However, after this he was confirmed as an enemy of the people when Galba, who was the governor of Gaul, declared himself legate of the senate and Roman people and he was captured. Nero ended up taking his life after his capture, knowing he would be executed if he did not.

68-69 Galba is Emperor

68

After Nero’s death was verified Sulpicius Galba came into Rome with legions and help from Otho( who was exiled by Nero) and assumed the throne. He was rather unpopular because he would sentence to death senators and men of all ranks with little evidence of their crime. Galba also spent less money on games and lavish living, which people were used to when Nero ruled. Lastly unrest began in some Roman provinces in Germany during his short reign.

69-79 Vespasian is Emperor- Flavian Dynasty

69

69 The year of four emperors

69

Starting with Galba then Otho, Vitelluis, and finally Vespasian, the year 69AD was a year in Roman history that had four emperors in one year. With one overtaking the other and then another governor overtaking him.

69 Otho is Emperor

69

Otho assumed the throne after killing Galba the last emperor. He originally helped Galba assume power himself and then overtook him for his own power.

69 Otho Reinstitutes the Games

69

One of the things that Otho did was bring back the gladiatorial games which were taken away after Nero died. He also finished Nero’s golden Palace, restored Nero and Poppea’s statues, and rewarded the soldiers and guards who helped kill Galba.

69 Vitellius becomes Emperor

69

Vitellius the governor of Germany, who was an option for emperor before Galba, came into Rome and Otho sent out a troop of only nine thousand men to fight. The battle did not go well so to prevent a civil war Otho committed suicide and Vitellus assumed the throne.

69 The Death of Galba

69

Otho bribed Galba’s guards to kill him and his son Piso in the Roman Forum. After they were killed Otho had their severed heads brought to him and he assumed the throne.

69 Death of Vitellius

69

Many of the people who supported Vitellius began to pledge allegiance to Vespasian the governor of Judea, however when Vitellius tried and failed to make a treaty with Vespasian his troops were defeated by the governor. After his troop’s defeat Vitellius tried to sneak out of Rome in disguise but was caught and killed by Vespasian’s men and dragged through the streets of Rome.

70 Flavian Amphitheater is Built

70

Vespasian was known as a well liked emperor whose reign was known as a time of peace. He rebuilt homes that were destroyed during the last days of Vitellius’ reign, built new temples, and most of all built the Colosseum in Rome, also known as the Flavian Amphitheater.

79 Death of Vespasian

79

Vespasian contracted a Undulant Fever and after one night he went for a swim he got a chill and died. His son Titus was next in line for the throne.

79 Eruption of Mt. Vesuvius

79

The eruption of Mt. Vesuvius is known as the biggest catastrophic volcanic eruptions in European History. Cities that were destroyed around the volcano are Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontis and Stabiae.

79-81 Titus is Emperor- Flavian Dynasty

79

Titus was known as a good natured emperor who was kind, however, during his short reign three catastrophe’s happened. The first being the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius which destroyed cities around the volcano. While visiting the destroyed city, a fire broke out in Rome for three days and nights. The last thing to happen was a severe plague that hit Rome, Titus tried to contain and stop the plague by every means.

81 Titus’ Death

81

When Titus was on a trip with his brother he contracted a fever, possibly malaria, and died. One theory of his death is that Domitian poisoned him.

81-96 Domitian is Emperor- Flavian Dynasty

81

Domitian was the last emperor a part of the Flavian dynasty. He was initially a popular emperor, but rumors circulated that he may have had something to do with his predecessor's death.

83 Campaign into Gemany

83

Domitian sent a campaign into Germany, despite him not being as knowledgeable in war as Vespasian or Titus. His goal was to take the Chatti and he was successful so he added Germanicus to his name.

92 Samatian Attack

92

The Samatian's crossed into Roman territory and began a war which would continue past the death of Domitian.

96 Domitian’s Death

96

At only 44 years old Domitian was attacked and killed by conspirators who wanted to overtake him. Right after his death Nerva took the throne and became the new emperor.

96-98 Nerva is Emperor- First of the Five Good Emperors

96

After Domitian’s death, the Roman senate accepted Nerva as emperor and granted him the position of “pater patriae” of the empire.

97 Nerva Adopts Trajan

97

Nerva was never married so the only way he could get an heir was by adopting a so. He adopted Trajan who was the governor of Upper Germany who was not present at his adoption but still was appointed as the next in line emperor.

98 Death of Nerva

98

Nerva died and by Trajan’s orders he was buried in the Mausoleum of Augustus. Trajan’s adoption sparked a chain of adoptions for the next emperor and lead to a golden age in Rome.

98-117 Trajan is Emperor- Second of the Five Good Emperors

98

Trajan became emperor, but did not return to Rome immediately. He went to the Rhine and Danube frontiers to check for enemies such as the Dacians and assure safety for the Empire. Finally, in 99 Trajan came back to Rome where he talked to both classes of people.

105 The Dacians’ Defeat

105

Trajan went back to the north to check on the Dacians and when his Roman troops came the king of Dacia’s allies fled. Romans then proceeded to take the capital of the Dacians where the Romans took their entire treasury and the land was absorbed the empire.

117-138 Hadrian is Emperor- Thrid of the Five Good Emperors

117

Trajan had a wife, but never any children so his adopted his cousin’s son Hadrian as his predecessor. There were rumors that his wife forged the adoption papers but Hadrian became the next emperor anyway. Hadrian was a good emperor that traveled the empire and even was close with the military and personally with soldiers in the army. His time of reign was known was a relative time of peace in the empire.

122 Hadrian’s Wall

122

After his visit to Britannia, a province of Rome, Hadrian had a wall built to mark the boundary of Rome’s province in the north of the island. The wall was 9.7 feet wide and 16-20 feet tall. Hadrian’s moto for foreign policy was peace through strength and the wall signified this very clearly, the wall was meant to not only be a boundary but state the strength of the empire over other people around.

138 The End of Hadrian’s Reign

138

Hadrian’s health began to fail and he wrote poetry and attended to administrative affairs in his final years. He named Antoninus Pius as his successor with the intention that Antonius would name the young Marcus Aurelius to continue after him. Hadrian finally died at the age of 62 of a heart attack and Antonius then rose to become emperor.

150 Antonine Wall

150

Scotland was conquered and Hadrian’s wall was abandoned with a new wall called the Antonine Wall being built 40 miles north as a new defense.

161-180 Marcus Aurelius is Emperor- Last of the Five Good Emperors

161

Antoninus died from a fever and on that day he adopted Marcus Aurelius so that he could be next in line in the throne.

161-169 Co-Emperors

161

Marcus Aurelius had his adoptive brother Lucius Aurelius Verus co-ruled until Lucius’ death in 169.

168 The German Invasion

168

The Germans invaded across the Danube. In this campaign Lucius died and Marcus proved his military skills even though he had no formal training or experience in the military. In this campaign Marcus wrote the Meditations, a journal he never intended on being published about what the emperor thought about life.

180 Marcus’ Death

180

Marcus died in the Danube region and was succeeded by his son Commodus.