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Octavian defeats Marc Antony in the Battle of Actium and takes power as the first emperor of Rome. He takes the name Caesar Augustus.
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Egypt becomes a part of the Roman empire as an imperial province during Augustus's rule.
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Augustus gains complete control of the Roman state as a result of the Senate's granting him the titles imperium proconsulare and tribunicia potestas.
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Virgil's Aeneid was published unfinished after his death despite his wishes to destroy it. He was commissioned to write it as an epic poem about the founding of Rome by Caesar Augustus.
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This date is very disputed. Scholars say the actual date could range from 6 BC - 2 BC. However, most agree that the actual year of Jesus's birth is not 0.
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Augustus died in 14 AD after ruling for 45 years. Upon his death, he was cremated and buried in Campus Martius with great fanfare. Tiberius, Augustus's heir, took power and continued Augustus's vision but lacked his predecessor's strength and power. It was suspected that Tiberius hastened Augustus's death through poisoning him.
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Tiberius was constantly afrais of insurrection. His most trusted companion and adviser was Sejanus. In 27 AD, he built twelve villas on Capri and moved there, allowing only Sejanus to visit him.
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Jesus was crucified under Pontius Pilate during the rule of Emperor Tiberius. Again, the exact date of his crucifixion is arguable, but most believe it happened either in 30 or 33 AD.
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While Tiberius was in Capri, Sejanus acted as empire. Realizing that Sejanus posed a threat to his power, Tiberius wrote a letter to the Senate proclaiming that Sejanus was a traitor. The Senate imprisoned Sejanus, and he was strangled there in 31 AD.
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During this time period, all of the empires came from the patrician families Julii or Claudii. The emperors during this time period include Caesar Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero.
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Tiberius was somewhat of a madman upon his death. He is believed to have been smothered with a pillow. Caligula is notorious for being depraved and insane. He is a member of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty. However, the beginning of his rule is seen as commendable.
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After being emperor for only eight months, Caligula became ill and never fully recovered. He often referred to himself as a god and sometimes walked around dressed up as Bacchus, Venus, or Apollo. He even declared his favorite horse consul.
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Having exhausted all of Rome's wealth in his extravagant reign, Caligula led his military into Gaul for the purpose of extorting wealth by killing the richest citizens and confiscating their property.
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Caligula was assassinated by the Praetorian Guard. Claudius then took over, and he expanded Rome's territory to Britain and completed many public works projects. Claudius was also a part of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty.
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In 43 AD, Claudius launched a military invasion of Britain. He visited some time later and returned having successfully completed the campaign.
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The aqueducts were commissioned by Caligula in 38 AD. Upon Caligula's death, Claudius continued their construction. They were officially finished in 52 AD, but some records suggest they were in use by 47 AD.
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Claudius was assassinated by his wife Agrippina in cahoots with his son Nero, effectively ending his reign. Though he initially governed the empire well, Emperor Nero's reign is characterized by his manic behavior and intense persecution of Christians.
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The British Queen, Boadicea, led the revolt against Roman rule in 61 AD during Nero's reign. They defeated several armies but eventually fell to Suetonius Paulinus and his troops. In that battle, 80,000 Britons died and Boadicea committed suicide.
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Fire broke out during the summer of 64 AD in the merchant sector of Rome, burning for 7 nights and destroying 70% of the city. Rumors spread that Emperor Nero was responsible for starting the fire and used Christians as a scapegoat. Rome was rebuilt into a more marvelous city full of innovative architecture and marble.
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Nero traveled to Greece in order to compete in the Olympic and Isthmian games. He competed in a singing contest, putting his superior competitors to death.
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Nero committed suicide and ended the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Galba took over immediately following Nero's death.
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Otho killed himself after losing in battle to Vitellius, and Vitellius came to power. Vitellius was known for his vices and often ignored his responsibility as emperor.
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Vitellius was dragged into the Forum, tortured, killed and thrown into the Tiber by Vespasian's forces. Vespasian came to power and established the Flavian Dynasty, ending the Year of the Four Emperors.
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The year AD 69 was a time of civil war in which Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and finally Vespasian came to power with Vespasian's rule lasting 10 years.
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Vitellius was defeated by the legions supporting Vesparian in the Second Battle of Bedriacum in Italy during his reign.
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Vitellius murdered his first son Petronianus in order to take his inheritance.
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Seen as unfit to rule, Galba was assassinated by the Praetorian Guard. Otho took his place on the day of his death and was expected to be a good emperor.
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Galba was assassinated soon after taking office by the Praetorian Guard because he proved unfit to rule, despite being chosen as Nero's successor. Otho, notorious comrade of Nero, took his place that very day.
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Renegade Roman legions in Germany declared Vitellius, their commander, as emperor. Otho gathered his legions and went to fight him, but was defeated. Otho committed suicide as a result.
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Starting in 70 AD, Vaspasian raised enough public funds to build the Colosseum. His first goal as emperor was to restore stability to Rome, so he also built the Forum and the Temple of Peace.
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Vespasian enlarged Nero's previous army with four legions to three armies with a total of six legions.
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After Vespasian's death from illness in 79, his son Titus came to power. Titus was a part of the Flavian Dynasty who became a well-liked emperor with a mild government.
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During Titus's reign, Mount Vesuvius erupted and destroyed Herculaneum, Stabiae, and Pompeii. Titus donated much of his personal fortune to the needs of those affected.
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When Titus died unexpectedly is 81 AD, his younger brother Domitian came to power. It is believed Domitian was the reason for Titus's death. He was a part of the Flavian Dynasty.
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In 81 AD, the Colosseum was finished and Titus dedicated it; he held the first games in the Roman Colosseum that lasted for100 days.
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The Dacians were led into Moesia by King Decebalus which began the Dacian War and in 90 AD, the Romans were defeated.
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The Reign of Terror during Domitian's rule did not contain any more violence than the emperors before him; he gained a bad reputation through the poor relationship he had with the Senate and the multiple "Treason Trials" that ended in executions of previous consuls.
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After being assassinated by court officials in 96 AD, the Senate surprisingly chose Nerva, an old and childless man, to be the next emperor. He became the first of The Five Good Emperors.
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The Five Good Emperors were Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius. They are called this because they were all well-respected and handled their government properly.
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When a former Domitian supporter was placed in charge of the praetorian guards, Nerva was imprisoned until the executions of those responsible for the assassination of Domitian.
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Because he had no children himself, Nerva had to find an heir to the throne. Trajan was well-respected by the army and the senate, and so at the end of October 97 AD, Nerva adopted Trajan, and his position was secured until his death in 98 AD.
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After Nerva died from sickness in 98 AD, his adopted son Trajan became emperor, and he was welcomed enthusiastically. He was the second of The Five Good Emperors.
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In 101 AD, the Romans under Trajan defeated the Dacians in the Second Battle of Tapae.
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In order to commemorate Trajan's defeat over the Dacians, his column was built and set up in the Forum, towering 98 ft. in height.
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Trajan died from sickness in 117 AD. Some believe he did not pick a successor, and his wife forged that he had adopted Hadrian as his son, so he became the next emperor. His goal was to strengthen the existing Empire, not expand it. He was the third of the Five Good Emperors.
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Due to his constant curiosity, Hadrian took a 4 year journey everywhere from Britain to Asia Minor to Athens, fixing problems and inspecting troops.
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In 122 AD, Emperor Hadrian decided to build a wall in order to separate the Romans from the Barbarians. It now stands 73 miles long with varying heights.
