Rome

Later Emperors

     Augustus had complete power in Rome, but he showed great respect for the Senate. Later emperors made no secret of their power. The Senate still existed, but they no longer controlled the Neroaffairs of the empire. Some of the emperors who followed Augustus ruled wisely. Others were foolish and cruel.

     Nero was perhaps the most notorious emperor in Roman history. He divorced and murdered his wife in AD62. Later that year he introduced laws that allowed him to kill his enemies. In AD64, a fire destroyed most of the city. A rumor started that Nero set the fire in order to make room for his new palace. People said that he played a fiddle and recited poetry while watching the blaze.

     Nero was proud of his chariot driving and singing. In AD67 he toured Greece, a land he controlled. He participated in many games and contests for driving and singing, and always came in first place. As Nero devoted himself to his artistic pursuits, he lost power. In AD68, Nero committed suicide in the face of a revolt from his soldiers.

     The Roman Empire reached its greatest size in AD117 under the emperor Trajan. In Europe, it extended from Britain and Spain, across France, southern Germany, and the Balkan Mountains. The Empire also included North Africa, and stretched as far east as the Caspian Sea. The Romans claimed all of the land surrounding the enormous Mediterranean Sea, which they called "a Roman lake."

     In AD121, the emperor Hadrian built a wall across northern England to keep out invaders from Scotland. The Romans called the Scottish "barbarians," probably because their Celtic language reminded the Romans of the sounds made by sheep. In time, the Romans called all of the people they felt were uncultured "barbarians." Barbarian warriors from Germany would later lead to the end of the empire.

Cool Link

  • Read a great biography of Nero.


De Imperatoribus Romanis: An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Emperors

RomePatricians and Plebeians  | The Punic Wars  |  Julius Caesar
Cleopatra
  |  Caesar Augustus   |  Later Emperors  |  Roman Technology
The Legacy of Roman Government
  |  Latin   |  Christianity  |  Constantinople

Caesar Augustus

Roman Technology

 

 

To cite this page:
Dowling, Mike., "The Electronic Passport to Roman Emperors," available from http://www.mrdowling.com/702-emperors.html; Internet; updated
Thursday, March 16, 2000 6:06 PM

© 2000, Mike Dowling. All rights reserved.