Western Civilization Blog Post #54 - Rome

May 28th, 2020

Slideshow Notes

• Octavian, Julius Caesar's grandnephew, takes over at the young age of 18
• He creates the Second Triumvirate with:
• Mark Antony - a general
• Lepidus - a politician
• Octavian forces Lepidus to retire
• Octavian and Mark Antony become enemies
• Mark Antony makes an alliance with Cleopatra
• Octavian defeats the alliance at the Battle of Actium
• Octavian is given the title of "Augustus" and "imperator"
• "Augustus" - "Exalted one"
• "imperator" - supreme military commander
• The Roman republic has now become an empire
• Octavian ruled as emperor from 27 B.C. to 14 A.D. (40 years)
• He began the Pax Romana, an era of peace and prosperity which lasted from 27 B.C. to 180 A.D. (207 years)
• He died of natural causes
• An age of emperors emerged after Octavian's death
• Tiberius
• 14 A.D. to 37 A.D.
• good general; not so good emperor
• after his son's death, he left Rome, leaving his prefects in charge
• died at the age of 77
• Caligula
• 37 A.D. to 41 A.D.
• was a tyrant
• assassinated by a group of praetorian guards, Senators, and the imperial court
• Claudius
• 41 A.D. to 54 A.D.
• had a physical disability; most likely cerebral palsy
• was a good ruler
• died by poisoning
• Nero
• 54 A.D. to 68 A.D.
• wanted to rebuild Rome to be more majestic
• overspent and often raided temples for money