The Roman Empire

In his epic The Aeneid, the poet Virgil says that other cultures may produce beautiful art or learned philosophers and astronomers. But Romans are most fit to govern he says, and will do so wisely and with fairness. In his poems, Virgil expresses his hopes for Rome and its rule under Augustus, the first emperor of Rome. Many Romans probably agreed with Virgil's opinion and shared his hopes for the empire. 

When Augustus came to power after Caesar's death, Roman control had already spread far beyond Italy. Imperialism continued under Augustus and the emperors who followed, as Rome gained even more territory. Look at the territory controlled by the Romans on the map of the Roman Empire.

With the rule of Augustus, a period of stability and prosperity known as the Pax Romana, or "Roman peace" began. The Pax Romana lasted for about 200 years. During this time, people and goods traveled easily within the empire, and trade with Asia and Africa thrived.

Augustus was an intelligent ruler. When he was struggling for power, he often ignored the Senate and its laws. But after he won control, he changed his manner. He showed great respect for the Senate and was careful to avoid acting like a king. He did not want to have the same fate as Julius Caesar.

 The Roman rulers treated conquered peoples wisely. They took some slaves after a conquest, but most of the conquered people remained free. To govern, they divided their empire into provinces. Each province, or area of the empire, had a Roman governor supported by an army. Often, the Romans built the city in a new province to serve as its capital.

 Generally, the Romans did not force their way of life on conquered people. They allowed them to follow their own religions. Local rulers were allowed to run the daily affairs of government. As long as there was peace, Roman governors did not interfere in conquered people's lives. Rather, they kept watch over them.

Rome wanted peaceful provinces in which the conquered people would supply the empire with the raw materials it needed, buy Roman goods, and pay taxes. Many of the conquered people adopted Roman ways. Many learned to speak Latin, the language of the Romans, and to worship Roman gods.

 In AD 14, Augustus died. Although the Pax Romana continued after his death, good, bad, and terrible emperors ruled for the next 82 years. Two of the worst emperors during this time were Caligula and Nero. Caligula was a cruel, insane ruler who named his horse consul. Nero murdered his half-brother, his mother, and his wife, among others.

 In AD 96, Rome entered what is called the age of the “five good emperors.” The five emperors were Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius . They gained the support of the Senate and ruled fairly.

 Perhaps the greatest of these five emperors was Hadrian, who ruled from AD 117 to 138. He issued a code of laws, making laws uniform throughout the empire. Hadrian reorganized the army so that soldiers were allowed to defend their home provinces. This gave them a greater sense of responsibility. Hadrian also encouraged learning.

 The last of the “good emperors”, Marcus Aurelius, chose his son Commodus to follow him. Commodus ruled with great brutality, or cruelty. He loved gladiator fights. His reign ended the age of peace and prosperity known as the Pax Romana.