The aftermath of the murder
- Julius Caesar’s grandnephew (and adopted son) Octavian takes over at the age of 18! with his own triumvirate
- Mark Antony - experienced general
- Lepidus - powerful politician
- This is the Second Triumvirate
- Octavian forces the weak Lepidus to retire
- He and Mark Antony become rivals
- Mark Antony partners up with Cleopatra of Egypt
- Militarily
- Personally
- Politically
- Economically
- Octavian defeats them at the Battle of Actium
- is now the unchallenged ruler of Rome
- He was given the honorific “Augustus” (“Exalted One”)
- He was also given the title “Imperator” (Supreme Military Commander)
- This is where we get the word “emperor”
- Now Rome is an empire, not a republic
He isn't a Tarquin
- 40 years of ruling as emperor (27 BC to AD 14)
- He began a stable era of peace and prosperity known as the Pax Romana (Roman peace)
- Pax Romana was 207 years long
- 27 BC to AD 180
A few of Octavians accomplishments
- Expanded the Roman Empire further into Africa
- He set up civil service to run the government/empire
- Building a network of roads
- Collecting taxes
- Establishing a postal service
- Administering the grain supply
- Building awesome public facilities (buildings, aqueducts)
- Setting up a police department
- Running a fire-fighting organization
Finally died of natural causes
Which begins age of emperors (some were good, some bad, and some horrible)
Tiberius:
- Ruled from AD 14 to AD 37
- an excellent general, but a reluctant emperor
- after the death of his son, he exiled himself from Rome and left his prefects in charge
- died at age 77
Caligula:
- Ruled from AD 37 to AD 41 (only 4 years!)
- won a power struggle after Tiberius' death
- known for his cruelty, extravagance, and perversity - an insane tyrant
- assassinated by a group of praetorian guards, Senators, and the imperial court, trying to re-establish the Republic
- which didn't work
Claudius:
- Ruled from AD 41 to AD 54
- suffered from many infirmities: a limp, stammering, shaking, slobbering-possibly because of cerebral palsy
- took over because he was the last adult male in the family
- ruled well: built roads, aqueducts, canals, and started the conquest of Britain
- died by poisoning - it was his last wife's plan (she wanted her son Nero to rise to power)
Nero:
- ruled from 54 AD to 68 AD
- emphasized the arts
- huge fire in 64 AD
- he wanted to rebuild Rome to be more majestic
- he hugely overspent, even raided the temples for money
- historians do not look kindly upon him
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