1. Create a table like this on your notebook
Emperor name
Term
(years of service)
Accomplishments
Interesting facts

2. Title Roman Emperors

3. Early Emperors
Octavian: 27 BC to 14 AD. Adopted son of Julius Caesar. Ruled for 41 years (longest rule). Became known as Caesar Augustus. Ruled at time of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. Part of second triumvirate with Marc Antony and Lepidus. After Caesar’s death he fought in a civil war against Antony and was crowned first emperor after victory. Began Pax Romana.
Tiberius: 14 to 37. Born in Rome. Married to Octavian’s daughter. Brilliant general, led campaigns across Europe. Very somber and reclusive. Jesus of Nazareth was crucified drying his reign.
Caligula: 37 to 41 AD. Very popular, but fell ill and suffered paranoia. Had many family members banished. Tried to make his horse a consul. Eventually assassinated.

4. Claudius (41 CE – 54 CE) Uncle of Caligula, Ungainly, doltish appearance, An excellent organizer, Expanded the bureaucracy, Served poisoned mushrooms by his fourth wife
Nero: Considered insane. Killed his own mother. Unpopular with rich, popular with poor. Accused of causing fire in 64. Persecuted Christians. Forced Seneca to commit suicide. Built fire in area burnt down by fire.
Vespasian: Beginning of the Flavian Dynasty. Built Flavian Amphitheatre (Coliseum). Ruled during Judean revolts.

5. Flavian Dynasty
Titus: First son of Vespasian. Good general. Crushed Judean revolt. Ruled effectively during Vesuvius disaster.
Domitian: Second son of Vespasian, supposedly involved in Titus’s death. Terrible general, bad for economy. Devalued Roman money. Stabbed 8 times.

6. Five Good Emperors
Nerva: Elected by Senate. Choose heir based on capabilites, not heredity.
Trajan: Great general. Brought empire to its largest by conquering Dacia (built Trajan’s Column in commemoration), Armenia, Sinai, and Mesopotamia.
Hadrian: Stoic and philosophic. Built Hadrian’s Wall and the Pantheon. Very popular. Realized empire was too large and withdrew from a few provinces.
Antonius Pius: Longest reign since Augustus. Very Popular.
Marcus Aurelius: Last of the Five Good Emperors. Wrote philosophy, Meditations. Fought campaigns against Germanic tribes along the Rhine.

7. The Tetrarchy
Diocletian: Secured throne after Battle of Margus. Created tetrarchy, where the empire was spilt in half, and each side was ruled by an emperor and his deputy. Led the empire’s last and largest Christian persecution.
In 313 A.D. Tetrarchy ends, Constantine left in West, Licinius in East
Constantine: Fought many civil wars until his rule was undisputed. Saw cross in the sky at Milvian Bridge in 312. Had his mother Helena build churches at important Christian sites. Edict of Milan allowed religious tolerance.
Commodus (180 CE – 192 CE) Son of Marcus Aurelius, Unfit, broke the tradition of “best man”, Fought in the gladiatorial contests, Poor ruler, Strangled to death in his bath

8. Nearing the End
Theodosius I: Last emperor to rule both halves of the empire as a whole. Made Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire. Led many military campaigns against the Goths.