Roman Empire

  • The Roman Empire was the period between 27 BCE and 476 CE during which Rome became the greatest Empire in Europe. The Pax Romana was the Golden Age of Rome between 27 BCE-180 CE.
  • The Empire was ruled by the Roman Emperor based in the Capital at Rome, whose territory ran from Britain and Morocco in the west to the Rhine, Danube, Turkey, Syria and Egypt in the East. The major rivals were the Germanic Tribes and the Parthian Empire.

1. Before the Roman Empire (753-27 BCE)

  • Romulus and Remus
  • Roman Kings (753-509 BCE)
    • Rome was ruled by seven kings until the last was deposed and a Republic declared.
  • Roman Republic (509-29 BCE)
    • The beginnings of Empire. After the Punic Wars (264-146 BCE) Rome acquired the Provinces of Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Iberia and the Balearic Islands.
    • Empire. The Roman Republic then went on to acquire more Provinces in the Balkans, Greece, Asia Minor and the Levant. Then Gaul up to the Rhine, the Balkans up to the Danube and finally Egypt.

2. Augustus and the Principate (29 BCE-284 CE)

    • Historians divide the Roman Empire into two periods, the Principate (27 BCE-284 CE) or Early Roman Empire and the Dominate (304-476 CE) or Late Roman Empire.
    • From 27 BCE, Rome was ruled by one man, the Roman Emperor. The first Emperor was Augustus.
    • Augustus changed the Roman Republic by being granted the Title of ‘Princeps’ meaning ‘First Citizen’ and being granted in perpetuity the Office of ‘Princeps Senatus’ meaning ‘Leader of the Senate’.
    • This was to to avoid being called Dictator with its bad image amongst the Senate which was associated with the Dictatorship of Julius Caesar.
    • Neither did Augustus wish to be seen as a King, but wanted to give the impression of continuing with the Roman Republic. The title of ‘Princeps’ was used by successive Emperors up until Diocletian (284-305 CE).
    • In 116 CE, the Roman Empire reached its greatest extent under Trajan when he invaded Parthia.

  • Pax Romana The Golden Age of Rome (27 BCE-180 CE)

    • The Period between 27 BCE-180 CE is considered to be Rome’s finest period and spread Roman culture into Europe, Asia Minor, the Levant and North Africa.
    • Rome consolidated a vast Empire with its Armies, built spectacular Monuments and Roads that are still standing and produced Literature that is still read today.

  • Trajan (98-117 CE)

    • Trajan conducted a series of wars including Trajan's Parthian War which resulted in the Roman Empire reaching its greatest extent with its eastern frontier briefly on the Tigris in 116 CE.

  • Hadrian (117-138 CE)

    • His successor, Hadrian, conducted no wars but instead consolidated all the Frontiers.

  • Marcus Aurelius (161-180 CE)

  • Septimius Severus (193-211 CE)

  • Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (165-476 CE)

    • The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire describes the period from 165-476 CE, when a combination of Plague, Germanic Invasions and Civil Wars split the Roman Empire.
    • The Western Roman Empire disintegrated completely, whilst the Eastern Roman Empire went on to become the Byzantine Empire.

  • Crisis of the Third Century (235-284 CE)

    • There then followed a 50 year period of civil wars, where one General after another would take his armies to Rome and become Emperor. Historians refer to them as the Soldier Emperors.
    • The Empire fragmented into smaller Empires and the Germanic Invasions continued during the chaos.

3. Diocletian and the Dominate (284 – 476 CE)

  • The Dominate (284-476 CE)

    • Diocletian changed the Roman Constitution after 284 CE to recognise Monarchy as the supreme source of Power. Dominate is from ‘Dominus’ meaning Master or Lord.
    • Although the Roman Republic was not officially abolished, it was superseded by the new Constitution.

The Tetrarchy

    • Diocletian divided the Roman Empire into East and West, with each subdivided to create Four Divisions. Two co-Emperors ruled in the East and two co-Emperors ruled in the West.
    • Four new Capitals were created: Mediolanum Milan, Augusta Treverorum Trier, Sirmium Sremska Mitrovica and Nicomedia Izmit.

Reform of the Roman Army Command

Constantine I

    • Constantine I is considered to be the first Christian Roman Emperor.
    • He permitted the free worship of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire by enacting the Edict of Milan in 313 CE.
    • Constantine reunited the four parts of the Tetrarchy between 324-364 CE.
    • But also permanently transferred the Capital from Rome to Constantinople (Istanbul) between 326-330 CE, in effect reinforcing the split between East and West.
    • The Western Capital became based permanently at Milan (Mediolanum), instead of Rome, and later moved to Ravenna.

Theodosius I (379-395 CE)

    • In 380 CE, Theodosius I passed the Edict of Thessalonica establishing Christianity as the State Religion and banning the old Roman Pagan Religion and its festivals including the Olympic Games.
    • In 392 CE, Theodosius reunited East and West for the last time. He was the last Roman Emperor of both parts, and after his death in 395 CE, the Empire was permanently split.

The Roman Empire is permanently split into East and West (395 CE)

    • After the death of Theodosius in 395 CE the Roman Empire became officially split into East and West with separate Emperors. Theodosius’ two sons each inherited half of the Empire:
      • Western Roman Empire
      • Eastern Roman Empire

First Sack of Rome (410 CE)

Romulus Augustus (476 CE)

    • The last Roman Emperor of the West was Romulus Augustus and when he was deposed, the Western Roman Empire officially ended with him in 476 CE.

4. The Byzantine Empire (284-1453 CE)

    • After the Western Roman Empire ended in 476 CE, the Eastern Roman Empire succeeded it with its Capital at Constantinople.
    • To differentiate between the two Roman Empires, historians refer to the Eastern Roman Empire as the Byzantine Empire.

 

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