Why the Antonine dynasty went down in history as the "five good emperors" of the Roman Empire

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

The best period in the history of the Roman Empire was the reign of the five Antonines, the "five good emperors." It just so happened that five times in a row power passed to a person who not only did not abuse it, but also dealt with the most painful issues of a large and multinational empire. It is interesting that all these five times the title was inherited by the stepson of the previous emperor.

How the happy century began in the history of Rome

Roman historians are unanimous - "the era of five good emperors" was the time of prosperity and prosperity of Rome, and the reign of the second of them, Trajan, the historian Tacitus called "the happiest century." There was something to compare: shortly before the accession to the throne of the first Nero ruled. Domitian, the last of the Flavian dynasty, was also far from the image of an ideal ruler, he managed to turn both the people and the Senate against himself, but he enjoyed the love of the army.

Under Domitian, power in the empire was reduced to the creation of his own cult. If earlier the ruler consulted with representatives of noble families, the senate, in carrying out state policy, now Rome was under the sole authority of the emperor, who quite predictably abused his position. The treasury was wasted on luxurious buildings at the whims of the emperor, philosophers and dissenters were persecuted and executed. In 96, as a result of a conspiracy, Emperor Domitian was assassinated. On the same day, the Senate elected a new ruler of the empire, Mark Cocceus Nerva, a rather advanced statesman and founder of the Antonine dynasty, became him. This man seemed likely to be a reliable temporary solution to the problem of succession of power - to delay the proclamation of a successor to Domitian meant to expose the country to the risk of riots among the military; the power structures of Rome were dissatisfied with the removal of the emperor.

Nevertheless, Nerva's activities as emperor turned out to be successful, despite the fact that he was in control of a state with a depleted treasury and internal contradictions. The first of the good emperors, Mark Nerva, ruled for less than a year and a half, but those were the years of prosperity long awaited for Rome.

Emperors of the Antonine dynasty

He put things in order in the treasury, while paying great attention to helping the poorest classes. Some of the taxes were abolished, and Nerva allocated resources for these innovations thanks to the decision to end some of the costly celebrations - in particular, sacrifices and gladiatorial fights. The emperor was not young and childless, and the issue of the inheritance of power demanded a quick and definite decision. Then Nerva decided to resort to this option: he adopted the one who was supposed to take power over Rome after his death.

The candidacy of Mark Ulpius Trajan was approved by the Senate and was generally successful. Trajan, a native of Spanish lands, made a military career from scratch, which is why he enjoyed great authority among the troops. And this was important - worries about the murdered Domitian from time to time poisoned the life of the new emperor. By appointing Trajan, then the governor of Upper Germany, as his successor, Nerva thus calmed the troops. In January 98, the emperor died. Trajan did not return to Rome immediately, but only after settling all the affairs in Germany. And when he returned, he began to carry out reforms, primarily in the army. During the reign of this emperor, the territory of the Roman Empire reached its maximum - Dacia (modern Romania), Arabia, Mesopotamia, Armenia were annexed, the kingdom of the Nabateans was captured. Trajan ensured the acquisition of Roman citizenship by the inhabitants of some Spanish cities. He was engaged in construction, including roads, harbors, bridges.

Trajan's popularity among the people was extremely high, while he also reckoned with the Senate in his reign. The emperor appointed his cousin Adrian, who was brought up in the house of Trajan and later one of the closest associates, as heir. In 117, after the death of the second of the Antonines, power passed to his adopted son Hadrian. This emperor abandoned further conquests and even abandoned some of the provinces - in particular, Assyria. Hadrian's achievements include the codification of Roman law. He left a rich cultural heritage: libraries and theaters were created, the Pantheon was rebuilt; Adrian traveled extensively in the provinces of the empire. However, according to Christian tradition, it was this emperor who ordered the execution of the saints Faith, Nadezhda, Lyubov and their mother Sophia.

Adrian had no children, and shortly before his death he adopted Antoninus Pius, later called the Pious. In 138, a new emperor ascended the throne. He came from a Gallic senate family, starting as a military tribune, occupying more and more important posts one after another, and by the time he became the successor of Adrian, had made a brilliant career. At the beginning of his reign, Pius achieved the deification of his predecessor from the Senate: the last years of Hadrian's life were distinguished by tense relations with the Senate, some of his opponents were even executed. However, thanks to his successor, he was rehabilitated in the eyes of the senators.

Since 139, Antonin Pius bore the title "Father of the Fatherland", which the senators bestowed as a sign of respect for the merits in the post of head of the empire. However, Nero and Caligula also received this title. Among the main achievements of Antoninus Pius, the "good emperor", can be attributed to the further improvement of Roman law and the solution of some problems associated with inequality of estates. The new legislation also protected escaped slaves, and the murder of a slave was equated in terms of responsibility with the murder of any free Roman. Pius the Pious, unlike his predecessors, the Antonines, had children, but by the time of his accession to the throne, only one of his daughters remained alive. She subsequently became the wife of her cousin and the last of the five emperors, Marcus Aurelius.

The end of the period of "good emperors" and the onset of the crisis

The two decades that Marcus Aurelius spent at the head of the empire were called the "Golden Age". He ruled with his brother Lucius Verus until his death in 169, despite the fact that, according to the established order of succession to the title, he was to become the only successor of Pius. Marcus Aurelius was also of Spanish descent; he received an excellent education, and from the age of 25 he began to study philosophy.

Marcus Aurelius, he paid great attention to education, improving legal proceedings, and resolving military issues - the situation with the Germanic tribes was turbulent. But in violation of the already established tradition, the emperor chose the son of Commodus as his successor. After the death of Marcus Aurelius in 180, there was a time of decline. Commodus was not particularly interested in state affairs, preferring to use the resources of the empire for his own pleasure and even debauchery. He was killed in a conspiracy in 192.

The next period in the history of the Roman Empire was the crisis of the III century, a time when the so-called "soldier emperors" came to power. They were appointed by the military aristocracy and, as a rule, did not hold on to the throne for more than 2-6 years. These emperors did not show any outstanding abilities in the field of government and often died as a result of conspiracies. The period of the rule of the "five good emperors" is forever in the past, never again did Rome know such stability and prosperity.

As for the predecessor of the first of the good emperors - he, Domitian, was condemned to the curse of memory, becoming one of those whose names mankind has tried to erase from memory.