Roman Empire

“”Divide and conquer.

— Julius Caesar

The Roman Empire, also known as SPQR, was a very large and influential empire in Europe, perhaps the most famous empire in history. Properly, he existed from 27 BC to 395 AD, though some would argue otherwise as if the Roman Republic and Byzantine Empire were included, it would have been from 509 BC to 1453 AD. At his height, Roman Empire controlled vast territories spanning three continents: Europe, Asia, and Africa, which was very impressive for an empire this old. The Empire's influence extended from the British Isles in the northwest to the deserts of the Middle East, and from the Rhine and Danube rivers in the north to the shores of North Africa.

Rome was admired and feared by his enemies. He had one of the finest, well equipped and most disciplined military forces in antiquity. They protected his borders and kept order in the diverse Roman society. Roman Empire usually beats the barbarians he encounters and incorporates them into the empire. It was clear that Rome was the uncontested ruler of the Mediterranean Sea and all the surrounding land.

The Roman Empire is usually considered the most important and best empire of all time by Western historians due to his remarkable achievements in various fields, including engineering, architecture, law, and governance. Roman engineers built an extensive network of roads, aqueducts, and monumental structures like the Colosseum and the Pantheon, many of which still stand today. The Roman legal system laid the foundation for many modern legal codes, and the concept of Roman citizenship became a unifying element for the diverse peoples within the Empire.

History

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Julio-Claudian Dynasty

Main article: Julio-Claudian Dynasty

The Julio-Claudian Dynasty was the first dynasty of the Roman Empire. It composed of the first five emperors. The Julio-Claudians started the destruction of republican values, but on the other hand, they boosted Rome's status as the central power in the world (the western world, at least). While Caligula and Nero are usually remembered as dysfunctional emperors in popular culture, Augustus and Claudius are remembered as emperors who were successful in politics and the military. This dynasty instituted imperial tradition in Rome and frustrated any attempt to reestablish a Republic.

Augustus became the first Roman emperor in 27 BC. he created the Praetorian Guard and annexed Galatia. He also returned the lost standards (flags) that were lost from a battle, which was seen as very honorable. In 6 AD, a big revolt happened in the province of Pannonia. In AD 9, the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest resulted in a major defeat for Rome by the Germanics.

Tiberius reigned second, between 14 AD and 37 AD. At first, he continued the ruling style of Augustus but later his paranoia increased and he heavily relied on Praetorian Guards.

Caligula reigned third from 37 to 41 AD, and he was cruel and tyrannical (possibly schizophrenic). He declared himself as god and spending lots of money on building giant projects and making irrational decisions. He was assassinated by a Praetorian Guard, making his uncle Claudius the emperor.

Claudius reigned as Roman Emperor from 41 AD to 54 AD. His rule was decent and he conquered Britain in 43 AD. He built roads, canals, and more. But he was assassinated by his wife, Agrippina the Younger because she wanted to ensure her son Nero's success.

Nero (reigning 54-68) sent his general, Suetonius Paulinus, to invade modern-day Wales, where he encountered stiff resistance from the locals. They were independent, tough and resistant to tax collectors and fought Paulinus, as he battled his way across from East to West. It took him a long time to reach the North West coast and in 60 AD he finally crossed the Menai Strait to the sacred island of Mona, the last stronghold of the druids. Roman soldiers attacked the island and massacred the druids, men, women and children, destroyed the shrine and the sacred groves and threw many of the sacred standing stones into the sea.

Nero was very evil. He executed his two wives, his mother, his advisor, and more. He burned down Rome and blamed it on Christians. Oh how he hated Christians. After labeling Christians a cult and a danger to society, Nero mobilized the Roman public to persecute them. As a result, many Christians were killed – torn apart by beasts or burned alive as human torches. The most notorious occurred from 64 to 65 AD. But, the many people who followed Nero and persecuted Christians soon received retribution. A plague broke out the following autumn in Rome, killing some 30,000 people.

A series of revolts broke out against him and Nero was forced into suicide in the year 69, starting the Year of the Four Emperors civil war.

Year of the Four Emperors

The Year of the Four Emperors in 69 AD followed Nero's demise, where there was no chance of return to the old and traditional Roman Republic, thus a new emperor had to rise. A period of civil strife and power struggles. Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian each claimed the imperial title in rapid succession, reflecting the instability that ensued after the fall of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty. Vespasian ultimately emerged victorious, establishing the Flavian Dynasty and bringing some stability back to the empire.

Flavian Dynasty

Vespasian's reign marked a return to strong and pragmatic leadership. He initiated significant military reforms, restored the finances of the state through increased taxation and prudent fiscal management, and embarked on ambitious construction projects, including the beginning of the Colosseum's construction. His administration set the groundwork for a more stable and prosperous period in Roman history, continuing through the reigns of his sons, Titus and Domitian, who succeeded him. The Flavian Dynasty thus helped to consolidate and strengthen the empire after the tumultuous events of 69 AD.

Between 66 and 74, there were the first of three major rebellions by the Jews against the Roman Empire fought in Roman-controlled Roman Judaea, resulting in the destruction of Jewish towns, the displacement of its people and the appropriation of land for Roman military use, as well as the destruction of the Jewish Temple and polity. Through these brutal tactics, the emperors of the dynasty held on to complete power and control over the Roman Empire. Domitian, the last of the Flavian emperors, continued this legacy of strong central authority, though his reign would also see increasing autocracy and paranoia, leading to his assassination in 96 AD and the eventual end of the Flavian line.

Nerva-Antonine Dynasty

The next dynasty was the Nerva-Antonine Dynasty. Nerva was the first emperor of the dynasty and although his reign only lasted for 2 years, from 96 to 98. His reign laid the framework of the Pax Romana.

Nerva's successor was Trajan, a legionary of the Roman Army. His reign reached the territorial peak of the empire. Roman Empire conquered Dacia in 106, and campaigned heavily against Parthian Empire, capturing many of his important cities. Examples include the city of Ctesiphon which was captured by Rome several times, and the city of Seleucia which got destroyed by Rome in 165 AD. However, the Mesopotamian province established by Trajan in 116 did not last long and ended in 117 as the province was heavily contested between 2 great powers and hard to properly manage. Trajan also died in 117, after suffering a stroke.

Trajan's successor, Hadrian, decided to reverse Trajan's gains and instead, assume a defensive stance against the enemies of Rome. He was particularly known for touring the empire and constructing great defensive fortifications, the most notable of this defences was the Hadrian's wall which began in 122, in modern-day Britain.

In 132, there was a major uprising by the Jews of Roman Judaea against the Roman Empire, marking the final and most devastating of the Jewish-Roman wars. This revolt, known as the Bar Kokhba revolt, lasted until 136, and the Romans near-depopulated the region through large-scale killings, mass enslavement, and displacement.

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Society

In the Roman Empire, travel was very slow since people rode on horses and carriages. So it took months to travel from one end to the other end of Empire. There's a saying "all roads lead to Rome", because the roads radiated outward from Rome into Europe.

Trivia

• Despite popular belief, the Roman Empire didn't just conquer territory for the fun of it. Usually, he only conquers neighboring peoples who constantly raid Roman lands and lands that have rich resources.
• While Latin was the official language and is used in government affairs, many Romans spoke Greek and other local languages.
• Unlike in Ancient Greece, theatre was not a form of high-class entertainment. It is despised by many because it often attract drunks, pimps, and prostitutes.
• In Rome, parricide is punished by the penalty of the sack. The perpetrator would be trapped in a sack along with a dog, monkey, snake and rooster. Then the sack would be thrown in the river.

Myths About the Roman Empire

Due to the empire's popularity and his frequent portrayals in media, a lot of myths have been created about the Roman Empire.

Deadly Gladiator Fights

Contrary to media portrayals, gladiator fights weren't usually a fight to the death, and are made to entertain the audience without being fatal. Deaths only occur when the audience or sponsor strongly demands it.

Homosexuality

Many modern media portray the Roman Empire as acceptance of homosexuality. But, the source we have only represent 2% of the city of Rome itself, and various other sources suggest that homosexuality is looked down upon by the majority of inhabitants. Pro-gay people were slandered as "urbanites" by the population. Plus, same-sex relationships were almost always forced and abusive, such as between man and child and slaveowner and slave, in contrary to the healthy relationships of heterosexual couples.

Orgies

WARNING: THIS SECTION CONTAINS MENTIONS OF NSFW CONTENT.

One reason Rome is such a popular period for TV shows and movie depictions is the opportunity for directors to augment the plot with gratuitous sex, thanks to the loose morality for which the empire is widely renowned. The problem is, that likely wasn't the case. Sure, Roman sexuality was more liberal than the restrictive theocracies that came after (such as the Byzantines) and nude works were normal. But, the Romans drew a line between public and private displays of sexuality (unlike today’s left). What happened in one's home was one thing, but even married couples avoided public displays of affection. Large gatherings of people having sex are simply not mentioned in any documented histories, apart from some works of fiction or likely exaggerated accounts of sex-crazed emperors written by critics hoping to slander their legacy. So why do many people think group sex was rampant in Rome? One explanation is mistranslation: the word "orgy" from the Latin "orgia", wasn't explicitly associated with sex until the late 1800s. In Roman times, it commonly meant a secret nighttime religious ceremony. With a slew of different cults trying to keep their rituals quiet, an orgia was a regular occurrence.

Add to this that the Greco-Roman god of wine and pleasure, Dionysus (AKA Bacchus), was worshiped in Bacchanalia ceremonies that involved copious drinking, mingling of the genders and sometimes even sex, if Livy's scandalous accounts are to be believed. The Roman historian described lots of sex, sometimes between different classes of people, which seemed to be his main objection.

Many stories of sex parties are accounts of depraved emperors written by detractors or later Christian writers trying to illustrate the moral bankruptcy of the Roman Empire. Ironically, many of these tales appear to be repeats of stories that Roman authorities used to slander early Christians, accusing them of perverse sexual rites. So, the idea that Romans held regular sex orgies (apart from a few power-mad emperors like Nero) is fiction.

Vomitorium

Vomitoriums were not giant feasts where people could vomit to make room for more feast, they were simply the passageway between an arena and the streets.

Relationships

Friends

• Han Dynasty - Hey! Thanks for your silks to me and thvs trade with me! Best trading partner! And some of my soldiers lived in yovr clay! Althovgh he let Xiongnv come!! I invent real noodle!! And one day I will conqver yvo

Enemies

• Germanic Barbaricum - Filthy, barbaricvm immigrants. How dare tu defeat me! I’ll never forget this! and yvo also steal my original latin letters
• Hunnic Empire - WHAT ARE YOU MONSTERS?!

How to draw

Vexillum of the Roman Empire

1. Draw a ball.
2. Fill it with red.
3. Draw two olive branches that bend into a circle. In gold.
4. Write the letters “SPQR” in the circle. In gold.
5. Add a darker red border around the olive branches and SPQR
6. Add the eyes and you’re done!
7. Add a Roman soldier helmet (optional)
8. Make the helmet gold (optional)

Color Name		HEX
	Red	#9F0807
	Gold	#D7BC52
	Dark Red	#880606

Gallery

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