43 - 52 Slides

Caesar's grandnephew, and adopted son, takes over his place at age 18 with another triumvirate of his own. His allies are Mark Antony, an experienced general, and Lepidus, who was a powerful politician. This is Rome's second triumvirate. Octavian forces Lepidus, who is now weak, to retire. Octavian and Mark Antony become massive rivals and Mark Antony begins a relationship with Cleopatra both personally, militarily, politically, and economically. Octavian inevitably defeats them in a battle at Actium. Octavian becomes the unchallenged ruler of Rome, he was given the title of "Augustus" which meant exalted one. He also was given the title of "imperator" which meant supreme military commander and from that is where we got the word emperor. Rome now becomes an empire and is no longer a republic. He ruled for 40 years from 27 B.C. to 14 A.D., his reign become the start to a stable era for Rome. This period of peace and prosperity known as Pax Romona,  and it lasted for 207 years from 27 B.C. to 180 A.D.. He expanded Roman territory into Africa, he made it so civil service ran the government: building network roads, collecting taxes, establishing a postal service, administering the grain supply, building awesome public facilities such as buildings and aqueducts, setting up a police department, and running a fire-fighting organization. After all this he finally passed away due to natural causes. After Octavian's death power begun to be passed down through emperors. Tiberius ruled from 14 A.D. to 37 A.D., he was an incredible general, but a reluctant emperor. When his died he exiled himself from Rome and left his perfects in charge, he then died at age 77. Caligula ruled from 37 A.D. to 41 A.D., he took charge after winning a power struggle   to succeed Tiberius, he was known for his cruelty, extravagance, and perversity. He was assassinated by a group of praetorian guards, Senators, and imperial court who were trying to reinstate the Roman Republic. Their efforts did not work and Claudius took over from 41 A.D. to 54 A.D.. He suffered many disabilities including: a limp, stammering, shaking, and slobbering. This could have possibly been a result of cerebral palsy. He took over because he was the last adult male in the family, he ruled well. He had roads, aqueducts, and canals built, he also started a conquest of Britain. He was sadly poisoned by his wife so that her son Nero could take over the throne. Nero ruled from 54 A.D. to 68 A.D., he emphasized the arts and wanted to rebuild Rome to be more majestic. Rome suffered a huge fire in 64 A.D. while under his rule even though he didn't fiddle. He overspent Roman money and even raided temples in an effort to collect more. He is not to popular with historians.