Caesars real murderers Cassius and Brutus escaped from Rome and organized an army against the Second

1

• Caesars real murderers Cassius and Brutus
  escaped from Rome and organized an army against
  the Second Triumvirate but was soundly defeated
  by Octavian at the Battle of Phillippi in 42 B.C.

2

• Following the victory at the Battle of
  Phillippi, Mark Antony turned his attentions to
  the East, especially Egypt, where he made an
  alliance with Cleopatra the Queen of Egypt.

3

• Antony then attempted to introduce the concepts
  of Oriental despotism to Rome.

4

• Octavian consolidated his forces in the west and
  became the champion of the Greek ideals in Rome.

5

• Lepidus became ruler of the Roman territory in
  Africa and concentrated his attention to this
  region.

6

• Disputes between Octavian and Antony resulted in
  open warfare and at the Battle of Actium in 31
  B.C. Octavian crushed Antonys forces and Antony
  and Cleopatra both committed suicide rather than
  surrender to Octavian.

7

• Octavian then forced Lepidus to surrender his
  power in Africa and reduced his standing in the
  Roman government. Thus allowing Octavian to
  become the true ruler over the entire Roman
  Empire.

8

• Octavians successes ushered in a new era that
  became the most glorious and prosperous in Roman
  history.

9

• With the end of the civil wars Romans were
  allowed to demonstrate their full intellectual
  skills for the first time.

10

• Octavian attempted to preserve the basic forms
  of a constitutional form of government, but did
  accept the titles of Augustus and Emperor (which
  simply meant victorious general). The title he
  most liked though was princeps which means first
  citizen. He also held the positions of Tribune
  and Proconsul permanently but refused to make
  himself a dictator or consul for life, despite
  pleas for him to do so.

11

• Thus, in theory Rome was still controlled by the
  Senate and the people despite all of the powers
  and titles given to Octavian.

12

• The rule of Octavian marked the beginning of the
  period of Roman history known as the Principate
  (or early Roman Empire.) which lasted from
  approximately 30 B.C. to 180.

13

• As the first ruler of the Principate Octacian
  set the standard by which all later Roman rulers
  would be judged. He ruled for 44 years and used
  military power and common consent to control the
  empire. Thus, he ruled more by common decree and
  not through actual legal means. (A dangerous
  thing for men of lower morals than Octavian.)

14

• Among the major reforms created by Octavian
  were
• 1.) A new coinage system for the entire empire.
• 2.) The introduction of Romes first government
  paid police force
• 3.) The introduction of Romes first government
  paid fire department.

15

• 4.) A limited amount of self-government for the
  provincial cities and Roman territories.
• 5.) Improved the system of tax collecting
  preventing tax collectors from selling their job
  to the highest bidder. (Octavian hired his own
  tax collectors who were under his direct
  supervision.)
• 6.) Initiated a policy of providing cheap land
  for Roman citizens who desired to move to the
  provinces. Thus reducing overcrowding in Rome and
  providing a creative outlet for Romes many
  unemployed masses.

16

• 7.) The creation of the Pax Romana (Roman Peace)
  which lasted for 200 years during which not a
  single naval battle took place on the
  Mediterranean.

17

• Octavian was one of the greatest of the Roman
  Emperors. Unfortunately, he was followed by his
  stepson Tiberius who abused his powers and
  brutally destroyed all who opposed him.

18

• Tiberius was followed by Caligula who was one of
  the worst emperors. He declared himself a god and
  even made his horse a senator. He spent money so
  freely that he destroyed the Roman economy. In
  fact he was so bad that his own body guard, (the
  Praetorian Guard) assassinated him.

19

• The next emperor was Claudius who was the uncle
  of Tiberius.

20

• Claudius was half paralyzed and commonly thought
  of as a half-wit. However, he ruled well

21

• Claudius was followed to the throne by his
  stepson Nero. Nero is considered to be the worst
  Roman emperor of them all.

22

• He was so vile that he murdered his wife so that
  he could marry his mother. He then murdered his
  mother because he was afraid that she was
  plotting to seize the throne. He is blamed for
  causing the great fire that destroyed much of
  Rome and committed many other vile and depraved
  deeds. He eventually committed suicide before his
  enemies could crucify him.

23

• However, there were also several good emperors.
  The Emperor Nerva ended the process of hereditary
  succession to the throne and developed the
  tradition of the emperor selecting a qualified
  person to become the next emperor. His rule was
  so good that it marked the start of the period
  known as the Five Good Emperors
• 1.)          Nerva
• 2.)          Trajan
• 3.)          Hadrian
• 4.)          Antoninus Pius
• 5.)          Marcus Aurelius (the greatest of the
  good emperors)

24

• From the time of Augustus to Trajan the Roman
  Empire continued to expand. However, Augustus
  gained more land than any other Roman ruler ever.

25

• Stoicism continued to flourish during the Roman
  Principate. The three leading Stoics were
• 1.)          Seneca who was a wealthy advisor to
  the emperor Nero.
• 2.)          Epictetus a Roman slave.
• 3.)          Marcus Aurelius The Roman emperor
  who was the first of the Five Good Emperors.

26

• These individuals all believed that inner
  serenity was ultimate goal and that true
  happiness can only be found by surrendering to
  the will of the universe.

27

• They supported the ideal of virtue for virtues
  sake, deplored the sinfulness of human nature,
  and ordered obedience to conscience as the voice
  of duty.

28

• The teachings of Seneca and Epictetus both had a
  nearly religious aspect to their teachings. They
  worshipped the universe as a divine force
  governed by an all powerful Providence who
  ordains all that happens for the ultimate good of
  mankind.

29

• There are two major divisions in the literature
  of the Principate era the Golden Age and the
  Silver Age.

30

• The Golden Age occurred during the reign of
  Augustus, and the Silver Age occurred during the
  remaining portion of the first century.