Caracalla

The plebeians made up the bulk of the Roman citizenry. They were divided into four sub-classes based on property. The poorest class, the proletarii, were forbidden military service until the reforms of Marius in 108 BC, but otherwise members of the various sub-classes enjoyed the same rights and responsibilities. The official attitude towards the plebeian class varied significantly between generations. Originally, the plebeians had little say in Roman government; the Roman system of voting by regional "tribes" and property-base ...

See also:

Social class in ancient Rome, Social class in ancient Rome - Patricians, Social class in ancient Rome - Plebeians, Social class in ancient Rome - Freedmen, Social class in ancient Rome - Slaves, Social class in ancient Rome - Latins, Social class in ancient Rome - Foreigners, Social class in ancient Rome - Women in Roman society, Social class in ancient Rome - Notes, Social class in ancient Rome - External references

Read more here: » Social class in ancient Rome: Encyclopedia II - Social class in ancient Rome - Plebeians

The rebellion of Carausius in AD 286 led to Britain breaking away from the Roman Empire and it was not for another ten years that an expedition to retake the province was launched by Emperor Constantius Chlorus. The emperor commanded one force and a second was put under the command of a praetorian prefect named Asclepiodotus. Constantius' contingent was turned back by storms but Asclepiodotus' troops successfully landed near Southampton. He burnt his boats and marched toward Londinium (London). Caraousis' successor, Allectus confronte ...

See also:

Roman conquest of Britain, Roman conquest of Britain - Julius Caesar: 55 BC, Roman conquest of Britain - Julius Caesar: 54 BC, Roman conquest of Britain - Aborted invasions, Roman conquest of Britain - Aulus Plautius: AD 43, Roman conquest of Britain - The conquest continued, Roman conquest of Britain - Asclepiodotus : AD 296

Read more here: » Roman conquest of Britain: Encyclopedia II - Roman conquest of Britain - Asclepiodotus : AD 296

The Flavians, although a relatively short lived dynasty, helped restore stability to an empire on its knees. Although there are criticisms of all three, especially based on their more centralized style of rule, it was the reforms and good rule of the three that helped create a stable empire that would last well into the 3rd Century. However, their background as a military dynasty led to further irrelevancy of the senate, and the move from princeps, or first citizen, to imperatorSee also:

Roman Empire, Roman Empire - Historians' viewpoints on the evolution of Imperial Rome, Roman Empire - Age of Augustus 31 BC–AD 14, Roman Empire - Political developments, Roman Empire - Cultural developments, Roman Empire - Sources, Roman Empire - Julio-Claudian dynasty: Augustus' heirs, Roman Empire - Two military Danger Zones Rebellions Uprisings and political consequences, Roman Empire - Flavian Dynasty, Roman Empire - Five Good Emperors - The Antonine Dynasty 96 – 180, Roman Empire - Commodus 180–192, Roman Empire - Severan dynasty 193–235, Roman Empire - Crisis of the 3rd Century 235–284, Roman Empire - Tetrarchy 285–324, Roman Empire - Christian Empire 324–395, Roman Empire - Late Antiquity in the West 395–476, Roman Empire - From Roman to Byzantine in the East, Roman Empire - Under Constantine 330–337 and his sons 337–361, Roman Empire - Under Julian & Jovian 361–364, Roman Empire - Valentinian Dynasty 364–392, Roman Empire - Battle of Adrianople 378, Roman Empire - Disturbed peace in the West 383, Roman Empire - Theodosian Dynasty 392–395, Roman Empire - Later Eastern Empire 476–1461, Roman Empire - Roman Provinces, Roman Empire - Emperors, Roman Empire - Ancient Historians of the Empire, Roman Empire - Latin Literature of the Empire

Read more here: » Roman Empire: Encyclopedia II - Roman Empire - Flavian Dynasty

It was relativly easy to rule the Roman Empire, from the central capital of Rome, during peacetime. An eventual rebellion was expected and would happen from time to time: a general or a governor would gain the loyalty of his officers through a mixture of personal charisma, promises and simple bribes. This would be a bad, but not a catastrophic event. The legions were spread around the borders and the rebel leader would in normal circumstances, have only one or two legions under his command. Loyal legions would be detached from other points o ...

See also:

Roman Empire, Roman Empire - Historians' viewpoints on the evolution of Imperial Rome, Roman Empire - Age of Augustus 31 BC–AD 14, Roman Empire - Political developments, Roman Empire - Cultural developments, Roman Empire - Sources, Roman Empire - Julio-Claudian dynasty: Augustus' heirs, Roman Empire - Two military Danger Zones Rebellions Uprisings and political consequences, Roman Empire - Flavian Dynasty, Roman Empire - Five Good Emperors - The Antonine Dynasty 96 – 180, Roman Empire - Commodus 180–192, Roman Empire - Severan dynasty 193–235, Roman Empire - Crisis of the 3rd Century 235–284, Roman Empire - Tetrarchy 285–324, Roman Empire - Christian Empire 324–395, Roman Empire - Late Antiquity in the West 395–476, Roman Empire - From Roman to Byzantine in the East, Roman Empire - Under Constantine 330–337 and his sons 337–361, Roman Empire - Under Julian & Jovian 361–364, Roman Empire - Valentinian Dynasty 364–392, Roman Empire - Battle of Adrianople 378, Roman Empire - Disturbed peace in the West 383, Roman Empire - Theodosian Dynasty 392–395, Roman Empire - Later Eastern Empire 476–1461, Roman Empire - Roman Provinces, Roman Empire - Emperors, Roman Empire - Ancient Historians of the Empire, Roman Empire - Latin Literature of the Empire

Read more here: » Roman Empire: Encyclopedia II - Roman Empire - Two military Danger Zones Rebellions Uprisings and political consequences

During the first stages of romanization, the peninsula was divided in two by the Romans for administrative purposes, and so there were two Hispanias. The closest one to Rome was called Citerior and the more remote one Ulterior. The frontier between both Hispanias was a sinuous line which ran from Cartago Nova (now Cartagena) to the Cantabrian Sea. Hispania Ulterior comprised what are now Andalusia, Portugal, Extremadura, León, a great portion of the former Castilla la Vieja, Ga ...

See also:

Hispania, Hispania - Origin of the Name, Hispania - Prehistory and Early History, Hispania - Roman Hispania, Hispania - The Hispaniae 'Spains', Hispania - Later History, Hispania - Visigoths and Arabs, Hispania - Sources and References, Hispania - Modern sources in Spanish and Portuguese, Hispania - Other Modern sources, Hispania - Classical sources

Read more here: » Hispania: Encyclopedia II - Hispania - The Hispaniae 'Spains'

The Iberian peninsula has long been inhabited, first by Early Hominids, such as Homo erectus, Homo heidelbergensis and Homo antecessor. In the Paleolithic period, the Neanderthal enters Iberia and there will eventually take refuge from the advancing migrations of Modern Humans. In the 40th millennium BC, during the Upper Paleolithic and the Last Ice Age, the first large settlement of Europe by Modern Humans occurs, these where Nomadic Hunter-gathereres coming from the of the Steppes of Central Asia, characterized by the M173 mutation in the ...

See also:

Hispania, Hispania - Origin of the Name, Hispania - Prehistory and Early History, Hispania - Roman Hispania, Hispania - The Hispaniae 'Spains', Hispania - Later History, Hispania - Visigoths and Arabs, Hispania - Sources and References, Hispania - Modern sources in Spanish and Portuguese, Hispania - Other Modern sources, Hispania - Classical sources

Read more here: » Hispania: Encyclopedia II - Hispania - Prehistory and Early History

Christianity was introduced into Hispania in the first century and it became popular in the cities in the second century. Little headway was made in the countryside, however, until the late fourth century, by which time Christianity was the official religion of the Roman Empire. Some heretical sects emerged in Hispania but the Hispanic church remained subordinate to the Bishop of Rome. Bishops who had official civil as well as ecclesiastical status in the late empire continued to exercise their authority to maintain order when civil governme ...

See also:

Hispania, Hispania - Origin of the Name, Hispania - Prehistory and Early History, Hispania - Roman Hispania, Hispania - The Hispaniae 'Spains', Hispania - Later History, Hispania - Visigoths and Arabs, Hispania - Sources and References, Hispania - Modern sources in Spanish and Portuguese, Hispania - Other Modern sources, Hispania - Classical sources

Read more here: » Hispania: Encyclopedia II - Hispania - Later History

With time, a secondary form of the word Hispania gained usage: Spania. According to Isidore of Seville, it is with the Visigothic domination of the zone that the idea of a peninsular unity is sought after, and the phrase Mother Hispania is first spoken. Up to that date, Hispania designated all of the peninsula's lands. In Historia Gothorum, the Visigoth Suinthila appears as the first king of "totius Spaniae"; the history's prologue is the well-known De laude Spaniae ("About Hispania's pride") ...

See also:

Hispania, Hispania - Origin of the Name, Hispania - Prehistory and Early History, Hispania - Roman Hispania, Hispania - The Hispaniae 'Spains', Hispania - Later History, Hispania - Visigoths and Arabs, Hispania - Sources and References, Hispania - Modern sources in Spanish and Portuguese, Hispania - Other Modern sources, Hispania - Classical sources

Read more here: » Hispania: Encyclopedia II - Hispania - Visigoths and Arabs

This article draws heavily on the corresponding article in the Spanish-language Wikipedia, which was accessed in the version of February 27, 2005. Hispania - Modern sources in Spanish and Portuguese. Altamira y Crevea, Rafael Historia de España y de la civilización española. Tomo I. Barcelona, 1900. Altamira was a professor at the University of Oviedo, a member of the Royal Academy of History, of the Geographic Society of Lisbon and of the Instituto de Coimbra. (In Spanish.) Aznar, ...

See also:

Hispania, Hispania - Origin of the Name, Hispania - Prehistory and Early History, Hispania - Roman Hispania, Hispania - The Hispaniae 'Spains', Hispania - Later History, Hispania - Visigoths and Arabs, Hispania - Sources and References, Hispania - Modern sources in Spanish and Portuguese, Hispania - Other Modern sources, Hispania - Classical sources

Read more here: » Hispania: Encyclopedia II - Hispania - Sources and References

Freedmen (libertii) were freed slaves. Their status varied from generation to generation through the Republic; Livy states that freedmen in the Early Republic mainly joined the lower sub-classes of the plebeians, while Juvenal, writing during the Empire when financial considerations alone dictated economic class, describes freedmen who had been accepted into the equestrian class. Freedmen made up the bulk of the civil service during the early Empire. Many became enormously wealthy as the result of bribes, fraud, or other forms ...

See also:

Social class in ancient Rome, Social class in ancient Rome - Patricians, Social class in ancient Rome - Plebeians, Social class in ancient Rome - Freedmen, Social class in ancient Rome - Slaves, Social class in ancient Rome - Latins, Social class in ancient Rome - Foreigners, Social class in ancient Rome - Women in Roman society, Social class in ancient Rome - Notes, Social class in ancient Rome - External references

Read more here: » Social class in ancient Rome: Encyclopedia II - Social class in ancient Rome - Freedmen

Slaves (servi) were for the most part descended from debtors and from prisoners of war, especially women and children captured during sieges and other military campaigns in Italy, Spain, and Carthage. In the later years of the Republic and into the Empire, more slaves came from newly conquered areas of Gaul, Britain, North Africa, the Middle East, and what is now eastern Turkey. Slaves originally had no rights whatsoever and could be disposed of by their owners at any time. As time went on, however, the Senate and later the emp ...

See also:

Social class in ancient Rome, Social class in ancient Rome - Patricians, Social class in ancient Rome - Plebeians, Social class in ancient Rome - Freedmen, Social class in ancient Rome - Slaves, Social class in ancient Rome - Latins, Social class in ancient Rome - Foreigners, Social class in ancient Rome - Women in Roman society, Social class in ancient Rome - Notes, Social class in ancient Rome - External references

Read more here: » Social class in ancient Rome: Encyclopedia II - Social class in ancient Rome - Slaves

The transition from a single united empire to the later divided Western and Eastern empires was a gradual transformation. In July, 285, Diocletian defeated rival Emperor Carinus and briefly became sole emperor of the Roman Empire. Diocletian saw that the vast Roman Empire was ungovernable by a single emperor in the face of internal pressures and military threats on two fronts. He therefore split the Empire in half along a north-west axis just east of Italy, and created two equal Emperors to rule under the title of Augustus. Diocletian ...

See also:

Roman Empire, Roman Empire - Historians' viewpoints on the evolution of Imperial Rome, Roman Empire - Age of Augustus 31 BC–AD 14, Roman Empire - Political developments, Roman Empire - Cultural developments, Roman Empire - Sources, Roman Empire - Julio-Claudian dynasty: Augustus' heirs, Roman Empire - Two military Danger Zones Rebellions Uprisings and political consequences, Roman Empire - Flavian Dynasty, Roman Empire - Five Good Emperors - The Antonine Dynasty 96 – 180, Roman Empire - Commodus 180–192, Roman Empire - Severan dynasty 193–235, Roman Empire - Crisis of the 3rd Century 235–284, Roman Empire - Tetrarchy 285–324 and Constantine the Great 324-337, Roman Empire - The Empire after Constantine 337–395, Roman Empire - The sons of Constantine 337–361, Roman Empire - Under Julian & Jovian 361–364, Roman Empire - Valentinian Dynasty 364–392, Roman Empire - Battle of Adrianople 378, Roman Empire - Disturbed peace in the West 383, Roman Empire - The Empire becoming Christian, Roman Empire - Theodosian Dynasty 392–395, Roman Empire - The End of the Western Empire 395–476, Roman Empire - The Byzantine Empire 395–1461, Roman Empire - Legacy of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire - Roman Provinces, Roman Empire - Emperors, Roman Empire - Ancient Historians of the Empire, Roman Empire - Latin Literature of the Empire

Read more here: » Roman Empire: Encyclopedia II - Roman Empire - Tetrarchy 285–324 and Constantine the Great 324-337

The Crisis of the is a commonly applied name for the crumbling and near collapse of the between . It is also called the period of the "military anarchy." After having enjoyed a period of limited external invasion, internal peace and economic prosperity, the Roman Empire underwent a crisis during the 3rd Century and almost collapsed. Between 235 and 284 no fewer than 25 different emperors ruled Rome and since they almost exclusively were army generals, this period is also called the rule of the "Soldier-Emperors". All but two of these ...

See also:

Roman Empire, Roman Empire - Historians' viewpoints on the evolution of Imperial Rome, Roman Empire - Age of Augustus 31 BC–AD 14, Roman Empire - Political developments, Roman Empire - Cultural developments, Roman Empire - Sources, Roman Empire - Julio-Claudian dynasty: Augustus' heirs, Roman Empire - Two military Danger Zones Rebellions Uprisings and political consequences, Roman Empire - Flavian Dynasty, Roman Empire - Five Good Emperors - The Antonine Dynasty 96 – 180, Roman Empire - Commodus 180–192, Roman Empire - Severan dynasty 193–235, Roman Empire - Crisis of the 3rd Century 235–284, Roman Empire - Tetrarchy 285–324 and Constantine the Great 324-337, Roman Empire - The Empire after Constantine 337–395, Roman Empire - The sons of Constantine 337–361, Roman Empire - Under Julian & Jovian 361–364, Roman Empire - Valentinian Dynasty 364–392, Roman Empire - Battle of Adrianople 378, Roman Empire - Disturbed peace in the West 383, Roman Empire - The Empire becoming Christian, Roman Empire - Theodosian Dynasty 392–395, Roman Empire - The End of the Western Empire 395–476, Roman Empire - The Byzantine Empire 395–1461, Roman Empire - Legacy of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire - Roman Provinces, Roman Empire - Emperors, Roman Empire - Ancient Historians of the Empire, Roman Empire - Latin Literature of the Empire

Read more here: » Roman Empire: Encyclopedia II - Roman Empire - Crisis of the 3rd Century 235–284

The year 476 AD is generally accepted as the end of the Western Roman Empire. In that year, Odoacer deposed his puppet Romulus Augustus (475–476), and for the first time did not bother to induct a successor, choosing instead to rule as a representative of the Eastern Emperor (although Julius Nepos, the emperor deposed by Romulus Augustulus, continued to rule Illyricum until his death in 480, at which point Odoacer annexed this remant of the Western Empire to his Italian kingdom). The last Emperor who ruled over the whole Empire from Rome, ...

See also:

Roman Empire, Roman Empire - Historians' viewpoints on the evolution of Imperial Rome, Roman Empire - Age of Augustus 31 BC–AD 14, Roman Empire - Political developments, Roman Empire - Cultural developments, Roman Empire - Sources, Roman Empire - Julio-Claudian dynasty: Augustus' heirs, Roman Empire - Two military Danger Zones Rebellions Uprisings and political consequences, Roman Empire - Flavian Dynasty, Roman Empire - Five Good Emperors - The Antonine Dynasty 96 – 180, Roman Empire - Commodus 180–192, Roman Empire - Severan dynasty 193–235, Roman Empire - Crisis of the 3rd Century 235–284, Roman Empire - Tetrarchy 285–324 and Constantine the Great 324-337, Roman Empire - The Empire after Constantine 337–395, Roman Empire - The sons of Constantine 337–361, Roman Empire - Under Julian & Jovian 361–364, Roman Empire - Valentinian Dynasty 364–392, Roman Empire - Battle of Adrianople 378, Roman Empire - Disturbed peace in the West 383, Roman Empire - The Empire becoming Christian, Roman Empire - Theodosian Dynasty 392–395, Roman Empire - The End of the Western Empire 395–476, Roman Empire - The Byzantine Empire 395–1461, Roman Empire - Legacy of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire - Roman Provinces, Roman Empire - Emperors, Roman Empire - Ancient Historians of the Empire, Roman Empire - Latin Literature of the Empire

Read more here: » Roman Empire: Encyclopedia II - Roman Empire - The End of the Western Empire 395–476

Several states claiming to be the Roman Empire's successor arose, before as well as after the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks in 1453. The Holy Roman Empire, an attempt to resurrect the Empire in the West, was established in 800 when Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne as Roman Emperor on Christmas Day, though the empire and the imperial office did not become formalized for some decades. After the fall of Constantinople, the Russian Empire, as inheritor of the Byzantine Empire's Orthodox Christian tradition, counted itself as the th ...

See also:

Roman Empire, Roman Empire - Historians' viewpoints on the evolution of Imperial Rome, Roman Empire - Age of Augustus 31 BC–AD 14, Roman Empire - Political developments, Roman Empire - Cultural developments, Roman Empire - Sources, Roman Empire - Julio-Claudian dynasty: Augustus' heirs, Roman Empire - Two military Danger Zones Rebellions Uprisings and political consequences, Roman Empire - Flavian Dynasty, Roman Empire - Five Good Emperors - The Antonine Dynasty 96 – 180, Roman Empire - Commodus 180–192, Roman Empire - Severan dynasty 193–235, Roman Empire - Crisis of the 3rd Century 235–284, Roman Empire - Tetrarchy 285–324 and Constantine the Great 324-337, Roman Empire - The Empire after Constantine 337–395, Roman Empire - The sons of Constantine 337–361, Roman Empire - Under Julian & Jovian 361–364, Roman Empire - Valentinian Dynasty 364–392, Roman Empire - Battle of Adrianople 378, Roman Empire - Disturbed peace in the West 383, Roman Empire - The Empire becoming Christian, Roman Empire - Theodosian Dynasty 392–395, Roman Empire - The End of the Western Empire 395–476, Roman Empire - The Byzantine Empire 395–1461, Roman Empire - Legacy of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire - Roman Provinces, Roman Empire - Emperors, Roman Empire - Ancient Historians of the Empire, Roman Empire - Latin Literature of the Empire

Read more here: » Roman Empire: Encyclopedia II - Roman Empire - Legacy of the Roman Empire

Wels is located in the Hausruckviertel at an elevation of 317 m. From north to south, it extends over 9.5 km, from west to east over 9.6 km. 3.4 % of the area are covered with forest, 23.5% are used for agriculture. The neighborhoods and villages making up the municipality are: Aichberg, Au, Berg, Brandln, Dickerldorf, Doppelgraben, Eben, Gaßl, Höllwiesen, Hölzl, Kirchham, Laahen, Lichtenegg, Mitterlaab, Nöham, Niederthan, Oberhaid, Oberhart, Oberlaab, Oberthan, Pernau, Puchberg, Roithen, Rosenau, Schafwiesen, Stadlhof, Trausenegg, Unterleithen, Wa ...

See also:

Wels, Wels - Geography, Wels - History, Wels - Historical population, Wels - Economy

Read more here: » Wels: Encyclopedia II - Wels - Geography

The Severan dynasty includes the increasingly troubled reigns of Septimius Severus (193–211), Caracalla (211–217), Macrinus (217–218), Elagabalus (218–222), and Alexander Severus (222–235). The founder of the dynasty, Lucius Septimius Severus, belonged to a leading native family of Leptis Magna in Africa who allied himself with a prominent Syrian family by his marriage to Julia Domna. Their provincial background and cosmopolitan alliance, eventually giving rise to imperial rulers of Syrian background, Elagabalus and Alexander Sever ...

See also:

Roman Empire, Roman Empire - Historians' viewpoints on the evolution of Imperial Rome, Roman Empire - Age of Augustus 31 BC–AD 14, Roman Empire - Political developments, Roman Empire - Cultural developments, Roman Empire - Sources, Roman Empire - Julio-Claudian dynasty: Augustus' heirs, Roman Empire - Two military Danger Zones Rebellions Uprisings and political consequences, Roman Empire - Flavian Dynasty, Roman Empire - Five Good Emperors - The Antonine Dynasty 96 – 180, Roman Empire - Commodus 180–192, Roman Empire - Severan dynasty 193–235, Roman Empire - Crisis of the 3rd Century 235–284, Roman Empire - Tetrarchy 285–324 and Constantine the Great 324-337, Roman Empire - The Empire after Constantine 337–395, Roman Empire - The sons of Constantine 337–361, Roman Empire - Under Julian & Jovian 361–364, Roman Empire - Valentinian Dynasty 364–392, Roman Empire - Battle of Adrianople 378, Roman Empire - Disturbed peace in the West 383, Roman Empire - The Empire becoming Christian, Roman Empire - Theodosian Dynasty 392–395, Roman Empire - The End of the Western Empire 395–476, Roman Empire - The Byzantine Empire 395–1461, Roman Empire - Legacy of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire - Roman Provinces, Roman Empire - Emperors, Roman Empire - Ancient Historians of the Empire, Roman Empire - Latin Literature of the Empire

Read more here: » Roman Empire: Encyclopedia II - Roman Empire - Severan dynasty 193–235

The next century came is known as the period of the "Five Good Emperors", in which the succession was peaceful though not dynastic and the Empire was prosperous. The emperors of this period were Nerva (96–98), Trajan (98–117), Hadrian (117–138), Antoninus Pius (138–161) and Marcus Aurelius (161–180), each being adopted by his predecessor as his successor during the latter's lifetime. While their respective choices of successor were based upon the merits of the individual men they selected, it has been argued that the real reason for the lasting success of the adopt ...

See also:

Roman Empire, Roman Empire - Historians' viewpoints on the evolution of Imperial Rome, Roman Empire - Age of Augustus 31 BC–AD 14, Roman Empire - Political developments, Roman Empire - Cultural developments, Roman Empire - Sources, Roman Empire - Julio-Claudian dynasty: Augustus' heirs, Roman Empire - Two military Danger Zones Rebellions Uprisings and political consequences, Roman Empire - Flavian Dynasty, Roman Empire - Five Good Emperors - The Antonine Dynasty 96 – 180, Roman Empire - Commodus 180–192, Roman Empire - Severan dynasty 193–235, Roman Empire - Crisis of the 3rd Century 235–284, Roman Empire - Tetrarchy 285–324 and Constantine the Great 324-337, Roman Empire - The Empire after Constantine 337–395, Roman Empire - The sons of Constantine 337–361, Roman Empire - Under Julian & Jovian 361–364, Roman Empire - Valentinian Dynasty 364–392, Roman Empire - Battle of Adrianople 378, Roman Empire - Disturbed peace in the West 383, Roman Empire - The Empire becoming Christian, Roman Empire - Theodosian Dynasty 392–395, Roman Empire - The End of the Western Empire 395–476, Roman Empire - The Byzantine Empire 395–1461, Roman Empire - Legacy of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire - Roman Provinces, Roman Empire - Emperors, Roman Empire - Ancient Historians of the Empire, Roman Empire - Latin Literature of the Empire

Read more here: » Roman Empire: Encyclopedia II - Roman Empire - Five Good Emperors - The Antonine Dynasty 96 – 180

Roman Empire - Political developments. As a matter of convenience, the Roman Empire is said to have begun with the constitutional settlement following the Battle of Actium in 31 BC. In fact the Republican institutions at Rome had been slowly undermined and set aside over the preceding century and Rome had been in continuous political crisis with periods of dictatorial rule since Sulla. The Augustan settlement proclaimed the "Republic restored" and retained the old republican institutions. However, the Emperor con ...

See also:

Roman Empire, Roman Empire - Historians' viewpoints on the evolution of Imperial Rome, Roman Empire - Age of Augustus 31 BC–AD 14, Roman Empire - Political developments, Roman Empire - Cultural developments, Roman Empire - Sources, Roman Empire - Julio-Claudian dynasty: Augustus' heirs, Roman Empire - Two military Danger Zones Rebellions Uprisings and political consequences, Roman Empire - Flavian Dynasty, Roman Empire - Five Good Emperors - The Antonine Dynasty 96 – 180, Roman Empire - Commodus 180–192, Roman Empire - Severan dynasty 193–235, Roman Empire - Crisis of the 3rd Century 235–284, Roman Empire - Tetrarchy 285–324 and Constantine the Great 324-337, Roman Empire - The Empire after Constantine 337–395, Roman Empire - The sons of Constantine 337–361, Roman Empire - Under Julian & Jovian 361–364, Roman Empire - Valentinian Dynasty 364–392, Roman Empire - Battle of Adrianople 378, Roman Empire - Disturbed peace in the West 383, Roman Empire - The Empire becoming Christian, Roman Empire - Theodosian Dynasty 392–395, Roman Empire - The End of the Western Empire 395–476, Roman Empire - The Byzantine Empire 395–1461, Roman Empire - Legacy of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire - Roman Provinces, Roman Empire - Emperors, Roman Empire - Ancient Historians of the Empire, Roman Empire - Latin Literature of the Empire

Read more here: » Roman Empire: Encyclopedia II - Roman Empire - Age of Augustus 31 BC–AD 14

Because the empire of Rome lasted for such a long period of time (31 BC– 1453 AD), there are certain alternative names used by historians to distinguish between various semantic periods or eras. Such names include Western Roman Empire, Eastern Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire which are used interchangeably throughout this article to mean the same as Roman Empire (or the Western or Eastern part thereof). Traditionaly, historians make a distinction between the Principate, the period following Augustus until the Crisis of the Third Ce ...

See also:

Roman Empire, Roman Empire - Historians' viewpoints on the evolution of Imperial Rome, Roman Empire - Age of Augustus 31 BC–AD 14, Roman Empire - Political developments, Roman Empire - Cultural developments, Roman Empire - Sources, Roman Empire - Julio-Claudian dynasty: Augustus' heirs, Roman Empire - Two military Danger Zones Rebellions Uprisings and political consequences, Roman Empire - Flavian Dynasty, Roman Empire - Five Good Emperors - The Antonine Dynasty 96 – 180, Roman Empire - Commodus 180–192, Roman Empire - Severan dynasty 193–235, Roman Empire - Crisis of the 3rd Century 235–284, Roman Empire - Tetrarchy 285–324 and Constantine the Great 324-337, Roman Empire - The Empire after Constantine 337–395, Roman Empire - The sons of Constantine 337–361, Roman Empire - Under Julian & Jovian 361–364, Roman Empire - Valentinian Dynasty 364–392, Roman Empire - Battle of Adrianople 378, Roman Empire - Disturbed peace in the West 383, Roman Empire - The Empire becoming Christian, Roman Empire - Theodosian Dynasty 392–395, Roman Empire - The End of the Western Empire 395–476, Roman Empire - The Byzantine Empire 395–1461, Roman Empire - Legacy of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire - Roman Provinces, Roman Empire - Emperors, Roman Empire - Ancient Historians of the Empire, Roman Empire - Latin Literature of the Empire

Read more here: » Roman Empire: Encyclopedia II - Roman Empire - Historians' viewpoints on the evolution of Imperial Rome

Augustus, leaving no sons, was succeeded by his stepson Tiberius, the son of his wife Livia from her first marriage. Augustus was a scion of the gens Julia (the Julian family), one of the most ancient patrician clans of Rome, while Tiberius was a scion of the gens Claudia, only slightly less ancient than the Julians. Their three immediate successors were all descended both from the gens Claudia, through Tiberius' brother Nero Claudius Drusus, and from gens Julia, either through Julia Caesaris, Augustus' daughter f ...

See also:

Roman Empire, Roman Empire - Historians' viewpoints on the evolution of Imperial Rome, Roman Empire - Age of Augustus 31 BC–AD 14, Roman Empire - Political developments, Roman Empire - Cultural developments, Roman Empire - Sources, Roman Empire - Julio-Claudian dynasty: Augustus' heirs, Roman Empire - Two military Danger Zones Rebellions Uprisings and political consequences, Roman Empire - Flavian Dynasty, Roman Empire - Five Good Emperors - The Antonine Dynasty 96 – 180, Roman Empire - Commodus 180–192, Roman Empire - Severan dynasty 193–235, Roman Empire - Crisis of the 3rd Century 235–284, Roman Empire - Tetrarchy 285–324 and Constantine the Great 324-337, Roman Empire - The Empire after Constantine 337–395, Roman Empire - The sons of Constantine 337–361, Roman Empire - Under Julian & Jovian 361–364, Roman Empire - Valentinian Dynasty 364–392, Roman Empire - Battle of Adrianople 378, Roman Empire - Disturbed peace in the West 383, Roman Empire - The Empire becoming Christian, Roman Empire - Theodosian Dynasty 392–395, Roman Empire - The End of the Western Empire 395–476, Roman Empire - The Byzantine Empire 395–1461, Roman Empire - Legacy of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire - Roman Provinces, Roman Empire - Emperors, Roman Empire - Ancient Historians of the Empire, Roman Empire - Latin Literature of the Empire

Read more here: » Roman Empire: Encyclopedia II - Roman Empire - Julio-Claudian dynasty: Augustus' heirs

It was relativly easy to rule the Roman Empire, from the central capital of Rome, during peacetime. An eventual rebellion was expected and would happen from time to time: a general or a governor would gain the loyalty of his officers through a mixture of personal charisma, promises and simple bribes. This would be a bad, but not catastrophic, event. The legions were spread around the borders and the rebel leader would, in normal circumstances, have only one or two legions under his command. Loyal legions would be detached from other points o ...

See also:

Roman Empire, Roman Empire - Historians' viewpoints on the evolution of Imperial Rome, Roman Empire - Age of Augustus 31 BC–AD 14, Roman Empire - Political developments, Roman Empire - Cultural developments, Roman Empire - Sources, Roman Empire - Julio-Claudian dynasty: Augustus' heirs, Roman Empire - Two military Danger Zones Rebellions Uprisings and political consequences, Roman Empire - Flavian Dynasty, Roman Empire - Five Good Emperors - The Antonine Dynasty 96 – 180, Roman Empire - Commodus 180–192, Roman Empire - Severan dynasty 193–235, Roman Empire - Crisis of the 3rd Century 235–284, Roman Empire - Tetrarchy 285–324 and Constantine the Great 324-337, Roman Empire - The Empire after Constantine 337–395, Roman Empire - The sons of Constantine 337–361, Roman Empire - Under Julian & Jovian 361–364, Roman Empire - Valentinian Dynasty 364–392, Roman Empire - Battle of Adrianople 378, Roman Empire - Disturbed peace in the West 383, Roman Empire - The Empire becoming Christian, Roman Empire - Theodosian Dynasty 392–395, Roman Empire - The End of the Western Empire 395–476, Roman Empire - The Byzantine Empire 395–1461, Roman Empire - Legacy of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire - Roman Provinces, Roman Empire - Emperors, Roman Empire - Ancient Historians of the Empire, Roman Empire - Latin Literature of the Empire

Read more here: » Roman Empire: Encyclopedia II - Roman Empire - Two military Danger Zones Rebellions Uprisings and political consequences