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100
Nerva
12th Emperor of the Roman Empire Reign: 18 September 96* – 27 January 98
Predecessor: Domitian
Successor: Trajan, adopted son
Wife: None
Full name: Marcus Cocceius Nerva (before accession) - Marcus Cocceius Nerva Caesar Augustus (after accession)
Dynasty: Nervan-Antonine
Father: Marcus Cocceius Nerva
Mother: Sergia Plaut
Born: 8 November 30 Narni, Italy
Died: 27 January 98 (aged 67)
*Timetoast wouldn't let me enter any date earlier that 100 AD. The real start date was 18, Sept, 96AD. -
100
Trajan
13th Emperor of the Roman Empire Reign: January 28, 98*– August 8, 117
Predecessor: Nerva, adoptive father
Successor: Hadrian, adoptive son
Wife: Pompeia Plotina
Full name: Marcus Ulpius Traianus (from birth to adoption);
Caesar Marcus Ulpius Nerva Traianus (from adoption to accession); Imperator Caesar Nerva Traianus Divi Nervae filius Augustus (as emperor)
Dynasty: Nerva-Antonine
Father: Marcus Ulpius Traianus
Mother: Marcia
*Real start date is 28, Jan, 98AD. -
Period: 100 to
Reign of the "Five Good Emperors"
The reign of the "Five Good Emperors" refered to the period between 96* AD and 180 AD, during which five men held the position of Roman Emperor: Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius. All of these men ruled justly, wisely, and carefully, and were liked by the people. *Timetoast did not allow me to enter any date earlier than 100 AD. The actual start date was 10, Sept, 96 AD. -
Period: 117 to
Reign of Emperor Hadrian (76-138AD)
Hadrian was the fourteenth emperor of Rome, and is considered the third of the "Five Good Emperors". He was the grandson of Trajan's paternal aunt, Ulpia, and one of Trajan's commanders in the army, Publius Aelius Hadrianus Marullinus. He chose Verus as his succesor, but Verus died soon after. Next he chose Aurelius Antonius, and in a precautionary move, had him adopt Verus' son and Marcus Aurelius. -
161
Death of Emperor Antoninus Pius
Two days before his death, his biographer reports, Antoninus was at his ancestral estate. He ate cheese at dinner quite greedily. In the night he vomited; he had a fever the next day. Very sick, he passed his state and daughter to his son, Marcus Aurelius, and died. -
Period: 161 to
Reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius, succesor of his own father Emperor Antoninus Pius, was the last of the "Five Good Emperors". He wrote 'Meditations', which is still considered one of the best literary works ever. He married Annia Galeria Faustina (Faustina Younger) in AD 138. -
211
Death of Emperor Severus
Emperor Severus' campaign was cut short when he fell fatally ill. He withdrew to Eboracum, in the United Kingdom, and died there in 211. He is famously said to have given the advice to his sons: "Be harmonious, enrich the soldiers, and scorn all other men" before he died. Upon his death, Severus was deified by the Senate and succeeded by his sons, Caracalla and Geta, who were advised by his wife Julia Domna. -
Period: 211 to
Roman Chaos
Between 211 and 284 AD, there was military unrest and political disorder in Rome. Many emperors ruled: Macrinus, Diadumenianus, Elagabalus, Alexander Severus, Maximinus I, Gordian I and II (in Africa) and Balbinus and Pupienus (in Italy), Gordian III, Philip the Arab, Trajan Decius, Trebonianus Gallus (with Volusian), Aemilianus Gallienus (with Valerian for part), Postumus, Laelian, Marius, Victorinus, Domitianus, Tetricus I and II, Odenathus, Vaballathus (with Zenobia) Claudius II... -
Death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius dies on March 17th, 180. His sole son, Commodus, became emperor. -
Death of Emperor Commodus
While taking a bath, Commodus was strangled by the wrestler Narcissus under orders from his cousin Marcia. Septimius Severus becomes emperor. -
Death of Emperor Hadrian
Emperor Hadrian died on July 10th, 138 AD of heart failure. His chosen succesor, Antoninus, is named emperor. -
Period: to
Reign of Emperor Commodus
Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus, age 15, was the youngest consul in Roman history. He became emperor on March 17th, 180, after his father's death. Commodus began to think of himself as the reincarnation of Hercules, and fought in gladitorial combats, charging Rome a million sesterces each time. A day before Commodus planned to take office as consul, Narcissus the wrestler strangled him under orders from Commodus' cousin Marcia. -
Period: to 211
Reign of Emperor Severus
Septimius Severus was Roman emperor from 193 to 211 AD. Severus was born in Leptis Magna in the Roman province of Africa. He established military dictatorship. In 195, he had the Senate deify Commodus in order to gain support from Commodus' family. -
Period: to 161
Reign of Emperor Antoninus Pius
Antoninus Pius was the succesor of Hadrian, the fifteenth emperor of Rome, and the fourth of the "Five Good Emperors". He lived a simple life and was widely known for his piety, therefore given the name "Antoninus Pius". On March 7, 161, he summoned the council, and passed the state and his daughter to his son. The last word that he uttered was: “equanimity” He then turned over, as if going to sleep, and died. His death closed out the longest reign since Augustus.
