Few books before have explored the exploits, achievements, and notorious antics of ancient Rome's imperial dynasties in such readable detail. This title describes the lives of every man (and a few women) who aspired to the purple, from Augustus in 27 BC to Justinian I, who died in AD 565 — arguably the end of Rome's classical period. Many are familiar with the descendants of Julius Caesar — Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero — but how many readers know about Maximinus Thrax, Claudius II Gothicus, or the Gallic Empire of Postumus? Almost 120 emperors, usurpers, pretenders and barbarian rulers of the period are vividly brought to life in the exciting narrative text and through a mixture of drawings of their busts and coinage.
The Complete Chronicle of the Emperors of Rome is a unique book. Not only does its scope detail the lives all the Roman emperors, but it also provides at least one portrait — coin or bust — of every single one. Usurpers of the throne and would-be aspirants to the purple get a look in too — in words and pictures, as well as many of the major figures’ families. In all, there are 390 colour illustrations and over 70 colour maps charting the changing fortunes of the empire’s frontiers, military campaigns and social situations.
Complemented by nine family trees, a major glossary, Latin/English place names and a table of rulers, popes and patriarchs, The Complete Chronicle of the Emperors of Rome is destined to be a standard reference to the subject, as well as a joyride of a read. It is an essential companion to anyone interested in or studying the ancient Romans.
About the authors
Film-maker and writer Roger Kean has overseen the editing of Thalamus titles the Historical Atlases of Medieval Europe, Celtic World, Ancient Greece, and Rome among many others, as well as producing most of the maps. He divides his time between reading histories and re-writing the histories of others. Internationally renowned illustrator Oliver Frey, who has been intimately involved with the lives of Romans since childhood, has provided innumerable graphics to most of the Thalamus titles.
Table of Contents
- Preface by the Authors
- Prologue: End of the Republic
- Reasons for the decay of Republican government
- The new professional Roman army
- Young Julius Caesar
- Caesar dictator
- Julius Caesar Rex
- Chapter One 63 BC–AD 68
- The Julio-Claudian Dynasty
- Augustus
- The Second Triumvirate
- First emperor of Rome
- The succession question
- Gilding the empire
- Augustus and the army
- Augustus’s administration
- Augustus the man
- Tiberius
- Tiberius princeps
- The rise and fall of Germanicus
- Sejanus and praetorian power
- The last years of Tiberius
- Gaius Caligula
- Claudius
- Britannia conquered
- The administration of Claudius
- The wives of Claudius
- Nero
- Degeneration of Nero’s court
- Towards civil war
- Chapter Two AD 68–70
- Year of the Four Emperors
- Galba
- Otho
- Vitellius
- Chapter Three AD 70–96
- The Flavian Dynasty
- Vespasian
- Vespasian in office
- Titus
- Domitian
- Domitian’s wars
- Chapter Four AD 96–138
- The Nervo-Trajanic Dynasty
- Nerva
- Trajan
- The Dacian wars
- Trajan’s building programme
- Trajan’s administration
- Matters of succession and Parthians
- Hadrian
- The Hadrianic administration
- Hadrian in Rome
- Hadrian and Antinöus
- A complex succession
- Chapter Five AD 138–192
- The Antonine Dynasty
- Antoninus Pius
- The model ruler
- Marcus Aurelius & Lucius Verus
- Rome’s first dyarchy
- The great barbarian war
- The Aurelian administration
- Commodus
- Chapter Six AD 192–197
- Emperors of the Civil War
- Pertinax
- Didius Julianus
- Pescennius Niger
- Clodius Albinus
- Chapter Seven AD 193–235
- The Severan Dynasty
- Septimius Severus
- Severan administration and building
- Geta
- Caracalla
- Caracalla’s military campaigns
- Macrinus & Diadumenian
- Downfall of a ‘usurper’
- Elegabalus
- Elegabalus and Alexander
- Severus Alexander
- Chapter Eight AD 235–268
- Into Military Anarchy
- Maximinus Thrax
- Gordian I & Gordian II
- Pupienus & Balbinus
- Gordian III
- Philip I the Arab & Philip II
- Decius
- Trebonianus Gallus
- Aemilianus
- Valerian & Gallienus
- The first emperor captured
- The reforms of Gallienus
- Chapter Nine AD 259–271
- Imperium Gallorum and Empires in the East
- Postumus
- Laelanius
- Marius
- Victorinus
- Domitianus
- Tetricus
- The Macriani
- Oedenath of Palmyra
- Zenobia & Vaballathus
- Chapter Ten AD 268–285
- Restoration of Imperial Unity
- Claudius II Gothicus
- Quintillus
- Aurelian
- The reduction of Palmyra
- The Aurelian Wall
- Reunification and State control
- Religious and military reforms
- Tacitus
- Florian
- Probus
- Carus
- Numerian & Carinus
- Chapter Eleven AD 284–313
- The Tetrarchy
- Diocletian & Maximian
- Creation of the Tetrarchy
- Reforms of the army and provinces
- Taxes and the division of labour
- Diocletian, constitutional architect
- Constantius I Chlorus & Gallerius
- Severus II & Maxentius
- Congress at Carnuntum
- The rise of Constantine
- Maximinus Daia & Licinius
- Chapter Twelve AD 313–364
- Constantine and Byzantium Supreme
- Constantine I the Great
- Establishing the Holy Land
- Constantine’s later administration
- Constantine II, Constantius II, Constans, & Magnentius
- Gallus
- ulian the Apostate
- Restoration of the old gods
- The invasion of Persia
- Jovian
- Chapter Thirteen AD 364–455
- Valentinian and the Theodosian Dynasty
- Valentinian I
- Valentinian’s administration
- Valens
- The Gothic war
- The second Gothic war
- Gratian
- Gratian’s religious persecution
- Magnus Maximus
- Valentinian II
- Eugenius
- Theodosius I the Great
- Recovery of the East
- Theodosius in Italia
- Succession of the dynasty
- Arcadius & Honorius
- Rebellion of Alaric and the Goths
- Stilicho and Alaric
- Religious discord in the empire
- Constantine III
- Constantius III
- Galla Placidia’s marriages
- Joannes
- Theodosius II
- The Theodosian law
- Attila and the Huns
- Valentinian III
- Attila in the West
- Chapter Fourteen AD 455–476
- Fall of the West
- Petronius Maximus
- Avitus
- Ricimer the shadow puppet master
- Majorian
- Majorian’s judicial additions
- Severus III
- Anthemius
- Olybrius
- Glycerius
- Julius Nepos
- Romulus Augustulus
- Chapter Fifteen AD 450–518
- Power in the East
- Marcian
- The decline of papal influence
- Leo I
- A bungled invasion of Africa
- Leo II, Zeno, & Basilicus
- Unrest in Zeno’s second reign
- Schism between the two Churches
- Anastasius
- The Blue and Green battle
- Chapter Sixteen AD 476–534
- Barbarians in Italia
- Odoacer the Herulian
- A back turned on the Mediterranean
- Theodoric
- The Gothic conquest of Italia
- Athalaric
- Chapter Seventeen AD 518–565
- The Recovery of the West
- Justin
- Justinian
- Justinian’s law reforms
- The rebuilding of Constantinople
- Belisarius in Africa
- Theodahad
- Witigis
- Hildebad, Eraric, Totila, & Teias
- Epilogue: Italia Restored (552–56)
- Narses and the Exarchate
- Glossary; Index of towns, rivers, seas and lakes
- Table of emperors, usurpers, popes and patriarchs
- Bibliography
- Index