Part 90

+--------+-------+------- =Name, Lineage or Basis of Accession and | =Period|=Birth=|=Death= Cause of Death= |of Rule=| | ---------------------------------------------+--------+-------+------- THE CÆSARS | | | | | | Octavianus Cæsar, “Augustus” (majesty).--A |B.C. 27-|B.C.63 |A.D.19 title conferred by the Senate; died August 19|A.D. 14 | | | | | Tiberius (Claudius Nero).--Stepson of |A.D. 14-| 42 | 37 Augustus; murdered by a tribune |37 | | | | | Caius Caligula.--Youngest son of Germanicus, | 37- 41 | 12 | 41 nephew of Tiberius; poisoned by his wife, | | | Agrippina, to make way for | | | | | | Claudius I. (Tiberius Drusus).--Grandson of | 41- 54 | 10 | 54 Tiberius | | | | | | Claudius Nero.--Son of Domitius Ahenobarbus; | 54- 68 |A.D.37 | 68 deposed; kills himself | | | | | | Servius Sulpicius Galba.--Proclaimed Emperor;| 68- 69 |B.C. 3 | 69 slain by the prætorians | | | | | | M. Salvius Otho.--Proclaimed Emperor; stabbed| 69- |A.D.32 | 69 himself | | | | | | Aulus Vitellius.--Proclaimed Emperor; deposed| 69- 69 | 15 | 69 by Vespasian, and put to death | | | | | | Titus Flavius Vespasian.--Proclaimed Emperor | 70- 79 | 9 | 79 | | | Titus (Vespasian).--Son of Vespasian | 79- 81 | 41 | 81 | | | Titus Flavius Domitian.--Brother of Titus, | 81- 96 | 51 | 96 second son of Vespasian; last of the _twelve_| | | Cæsars | | | | | | THE FIVE GOOD EMPERORS | | | | | | Cocceius Nerva.--Proclaimed Emperor | 96- 98 | 32 | 98 | | | Trajan (M. Ulpius Crinitus).--Adopted son of | 98-117 | 53 | 117 Nerva | | | | | | Hadrian (Publius Ælius).--Nephew of Trajan |117-138 | 76 | 138 | | | Antoninus Titus, surnamed Pius.--Adopted son |138-161 | 86 | 161 of Hadrian | | | | | | Marcus Aurelius Antoninus.--Nephew of |161-180 | 121 | 180 Antoninus Pius | | | | | | THE PERIOD OF MILITARY DESPOTISM | | | | | | Commodus (L. Aurelius Antoninus).--Son of |180-193 | 161 | 192 Marcus Aurelius; poisoned by his favorite | | | mistress, Martia, December 31 | | | | | | Publius Helvius Pertinax.--Proclaimed |193- | 126 | 193 Emperor; killed by prætorian band | | | | | | Didius Julianus.--Proclaimed Emperor |193- | ... | 193 | | | Lucius Septimus Severus.--Proclaimed Emperor;|193-212?| 146 | 211 died at York, in Britain | | | | | | M. Aurelius Caracalla and Septimius Geta.-- |212-217 | 188 | 217 Son of Septimius Severus; Caracalla murders | | | Geta, 212; is slain by his successors | | | | | | M. Opilius Macrinus, prefect of the guards; |217-218 | 164 | 218 beheaded in a mutiny | | | | | | Heliogabalus (M. Aurelius Antoninus), a youth|218-222 | 205?| 222 (Elagabalus).--First cousin of Caracalla; put| | | to death for enormities | | | | | | Alexander Severus.--Cousin of Heliogabalus, |222-235 | 205 | 235 by whom he was adopted; assassinated by | | | soldiers corrupted by Maximinus | | | | | | Caius Julius Verus Maximinus.--Elevated by |235-238 | 173 | 238 soldiers; assassinated in his tent | | | | | | M. Antonius Gordianus and his son; the latter|238-238 | ... | {238 falling in battle with partisans of | | | {238 Maximinus, the father strangled himself in | | | despair, at Carthage, in his eightieth year. | | | --Appointed by the Senate | | | | | | Gordian II.--Grandson of Gordian I.; |238-244 | 224 | 244 assassinated by guards, instigated by Philip | | | the Arabian | | | | | | Philip the Arabian.--Murdered Gordian and |244-249 | ... | 249 usurped the throne; assassinated by his | | | soldiers | | | | | | Metius Decius.--Proclaimed Emperor by the |249-251 | ... | 251 army; he perished in battle with Goths | | | | | | Gallus Hostilius, and his son Volusianus.-- |251-254 | ... | 254 Elected Emperor by Senate and soldiers; both | | | slain by soldiers | | | | | | Æmilianus.--Elected Emperor by Senate and |254- | 208?| 254? soldiers; put to death after reign of four | | | months | | | | | | Valerian.--Elected Emperor by Senate and |254-260 | ... | 260 soldiers; taken prisoner by Sapor, king of | | | Persia, and flayed alive | | | | | | Gallienus |260-268 | ... | 268 | | | Flavius Claudius |268-270 | 214 | 270 | | | Aurelian.--Designated by Claudius; |270-275 | 212 | 275 assassinated by soldiers on march against | | | Persia | | | | | | Tacitus.--Elected by Senate and soldiers; |275-276 | 200 | 276 died at Tarsus, in Cilicia | | | | | | Florian.--Proclaimed Emperor; not recognized |276-276 | ... | ? by Senate | | | | | | M. Aurelius Probus.--Choice of the army; |277-282 | ... | 282 assassinated by troops at Sirmium | | | | | | M. Aurelius Carus.--Elevated to throne by |282-283 | 222 | 283 soldiers; killed at Ctesiphon by lightning | | | | | | Carinus--Elder son of Carus} | | | and }both assassinated|284-284 | ... | 285 Numerian.--Son of Carus } | | | | | | Diocletian.--Proclaimed Emperor by the army} | |{ 245 | 313 and } |284-305 |{ | Maximian.--Made Cæsar by Diocletian } | |{ ... | 310 | | | Constantius} | |{ 250 | 306 and }Created Cæsar |305-306 |{ | Galerius } | |{ ... | 311 | | | Constantine the Great.--Eldest son of |306-336 | 272 | 337 Augustus Constantius Chlorus | | | | | | Constantius II.--Third son of Constantine the|336-361 | 317 | 361 Great | | | | | | Julian the Apostate.--Son of Julius |361-363 | 331 | 363 Constantius; mortally wounded in battle with | | | Persians | | | | | | Jovian.--Elevated to the throne by the army |363-364 | 332 | 364 | | | ROMAN EMPERORS OF THE WEST | | | | | | Valentinian I.--Proclaimed Emperor by the |364-375 | 321 | 375 army | | | | | | Gratian.--Son of Valentinian I |375-383 | 359 | 383 | | | Maximus--Made Emperor by the legions in |383? | ? | 398 Britain | | | | | | Valentinian II.--Son of Valentinian I |383?-388| 371 | 392 | | | Eugenius.--Proclaimed Emperor |388-394 | ... | ... | | | Theodosius the Great.--Son of Theodosius, a |394-395 | 346 | 395 Roman general | | | | | | Honorius.--Second son of Theodosius |395-423 | 384 | 423 | | | Valentinian III.--Son of Constantius |423-455 | 419 | 455 | | | Maximus Petronius.--Proclaimed Emperor |455- | 395?| 455 | | | Avitus.--Assumed the purple |455-457 | ... | 457 | | | Majorian or Majorien.--Elected by Ricimer |457-461 | ... | ? | | | Severus.--Raised to imperial dignity by |461-467 | ... | 465-7? Ricimer | | | | | | Anthemius.--Son-in-law of Emperor Marcian |467-472 | ... | ? | | | Olybrius.--Made Emperor through influence of |472-473 | ... | ? Ricimer | | | | | | Glycerus.--Proclaimed Emperor (or Genseric) |473- | ... | ? | | | Nepos.--Proclaimed Emperor by order of Leo X.|473-475 | ... | 480 | | | Romulus Augustulus.--Son of Orestes |475-476 | ... | 476 | | | Augustus is deposed and banished by Odoácer, | | | who thus puts an end to the Western Empire of| | | Rome. | | | ---------------------------------------------+--------+-------+-------

(See Chronology of the more important events under Rome in Comparative Outlines of Universal History.)

VI. FROM CONSTANTINE TO THE FALL OF ROME, 306-476 A.D.--The _sixth_ period includes the remainder of Roman history, extending from the reign of Constantine to the Fall of Rome, when captured by the Heruli, A.D. 476. The reign of Constantine the Great imparts splendor to the commencement of this period. He embraced the Christian faith himself, and patronized it in the Empire, as did also most of his successors; on which account this may be called the period of the Christian Emperors.

One of the most important events of his reign, and one which had a great influence on the subsequent affairs of Rome, was the removal of the Government to a new seat. He selected Byzantium for his capital, and removed there with his court, giving it the name of Constantinople, which it still bears. He left his empire to five princes, three sons and two nephews; the youngest son, Constantius, soon grasps the whole, A.D. 360. By the death of Constantius, his cousin Julian received the purple, which he was already on his march from Gaul to seize by force. The reign of Julian, styled the Apostate, is memorable for his artful and persevering attempts to destroy the Christian religion, and his unsuccessful efforts to rebuild the Temple of Jerusalem, with the express purpose of casting discredit on the predictions of the Bible.

From the death of Julian, A.D. 363, to the reign of Theodosius the Great, A.D. 379, the history presents little that is important to be noticed, except the jealousies between the eastern and western portions of the Empire, which grew out of the removal of the court to Constantinople. Theodosius was the last emperor who ruled over both. In 395 he died, leaving to his sons Arcadius and Honorius separately the east and west. From this time the Eastern portion remained distinct, and its history no longer belongs to that of Rome.

The western portion languishes under ten successive emperors, who are scarcely able to defend themselves against the repeated attacks of barbarian invaders. At length, under Augustulus, the eleventh from Theodosius, Rome is taken by Odoácer, leader of the Heruli, and the history of ancient Rome is terminated, A. D. 476.

The whole of the period from Constantine to Augustulus is marked by the continued inroads of barbarous hordes from the north and the east. But the greatest annoyance was suffered in the latter part of the time, from three tribes, under three celebrated leaders; the Goths, under Alaric; the Vandals, under Genseric; and the Huns, under Attila. The two former actually carried their victorious arms to Rome itself (A.D. 410 and 455), and laid prostrate at their feet the haughty mistress of the world; and the latter was persuaded to turn back his forces (A. D. 453) only by ignoble concessions and immense gifts.

By A.D. 300 great changes had passed over the empire. Its population had become largely barbarized; the armies contained great numbers of Goths, Vandals, and Sarmathians (from territory now the west and south of Russia). Germans were spread through the empire more than any other nationality. The former distinction as to Roman citizenship having been lost, the distinction between the “Roman legions” and the “allies” was now effaced, and the last visible record of Rome’s conquest was obliterated.

PERIOD OF CONSTANTINE THE GREAT

Diocletian’s resignation in A.D. 305 was followed by a period of confusion and civil war, which ended in the establishment of Constantine as sole emperor in A.D. 323. He was son of one of the co-emperors and the Empress Helena. Constantine made an important change in the government by separating the military power from the civil authority. The influence of the _Legati_ (provincial viceroys) was thus reduced, and the fact that the emperor alone held both the civil and military power gave him a great predominance.

CONSTANTINE MAKES BYZANTIUM THE CAPITAL

In A.D. 324 Christianity was established by Constantine as the religion of the State, and in 330 he made Byzantium the capital of the empire. This city on the Thracian Bosporus, founded by Greek colonists in 658 B.C., had early become a great commercial center. After being held successively by the Athenians, Lacedæmonians, and Macedonians, it came into Roman possession, and the new or reconstructed city Byzantium was afterwards called _Constantinópolis_ (“City of Constantine”) and remained the capital of the Eastern Empire of Rome till A. D. 1453.

CONSTANTINE GIVES A NEW IMPETUS TO CHRISTIANITY

In religion, Constantine showed marks of his former Paganism even after his conversion to Christianity. He was an able general and statesman, whose real character has been obscured by historical excesses, both of panegyric and of detraction, and around whose name, in connection with Christianity, interesting and picturesque legends are associated, like that of the apparition of the Cross and the words (in Greek), “By this sign, conquer.” He died in 337, leaving the empire to confusion and civil war under his sons.

Apart from its effects upon the morals, the new religion greatly and beneficially stirred the mind of the age. Political speculation and discussion were impossible under a despotism, and active minds turned to theology, and soon showed that the intellectual power of the time was to be found within the ranks of Christianity.

Among these early writers and rules of the church, known as the “Christian Fathers,” the following are the chief, Tertullian, Ambrose, Cyprian, Lactantius, Jerome, and Augustine being Latin Fathers; Origen, Gregory, Basil, Chrysostom, and Athanasius being Greek Fathers.

THE IGNOBLE END OF THE WESTERN EMPIRE

The last Roman Emperor of the West was a child, called, as if in derision, Romulus Augustulus, the one name being that of the city’s mythical founder, the other (“Augustus the little”) a parody of the style of him who organized the empire. Augustulus became nominal ruler in A.D. 475, and in 476 was overthrown by the invasion of some German tribes, of which the chief were the Heruli. Their leader, Odoácer, took the title of “King of Italy,” and the Western Empire came thus ignobly to an end.

CONTRIBUTIONS OF ROMAN SWAY TO THE WORLD

The chief benefits derived by the world from Rome’s imperial sway were the spread of the Greek culture, the transmission of the greatest productions of the Greek mind, and the clear course made for the progress of Christianity.

THE DARK AND MIDDLE AGES

Modern history, in a comprehensive sense, begins with the downfall of the Western Roman Empire; for with that event the volume of ancient history was closed: new actors then appeared on the stage, and a new civilization arose.

THE ROMAN WORLD SUCCEEDED BY THE GERMANIC

The development of the German world begins, kindled by foreign culture, religion, polity, and legislation. These new elements were taken up by the Teutonic tribes, and amalgamated with their own national life.

THE HISTORIC DARK AGES

In many respects this period seemed a relapse into barbarism, and the interval from the fifth to the eleventh century is sometimes called specifically the Dark Ages. But in a juster view it was the germinating season: the seeds of modern civilization, cast into the soil, were quickening in new institutions and new nations; so that when we see modern society in the fifteenth and sixteenth nations; so that when we see modern society in the fifteenths and sixteenth centuries assuming the fixed shape which it still wears, we must remember that it grew into that shape in the antecedent thousand years.

REAL NATURE OF THIS PERIOD

The most important historic features of the Middle Ages were certain peculiar forms of society, rather than the development of great nations. Indeed, the modern nations as such were only in their beginnings, and these characteristic social peculiarities were common to all of them. Thus, all the nations of Europe were under that peculiar form of society called _feudalism_; all bore certain relations to the _papal power_; all participated in the _Crusades_ and in the spirit of _Chivalry_; and all passed through the period named the _Dark Ages_, and shared in the intellectual revival which marked the latter part of the Middle Ages.

THE EASTERN OR BYZANTINE EMPIRE.--This Empire, called also the Greek Empire, was sustained under various fortunes, for a period of almost one thousand years after the overthrow of the Western or Roman Empire. After the fall of Rome nearly sixty different emperors had occupied the throne at Constantinople, when, A.D. 1202, that city was taken by the crusaders from France and Venice. By this event the Greek emperors were forced to establish their court at Nicæa in Asia Minor. After the lapse of sixty years, their former capital was recovered; and, subsequent to this, eight different emperors held the scepter there, until the empire was gradually reduced in strength and extent, and it consisted of but a little corner of Europe. Its existence was prolonged to A.D. 1453, when Constantinople fell into the hands of the Turks, who have retained it to the present day.

While the new nationalities and the new civilization of Western Europe were being developed under the influence of German vigor, the emperors at Constantinople, though they ruled dominions where the language and civilization were mainly Greek, still claimed to be Roman emperors, and under their sway the laws and official forms of imperial Rome were maintained.

The Patriarch of Constantinople was the head of the Christian Church in the East, as the Bishop of Rome was in the West, while the latter, as the successor of St. Peter, was the head of the universal Church.

NOTABLE REIGN AND SERVICE OF JUSTINIAN