Accession/character Administrative reforms Imperial Cult Relationships Role of other indiv
AUGUSTUS - Constitutional settlements (27 - Divided Rome into 13 wards to - Delicate balance. Allowed - Made positions in senate - AGRIPPA: Firm lieut
(27BC-14AD) and 23) granted him imperium make the city more manageable, deification outside of Rome, e.g. hereditary, increased number of Denarius. Similar pow
proconsulare maius, title of created two new offices of Pax Augusta altar in Narbo, to quaestors and aediles. Served Laudatio Agrippae. Ins
princeps and divi, pontifex praefectus urbi. unify trans-continental empire. as patron to many senators. to victory at Actium.
maximus etc. - Reduced the size of the Bust of Augustus as a pharaoh. - Reformed some roles Memorialised by Panth
- No new powers or offices senate while making positions - Res Gestae shows how traditionally held by senators - LIVIA: Counsellor to
ostensibly given to him. hereditary, increased property traditional religion also played so they could be held by husband, ran copper
Wanted to promote the façade requirements from 400k to a significant role - held four equites, e.g. gov of Egypt. Gaul and plantations
of republicanism. Gained 1mil sesterces. consecutive priesthoods and - Expanded corn dole, held a Dio records how she
power through auctoritas and - Micromanagerial style, e.g. role of pontifex maximus. variety of public games and have been behind de
portraying himself as a Edicts of Cyrene. More - Title of divi through deification improved Rome’s water Marcellus. Had her o
bringer of stability, tradition. transparent governance? of Caesar (As of Caesar - c.12) infrastructure. patrons in the Senate
TIBERIUS - Suetonius: Augustus’ “last - Tacitus: He wanted the Senate - Disinterested in the Imperial - Negative relationship with the - SEJANUS: Initially tr
(14-37) choice” as emperor. Reluctant: to govern alone and instead. Cult - Gytheion Inscription Senate. Suetonius: “Men fit to confidante of Tiberius
Initially retired in 6BC. Any direct orders were often shows he rejected deification. be slaves”. sudden execution in 3
- Initially refused the tites of vague. - However, he did not refuse - Indirect though his large was [Sejanus] who ap
augustus, pater patriae and - Fiscal restraint: Did not some forms of religion which budget surplus due to be emperor.”
imperator - disinterested and spend on public games. Made was inherent: ILS 6080 was austerity likely received well - GERMANICUS: Extr
distant. few reforms. dedicated by a leading citizen by equites who could spend popularity through c
- Particularly prevalent followed - His reluctance and austere of Rome to his genius. to get on cursus honorum. in Germania. Triump
the death of his son Drusus in nature meant he could not live - Suetonius suggests how he - Plutarch suggests he was 17AD. Died in Egypt
26. Apparently never returned to up to the image of Augustus and banished “foreign cults” from unpopular with plebs urbana possibly on the insti
Rome after this point. was consequently unpopular. Rome. though popular with socii. Tiberius’ governor P
GAIUS - Dio implicates Gaius in - Swiftly squandered the budget - Unprecedented relationship: - Patricians acted obsequiously - AGRIPPINA THE EL
(37-41) Tiberius’ death and suggests he surplus by instigating public Actively encouraged deification. towards Gaius. Seemed to take Died prior to Gaius’ re
was initially well-received as works projects, constructing the Dio: “In every respect he wanted pleasure in humiliating them. - though Suetonius sug
emperor before a sudden Nemi Ships etc. Imposed harsh to appear more than just a man Reprimanded them for criticising of Gaius’ first acts as e
deterioration in his reign. taxes - riots in Circus Maximus. and emperor.” Tiberius, where they made was to bring her ashes
- Suetonius and Josephus - Dio: Revised the list of - The Senate granted a temple sacrifices. Rome and bury them i
depict an initially promising equites and created a new to him on Palatine Hill, where - Expanded equite class and mausoleum of August
start before a swift descent judicial division. the most prominent citizens of reinstituted elections.
Suetonius: “Earned his
into tyranny: “So much for - Aqua Claudia and Aqua Novus Rome sought priesthoods.
constant displeasure”, “Many
Gaius the man, now we must - Disinterested in governance: - Wanted to end façade of
men of decent families
deal with Gaius the monster.” week of grain left by his death republicanism. enslaved.”
CLAUDIUS - Unprecedented accession due - Sources such as Suetonius - Extremely poor relationship - Exceptionally negative - F- “Everything he d
(41-54) to the assassination of his praise his reforms. due to his selection by relationship with the Senate dictated by his wives
predecessor. Seemingly chosen - Expansion of the harbour at Praetorians. Explains reliance (Suetonius). Refused Imperial freedmen.” Sut
by the Praetorian Guard. Leads Ostia to ensure grain supply on freedmen. Cult and proclaimed by - FREEDMEN: Instrum
to his depiction as a weak (various inscriptions, ILS 207) - Granted title of pater patriae Praetorians. his governance, play
emperor by the sources. - Expansion of Brittania led to and deified Livia. - Had 300 equites killed at the at Ostia and the Fulc
- Suetonius and Seneca him expanding the pomerium. - Seemingly deliberately start of his reign. Gave them - MESSALINA: Tacitu
suggest the Praetorians - His project to drain Fulcine attempted to distance himself rings as a form of largesse both suggest she co
selected him as they believed Lake was organised by his from the excesses and and propaganda. with Silius to overthr
AUGUSTUS - Constitutional settlements (27 - Divided Rome into 13 wards to - Delicate balance. Allowed - Made positions in senate - AGRIPPA: Firm lieut
(27BC-14AD) and 23) granted him imperium make the city more manageable, deification outside of Rome, e.g. hereditary, increased number of Denarius. Similar pow
proconsulare maius, title of created two new offices of Pax Augusta altar in Narbo, to quaestors and aediles. Served Laudatio Agrippae. Ins
princeps and divi, pontifex praefectus urbi. unify trans-continental empire. as patron to many senators. to victory at Actium.
maximus etc. - Reduced the size of the Bust of Augustus as a pharaoh. - Reformed some roles Memorialised by Panth
- No new powers or offices senate while making positions - Res Gestae shows how traditionally held by senators - LIVIA: Counsellor to
ostensibly given to him. hereditary, increased property traditional religion also played so they could be held by husband, ran copper
Wanted to promote the façade requirements from 400k to a significant role - held four equites, e.g. gov of Egypt. Gaul and plantations
of republicanism. Gained 1mil sesterces. consecutive priesthoods and - Expanded corn dole, held a Dio records how she
power through auctoritas and - Micromanagerial style, e.g. role of pontifex maximus. variety of public games and have been behind de
portraying himself as a Edicts of Cyrene. More - Title of divi through deification improved Rome’s water Marcellus. Had her o
bringer of stability, tradition. transparent governance? of Caesar (As of Caesar - c.12) infrastructure. patrons in the Senate
TIBERIUS - Suetonius: Augustus’ “last - Tacitus: He wanted the Senate - Disinterested in the Imperial - Negative relationship with the - SEJANUS: Initially tr
(14-37) choice” as emperor. Reluctant: to govern alone and instead. Cult - Gytheion Inscription Senate. Suetonius: “Men fit to confidante of Tiberius
Initially retired in 6BC. Any direct orders were often shows he rejected deification. be slaves”. sudden execution in 3
- Initially refused the tites of vague. - However, he did not refuse - Indirect though his large was [Sejanus] who ap
augustus, pater patriae and - Fiscal restraint: Did not some forms of religion which budget surplus due to be emperor.”
imperator - disinterested and spend on public games. Made was inherent: ILS 6080 was austerity likely received well - GERMANICUS: Extr
distant. few reforms. dedicated by a leading citizen by equites who could spend popularity through c
- Particularly prevalent followed - His reluctance and austere of Rome to his genius. to get on cursus honorum. in Germania. Triump
the death of his son Drusus in nature meant he could not live - Suetonius suggests how he - Plutarch suggests he was 17AD. Died in Egypt
26. Apparently never returned to up to the image of Augustus and banished “foreign cults” from unpopular with plebs urbana possibly on the insti
Rome after this point. was consequently unpopular. Rome. though popular with socii. Tiberius’ governor P
GAIUS - Dio implicates Gaius in - Swiftly squandered the budget - Unprecedented relationship: - Patricians acted obsequiously - AGRIPPINA THE EL
(37-41) Tiberius’ death and suggests he surplus by instigating public Actively encouraged deification. towards Gaius. Seemed to take Died prior to Gaius’ re
was initially well-received as works projects, constructing the Dio: “In every respect he wanted pleasure in humiliating them. - though Suetonius sug
emperor before a sudden Nemi Ships etc. Imposed harsh to appear more than just a man Reprimanded them for criticising of Gaius’ first acts as e
deterioration in his reign. taxes - riots in Circus Maximus. and emperor.” Tiberius, where they made was to bring her ashes
- Suetonius and Josephus - Dio: Revised the list of - The Senate granted a temple sacrifices. Rome and bury them i
depict an initially promising equites and created a new to him on Palatine Hill, where - Expanded equite class and mausoleum of August
start before a swift descent judicial division. the most prominent citizens of reinstituted elections.
Suetonius: “Earned his
into tyranny: “So much for - Aqua Claudia and Aqua Novus Rome sought priesthoods.
constant displeasure”, “Many
Gaius the man, now we must - Disinterested in governance: - Wanted to end façade of
men of decent families
deal with Gaius the monster.” week of grain left by his death republicanism. enslaved.”
CLAUDIUS - Unprecedented accession due - Sources such as Suetonius - Extremely poor relationship - Exceptionally negative - F- “Everything he d
(41-54) to the assassination of his praise his reforms. due to his selection by relationship with the Senate dictated by his wives
predecessor. Seemingly chosen - Expansion of the harbour at Praetorians. Explains reliance (Suetonius). Refused Imperial freedmen.” Sut
by the Praetorian Guard. Leads Ostia to ensure grain supply on freedmen. Cult and proclaimed by - FREEDMEN: Instrum
to his depiction as a weak (various inscriptions, ILS 207) - Granted title of pater patriae Praetorians. his governance, play
emperor by the sources. - Expansion of Brittania led to and deified Livia. - Had 300 equites killed at the at Ostia and the Fulc
- Suetonius and Seneca him expanding the pomerium. - Seemingly deliberately start of his reign. Gave them - MESSALINA: Tacitu
suggest the Praetorians - His project to drain Fulcine attempted to distance himself rings as a form of largesse both suggest she co
selected him as they believed Lake was organised by his from the excesses and and propaganda. with Silius to overthr
