Trajan: the Awesome Emperor
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From C.E. 96 to C.E. 117, Marcus Ulpius Trajanus was the emperor of Rome. He was a good emperor compared to others to come, such as Caligula and Nero. Starting as a governor and working his way to the top he was a near perfect emperor and many years later the senate still prayed for a new emperor 'More fortunate than Augustus and better than Trajan' ('felicior Augusto, melior Traiano')
The GoodDuring Trajan's reign, he tried to reduce taxes and maintain a constant supply of grain. He especially tried to create special funds for poor children.
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The BadA Jewish revolt was taking place during Trajan's rule. The uprising started against the Greek's and their gods but spread to Rome. Before it could be stopped, more than 200,000 non-Jews were killed
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The UglyIf Trajan had a fault, it would be how much he loved bloodsport events such as gladiator fights and chariot racing. Many people would die for his amusement.
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Nero: Emperor in a Straight Jacket
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Nero was single- handedly the most diabolical emperor of Rome ever. In fact, if you asked me to name two good things that Nero did, I wouldn't be able to answer that question for a long time. If you want more information on him, go to History.com and look up "Ancients Behaving Badly". There is an informational episode on Nero. It is very bloody though.
The GoodNear the start of his reign, Nero lowered taxes and for bid bloody sports that Trajan loved. This was good, but then he did bad things that made these acts barely noticeable.
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The BadNero did not like it when people disagreed with him. If anyone did, he would whip them with spiky whips. He did this to Christians too. Nero loved being the center of attention, so he forced people to hear him perform. They probably bled their ears off listening to him!
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The UglyNero was a psycho emperor. Nero murdered his stepbrother, his first wife, and his mother Agrippina . Very ironically, Agrippina sort of "encouraged" his murderous tendencies. She was the one who murdered his great uncle Claudius. He blamed the Christians for the burning of Rome and burned them in retaliation. He also put the empire into a very large financial crisis.
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Hadrian: A Modest Emperor
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When we think of emperors, we think of good emperors like Caesar and Augustus, or bad emperors, like Nero or Caligula. But of the emperors that you didn't think of, there are super awesome emperors. Hadrian is an excellent example.
The GoodHadrian really liked Greek philosophy and learning. He helped rebuild the city of Athens and added a temple to Zeus there. He developed a better court system for the Italian peninsula. He didn't go into battle like his predecessor Trajan , and tried to not get involved in wars.
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The BadHadrian had a complex personality and would get jealous pretty easily. He also didn't like criticism towards him. Another bad thing that happened was a Jewish rebellion that killed over 500,000 Jews.
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The UglyHadrian chose a not so good successor named Lucius Ceionius Commodus. Hadrian thought that people would not let Lucius be heir to the throne. Hadrian forced his brother-in-law Servianius to commit suicide. He then ordered his lackeys to murder Servianius's son.
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Augustus: Hope After Caesar
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With the death of Caesar on the Ides of March in 44 B.C.E., Rome plunged into a bloody civil war. After fifteen years of bloodshed, Augustus (originally Octavian) became emperor of the Roman empire. He was a great emperor, probably because he shared Caesar's blood. He even said 'I found Rome on a city of brick left it a city of marble.'
The GoodAugustus set out to make Rome safer. He restored 82 temples and built statues and forums. He built aqueducts. He increased the importance of the arts. Augustus also built new roads.
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The BadAugustus started an unpopular act. He made family matters public. The people with no children lost the right to inherit money or property. They even had to pay a special tax. If you did have children, you got tax relief and political privileges.
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The UglyAugustus hired a mean old man named Varus to be the governor of a province near the Germanic tribes. He treated the citizens like slaves and gave them huge taxes. The Germanic tribes saw their chance and took beck the land, causing the greatest Roman defeat in 200 years.
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