Emperors
From Rome
Accounts of the most well-known, historically significant and infamous emperors of ancient Rome.
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Julius Caesar
(100 BC - 44 BC)
Julius Caesar was born in an aristocratic family around 100 BC. Before he became emperor he was elected in many different offices. Around 63 BC Julius became a well known figure. Soon he was declared the Father of Spain which was a very lucrative position. Once with power Caesar became an ally with two powerful people; Pompey and Crassus. Pompey was a honorable war hero and Crassus was a multimillionaire. Though Pompey and Crassus were enemies Julius, Pompey, and Crassus formed the "First Triumvirate." From 58 to 50 BC Caesar used his military strategies and the strong roman army to conquer Gual. To find out more about the war at Gual visit military Caesar was a ruthless general he would wait for the enemies water supply to run out and then would chop off their hands. Pompey became very jealous of Caesar, when Crassus died in battle Pompey and Caesar drifted apart becoming enemies. Caesar sent a letter to the senate saying he would give up his army if Pompey would give up his. The senate was furious they demanded that Caesar would give up his army. Two faithful senates vetoed it Marc Antony and Crassius they were voted out of the senate. They went to Caesar together they created an army. Caesar then said "“Iacta alea est” [the die is cast]." The marched in Rome and created a civil war. Once they won the war Ceasar claimed power as a dictator. Soon afterwards he was assinated by Brutus and a couple other senate members; he bled to death.
Augustus Caesar
(93 BC - 14 AD)
Augustus Caesar, also know as Octavian, was born in 63 BC. His father was Senator Gaius Octavius, and his mother was Atia, Julius Caesar's niece. After his father's death when he was four, Julius Caesar adopted him and named him his heir. Soon Caesar was murdered and a civil war ensued. Augustus created an alliance with Marc Antony. Together they crushed their opponents. They now split the booty, Augustus taking Rome and Antony taking Egypt. Antony and Cleopatra were scheming to attack Rome. Before they could attack, Augustus struck. At the Battle of Actium in 31 BC three fourths of the Egyptian fleet were destroyed. Cleopatra and Marc Antony then committed suicide. At 32 he was Rome's first emperor. He then married his pregnant lover, Livia. Many people were immediatley struck with the notion that Augustus intended to create a dynasty, ruling Rome for centuries to come. Augustus was very smart about this, just as a series of disasters worried Romans, he pretended to start giving up power. The people were horrified by this, and, believing that Augustus was the only one who could save them, begged the Senate to vote Augustus supreme power. He accepted, and told everyone he was ruling with the best intentions and in the fine style of the republic, meanwhile gained the total control of the provinces, military, and maintained holding Egypt in his personal portfolio. Disaster struck when his daughter's public promiscuity clashed with his moral conservatism. He was forced to banish her from Rome. Through the legal system he created a standing army for Rome with monthly salaries and a pension program for veterans. He used this army to add northern Spain and large parts of central Europe to Rome's portfolio before invading present-day Germany. He controlled state finance, religion, and foreign policy at the time of his death in 14 AD. The throne of the Augustan Dynasty- his creation, was passed down to his stepson Tiberius. The Senate declared him a god around now also. His reign saw the great expansion of Roman borders and 40 years of peace. He was the first emperor of Rome.
Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus
(AD 37 - AD 68)
References
Julius Caesar by William Skakespear
