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Two major religious/intelectual traditions can be noted in the 1st century Rome. The dominant inluence at the time during the Principate is Stoicism which first appeared in the 2nd century BC and is Hellenistic in origin but evolved over time. The Roman Stoics are more involved in political thought, although with significant ethical and religious content. Thre are three principal Roman Stoics. Seneca (4 BC-65 AD) was Nero's tutor. Few tutors have failed so gloriously. Epictetus (60-120 AD) was a slave. Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD) was an emperor. The ultimate goal of Roman Stoicism was a kind of inner peace and the personal realization that real happiness in life can be achieved only by submitting to the order of universe. The other principal tradition obstensibly begins in 1 AD. The Christian Church has set Jesus' birth at 1 AD, although his actual birth date is unknown. Jesus is crucified (?? AD). The Apostle Paul of Tarsus plays a major role in shifting Chrisianity from a small Jewish sect to a universal religion that allows the Gospel to spread thoughout the Mediterranean world. Paul dies (67 AD). Lucius Caesar dies (2 AD). Gaius Caesar dies (4 AD). Augustus adopts Livia's son Tiberius. Tiberius adopts Germanicus (4 AD). The Julian Laws of 18 BC are updated (9 AD). A huge dissaster befalls Rome with the German tribes destroy the better part of three legions in the Teutoburg Forest (9 AD). Augustus dies (14 AD). He provided Rome with 44 years of stable rule, in contrast to the civil war which preceeded him and the misrule that followed him. The conquest of Britain is finally achieved (43 AD). Some of the most morally corupt rulers in Western history followed Augustus. With the single exception of Claudius (41-54 BC), Rome for much of the 1st century is without competent rule. It is a testimony to the strength of the Roman state that Rome continues to prosper. One reason for this is that for about two and a half centuries from Augustus through Marcus Aurelius, the Pax Romana is maintained for a huge area straching from Hadrian's Wall on the border with Scotland to Rhine in northern Europe and Persia in the Middle east there was peace that enabled the economy to prosper and the artifacts of civilization, archetecture, the arts, and literatre to develop. Caligula (37-41 CE) and Nero (54-68) are two especially brutal and incompetent, perhaps mad, emperors. Rome builds the fabled Colosseum, the building most associated with Rome, as a place of public entertainment, especially gladiatorial combat (75-80 AD). Finally with Nerva Rome gets a competent if short term emperor (96-98 AD).
Two major religious/intelectual traditions can be noted in the 1st century Rome.
The dominant inluence at the time during the Principate is Stoicism which first appeared in the 2nd century BC and is Hellenistic in origin but evolved over time. The Roman Stoics are more involved in political thought, although with significant ethical and religious content. Thre are three principal Roman Stoics. Seneca (4 BC-65 AD) was Nero's tutor. Few tutors have failed so gloriously. Epictetus (60-120 AD) was a slave. Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD) was an emperor. The ultimate goal of Roman Stoicism was a kind of inner peace and the personal realization that real happiness in life can be achieved only by submitting to the order of universe.
The other principal tradition obstensibly begins in 1 AD. The Christian Church has set Jesus' birth at 1 AD, although his actual birth date is unknown. Jesus is crucified (?? AD). The Apostle Paul of Tarsus plays a major role in shifting Chrisianity from a small Jewish sect to a universal religion that allows the Gospel to spread thoughout the Mediterranean world. Paul dies (67 AD). The religion he helped found, Christianity, becomes one of the world's great religions. Is Palestine the Romans brutally suppress Jewish revolts and Judiasm from which Christianity develops is spread throughout the Roman world in the resulting Jewish Dispora.
The first decade of the 1st century AD is dominated by Augustus. Lucius Caesar dies (2 AD). Gaius Caesar dies (4 AD). Augustus adopts Livia's son Tiberius. Tiberius adopts Germanicus (4 AD). The Julian Laws of 18 BC are updated (9 AD). Marcus Agrippa played a key role in Augustus' reign. He was the young Ocravian's principal military commanders. He commanded Octavian's fleet at Actium and defeated Anthony and Cleopatra. He married Augustus' only child--Julia and had thrre sons and two daughters. One son Lucius is seen here (figure 1). One of their daughters marries the General Germanicus Ceasar. Their son Gaius Ceasar replaces Tiberius as the Emperor Caligula. Augustus dies (14 AD). Augustus provided Rome with 44 years of stable rule, in contrast to the civil war which preceeded him and the misrule that followed him. The Pax Romana which begins with Augustus is perhaps his greatest achievement.
One of the most significant European battles in European history, the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest took place in 9 AD. It is little remembered today, in part because it was a catestrophic Roman defeat and the Romans did not chose to dwell on it. The Germans at the time were a pre-litterate people and had no written history. The Roman defeat was probably the greatest military disaster ever suffered by Rome--certainly the graetest since the struggle to the death with Hanibal. The Battle occurred during the reign of Augustus (27 BC-14 AD). Julius Ceasar had defeated the Grermani in Gaul and persued them accross the Rhine. Other Roman commanders during the reign of Augustus had considerable military success against the Germans east of the Rhine and a considerable area was in the process of being Romanized. Publius Quinctilius Varus, Roman Proconsul, had made a name for himself in Africa, bringing important tribute back to Rome. Varus was not a military man, he was more a lawyer and administrator. Augustus appointed Varus governor of Germania province (7 A.D.). Varus set about attempting to further expand Rome's frontiers beyond the Rhine to a generate the same kind of income and tribute that now flowed from Gaul which had been subdued by Ceaser. He dealt with the Germanic tribes as if they had been subdued and were vassal states. When the Germans did respond militarrily and received Varus peacefully, inspired trust. Varus concluded that the Germans would accept the Roman domination without a punative militafry campaign. The German leader was Arminius (sometimnes referred to as Hermann) who was the youthful leader of the Cherusci (a Germanic tribe). Arminius knew the Romans. He was raised in Rome and had served in the Roman army (1-6 AD). He had been granted Roman. Arminius had returned to Germany in 7 AD with Varus. Varus in 9 AD led three legions (XVII, XVIII, and XIX), six cohorts and three squadrons of cavalry (alae) in a military campaign aimed at Germanic tribes to the east that had risen in rebellion. This was an emense military force and a substantial part of Rome's army at the time.
Some of the most morally corupt rulers in Western history followed Augustus. With the single exception of Claudius (41-54 BC), Rome for much of the 1st century was without competent rule. Caligula (37-41 CE) and Nero (54-68) are two especially brutal and incompetent, perhaps mad, emperors. Tiberius succeded his step father (14-37 AD). He was a realtively competent administrator, but became reviled because of his personal habits and suspicious nature. He fuled with miliatary power and the Praetorian Guard, the only military force allowed in Rome. Caligula succeeded Tiberius (37-41 AD). He was at first received with jubilation because of the hatred for Tiberius. Caligula proved, however, much worse. He was not only tyranical, but surely insane. Claudius I (41-54 AD) replaced Caligula. Claudius renewed the reforms public works began by Ceasar and Augustus. The conquest of Britain begun by Ceasar was finally achieved (43 AD). Claudiuswas followed by his nephew Nero (54-68 AD). The young Nero was advised by his tutor Lucius Annaeus Seneca and the prefect of the Praetorian Guard, Sextus Afranius Burrus and began his rule with moderation. He soon veered toward excesses and was foirced to commit suicide (68 AD).
It is a testimony to the strength of the Roman state that Rome continues to prosper. One reason for this is that for about two and a half centuries from Augustus through Marcus Aurelius, the Pax Romana is maintained for a huge area straching from Hadrian's Wall on the border with Scotland to Rhine in northern Europe and Persia in the Middle east there was peace that enabled the economy to prosper and the artifacts of civilization, archetecture, the arts, and literatre to develop.
Rome builds the fabled Colosseum, the building most associated with Rome, as a place of public entertainment, especially gladiatorial combat (75-80 AD).
There were brief reigns of Galba, Otho, and Vitellius as a power struggle developed after Nero was deposed (68-69 AD). Vespasian emerged victorioius. He and his sons are known as the Flavians. Vespasian ruled for a decade, bringing order to the chaos surrounding Nero and his succession (69-79 AD). Vespasian tried to restore the simplier Rome of the early Augustan years. He restired some of the authority of the Senate and worked to promote the welfare of the people. The short rule of his son Titus (79-81 AD) is best known for the eruption of Vesuvius which obliterated the prosperous cituirs of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Vdespasian's other son Domitian ruled longer (81-96 AD). In his later years he became especially cruel and suspicious and was eventually murdered.
Finally with Nerva Rome gets a competent if short term emperor . He is the first of what history describes as the Five Good Emperors. Nerva began the practice of choosing a competent succesor and then adopting him.
We have developed some information on Roman children's clothing, we do not at this time have any details as to stylistic changes over time. as far as we can tell, Children's clothing was remarably unchanged during the very long Roman era.
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