History - Rome - page 672

A WHO'S WHO OF ROMAN EMPERORS
Of the 250 or so emperors of the Roman Empire, only a few were truly heroic. Here we highlight 10 of the best,
worst and completely mad.
» Augustus (27 BC−AD 14) Rome's first emperor. Ushers in a period of peace and security; the arts flourish
and many monuments are built, including the Ara Pacis and Pantheon.
» Caligula (37−41) Emperor number three after Augustus and Tiberius. Remains popular until illness leads to
the depraved behaviour for which he is famous. Is murdered by his bodyguards on the Palatino.
» Claudius (41−54) Expands the Roman Empire and conquers Britain. Is eventually poisoned, probably at the
instigation of Agrippina, his wife and Nero's mother.
» Nero (54−68) Initially rules well but later slips into insanity - he has his mother murdered, persecutes the
Christians and attempts to turn half the city into a palace, the Domus Aurea. He is eventually forced into suicide.
» Vespasian (69−79) First of the Flavian dynasty, he imposes peace and cleans up the imperial finances. His
greatest legacy is the Colosseum.
» Trajan (98−117) Conquers the east and rules over the empire at its zenith. Back home he revamps Rome's
city centre, adding a forum, marketplace and column, all of which still stand.
» Hadrian (117−38) Puts an end to imperial expansion and constructs walls to mark the empire's borders. He
rebuilds the Pantheon and has one of the ancient world's greatest villas built at Tivoli.
» Aurelian (270−75) Does much to control the rebellion that sweeps the empire at the end of the 3rd century.
Starts construction of the city walls that bear his name.
» Diocletian (284−305) Splits the empire into eastern and western halves in 285. Launches a savage persecu-
tion of the Christians as he struggles to control the empire's eastern reaches.
» Constantine I (306−37) Although based in Byzantium (later renamed Constantinople in his honour), he
legalises Christianity and embarks on a church-building spree in Rome.