NERVA (96-98).
NERVA was appointed by the Senate to succeed Domitian, and was the first
Emperor who did not owe his advancement to military force or influence.
He associated with himself MARCUS ULPIUS TRAJANUS, then in command of
the army on the Rhine. Nerva ruled only sixteen months; but during that
time he restored tranquillity among the people, conferring happiness and
prosperity upon every class.
TRAJAN (98-117).
Nerva was succeeded by TRAJAN, whose character has its surest guaranty
in the love and veneration of his subjects; and it is said that, long
afterwards, the highest praise that could be bestowed on a ruler was
that he was "more fortunate than Augustus, and better than Trajan."
Trajan was a soldier, and, if he lacked the refinements of a peaceful
life, he was nevertheless a wise and firm master.
He added to the Empire Dacia, the country included between the Danube
and the Theiss, the Carpathians and the Pruth. This territory became
so thoroughly Romanized that the language of its inhabitants to-day is
founded on that of their conquerors nearly eighteen centuries ago.
It was in honor of this campaign into Dacia that the famous COLUMN OF
TRAJAN, which still remains, was erected.
Trajan also annexed to the Empire Arabia Petraea, which afforded an
important route between Egypt and Syria. His invasion of Parthia,
however, resulted in no permanent advantage.
During the reign of Trajan the Roman Empire REACHED THE SUMMIT OF ITS
POWER; but the first signs of decay were beginning to be seen in the
financial distress of all Italy, and the decline of the free peasantry,
until in the next century they were reduced to a condition of practical
serfdom.
The literature of Trajan's reign was second only to that of the Augustan
age. His time has often been called the SILVER AGE. Its prose writers
were, however, unlike those of the Augustan age, far superior to its
poets. The most famous prose writers were TACITUS, PLINY THE YOUNGER,
and QUINTILIAN.
The poets of this period were JUVENAL, PERSIUS, MARTIAL, LUCAN, and
STATIUS, of whom the last two were of an inferior order.
HADRIAN (117-138).
Trajan was succeeded by his cousin's son, HADRIAN, a native of Spain.
One of the first acts of Hadrian was to relinquish the recent conquests
of Trajan, and to restore the old boundaries of the Empire. The reasons
for this were that they had reached the utmost limits which could lend
strength to the power of Rome, or be held in subjection without
constant and expensive military operations. The people occupying the
new conquests were hardy and warlike, scattered over a country easy of
defence, and certain to strive constantly against a foreign yoke.
Hadrian displayed constant activity in travelling over the Empire,
to overlook personally its administration and protection. He visited
Britain, where he crushed the inroads of the Caledonians and built a
fortified line of works, known as the PICTS' WALL, extending from sea to
sea. The remains of this great work are still to be seen, corresponding
nearly to the modern boundary between England and Scotland. He also
visited the East, where the Jews were making serious trouble, and
completed their overthrow.
On his return to the city, the Emperor devoted himself to its adornment.
Several of his works, more or less complete, still remain. The most
famous of these is the MAUSOLEUM (Tomb) OF HADRIAN, now known as the
Castle of San Angelo.
Hadrian was afflicted with bad health, suffering much from diseases
from which he could find no relief. On account of this, and to secure
a proper succession, he associated with himself in the government TITUS
AURELIUS ANTONINUS, and required him to adopt Marcus Annius Verus and
Lucius Verus. In 138, soon after this arrangement was made, Hadrian
died, leaving the Empire to Titus.
TITUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS PIUS (138-161).
ANTONINUS, a native of Gaul, was fifty-two years old when he succeeded
to the throne. The cognomen PIUS was conferred upon him by the Senate on
account of the affectionate respect which he had shown for Hadrian.
He was a man of noble appearance, firm and prudent, and under him the
affairs of state moved smoothly.
MARCUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS (161-180).
On the death of Antoninus, Marcus Annius Verus succeeded him under the
title of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus.
The Moors made an invasion into Spain; the barbarians broke into
Gaul; the army in Britain attempted to set up another Emperor; and the
Parthians in the East were in an uneasy state. The Eastern war, however,
ended favorably, and the Parthian king purchased peace by ceding
Mesopotamia to Rome. But the returning army brought with it a
pestilence, which spread devastation throughout the West. The Christians
were charged with being the cause of the plague, and were cruelly
persecuted. Among the victims were Justin Martyr at Rome, and Polycarp
at Smyrna.
The death of Lucius Verus in 168 released Aurelius from a colleague who
attracted attention only by his unfitness for his position. The Emperor
was thus relieved of embarrassments which might well have become his
greatest danger. The remainder of his reign, however, was scarcely less
unhappy.
The dangers from the troublesome barbarians grew greater and greater.
Rome had now passed the age of conquest, and began to show inability
even to defend what she had acquired. For fourteen years Aurelius was
engaged on the frontiers fighting these barbarians, and endeavoring
to check their advance. He died at Vienna while thus occupied, in the
fifty-ninth year of his life (180).
Peace was shortly afterwards made with the barbarians, a peace bought
with money; an example often followed in later times, when Rome lacked
the strength and courage to enforce her wishes by force of arms.
Marcus Aurelius was the PHILOSOPHER of the Empire. His tastes were
quiet; he was unassuming, and intent on the good of the people. His
faults were amiable weaknesses; his virtues, those of a hero. His
_Meditations_ have made him known as an author of fine tastes and
thoughts. With him ended the line of the GOOD EMPERORS. After his death,
Rome's prosperity and power began rapidly to wane.
THE CHRISTIANS.
The CHRISTIANS, who were gradually increasing in numbers, were
persecuted at different times throughout the Empire. One ground for
these persecutions was that it was a crime against the state to refuse
to worship the gods of the Romans under whom the Empire had flourished.
It was also the custom to burn incense in front of the Emperor's statue,
as an act of adoration. The Christians not only refused homage to
the Roman gods, but denounced the burning of incense as sacrilegious.
AURELIUS gave his sanction to the most general persecution this sect
had yet suffered. The last combined effort to suppress them was under
DIOCLETIAN, in 284, but it ended with the EDICT OF MILAN in 312, which
famous decree gave the imperial license to the religion of Christ.