Birth Name - Octavian 

Adopted son of Julius Caesar 

27 B.C.E.  - Named Roman Emperor 

Portrayed himself as the representative of Roman trandion and virtue

The restorer of the Roman Republic 

Granted the title of augustus (the revered one) by the Senate & chose to use this title as his name

First of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty (27 - 68 B.C.E.)

Secretary of the emperor Hadrian 

Roman biographer

Believed that Octavian "thought he himself would not be safe if he retired & that it would be dangerous to trust the government to more than one person"

Commander of the Praetorian Guard

Praetorian Guard - 10,000 elite Roman army unit stationed at Rome 

Members of the city councils in the provinces 

In charge of local government in the provinces 

Poet who composed an epic poem the Aeneid

Recounted the story of the founding of Rome & was memorized by every Roman school child

Stressed Aeneas' sens of duty & the readers recognized that their emperor had the same qualities 

Altar of Peace 

Built by Augustus

Showed Augustus, his family, & the Senate performing a religious sacrifice & portrayed Augusts as the person who brough peace to the Roman World

Roman Peace 

First two centuries of the Principate

Period from 14 B.C.E. until 192 C.E.

Roman Empire was at it's height 

54 - 68 C.E. 

Last Julio-Claudin emperor

Died without naming successor & had no family

Armies around the wmpire sponsored their own candidates & a civil war broke out

Vespasian was declared emperor 

117 - 138 C.E.

Returned control of Mesopotamia to Parthians in exchange for tading privileges

Strengthened the wmpire's defense with a program that put the army to work & built a 90 mile wall - "Hadrian's Wall"