#five good emperors

[museeeuuuum]

Thermae Romae: A Brief Historical Analyses

This just in folks, the most accurate portrayal of everyday Roman life I have ever seen on the big screen is from a movie about time travel through bath tubs...

My new video is up on my channel! This time I am talking about Thermae Romae, (a movie about time travel) and it’s honestly one of the most accurate portrayals of Ancient Rome I’ve ever seen on screen. Please like and subscribe if you enjoy it <3

[thecrankyprofessor]

Temple of Venus and Rome - me for scale. A cult statue of Venus stood where I am standing.

[history--mysteries]

August 7th

The Roman emperor Trajan died on this day. He reigned as Roman Emperor from 27 January 98 AD until his death on 8 August 117 AD.

The second of the Five Good Emperors, by the end of Trajan’s reign, the lands occupied by the Roman Empire were at their greatest.

Trajan was born 18 September 53 in modern-day Spain. He rose through the ranks of the Roman army, serving in frontier provinces and became co-guardian to the future emperor Hadrian.

Trajan succeeded Nerva, having been made his heir only months before Nerva died.

While, of course, being an Emperor he was an autocrat, the Senate thought well of him, ruling through friendship, patronage and networking. Trajan ingratiated himself with contemporary writers such as Cassius Dio, Plutarch and Pliny. Thus, ancient writings on Trajan are unanimously positive.

Trajan is known for his conquests, especially Dacia (modern-day Romania) and commissioned several monuments and buildings across the Empire. Trajan's Market and Trajan's Column still stand in Rome. Trajan's Column is carved with key moments from the Dacian War. Trajan was also responsible for commissioning new roads such as the Trajan Way, which extended the Appian Way through to Brindisi.

Trajan died #onthisday in AD117 in the city of Selinus, in modern-day Turkey. He was deified by the Senate and succeeded by his cousin and former ward Hadrian. Hadrian, and his Wall, deserved their own post. Look out for this on Monday.

[imperium-romanum]

Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius reigned as Roman emperor from 161 to 180 CE and is best known as the last of the Five Good Emperors of Rome (following Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, and Antoninus Pius) and as the author of the philosophical...

Marcus Aurelius reigned as Roman emperor from 161 to 180 CE and is best known as the last of the Five Good Emperors of Rome (following Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, and Antoninus Pius) and as the author of the philosophical work Meditations. He has long been respected as embodying the Platonic concept of the Philosopher King as articulated in Plato’s Republic: a ruler who does not seek power for his own sake but to help his people. He was introduced to philosophy at a young age and his Meditations, composed while on campaign in his fifties, make clear that he held a deeply philosophical, specifically Stoic, view throughout his life.  

His reign, in fact, is defined by the Stoic view and he is referred to as “the philosopher” by the later historian Cassius Dio (c. 155-235 CE) and the author (or authors) of the Historia Augusta (4th century CE), a history of Roman emperors. His Stoic outlook is expressed throughout his Meditations and his view of one’s responsibility to others is made clear in a line from Book VIII.59: “People exist for the sake of one another; teach them, then, or bear with them.”

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[vaeputodeusfio]

On this day: January 27, 98 CE

Trajan succeeds Nerva as Roman Emperor without incident.

[historyoftheancientworld]

Detail of relief with Marcus Aurelius offering a sacrifice to Jupiter Capitoline. Relief panel comes from the decoration of a triumphal arch erected in 176 AD. in the Roman Forum at the foot of the Capitoline Hill to celebrate Marcus Aurelius’s victories over the Germanics and Sarmatians. Relief was created during Marcus Aurelius’s reign in the years from 177 to 180 AD. Musei Capitolini, Rome.

[thecrankyprofessor]

[haporiumblog]

Ever wonder what happens when an empire’s leader’s biggest goal is… just being a good, steady ruler? 🤔 Meet Antoninus Pius, the human equivalent of a deep, calming breath for the Roman Empire.

While everyone obsesses over the warrior-emperors, Antoninus was the quiet, reliable one who made the “Pax Romana” actually peaceful. No grand conquests, no dramatic scandals—just 23 years of stability, justice, and prosperity. He’s the unsung hero of the Five Good Emperors, sandwiched between the famous Hadrian and his philosophical heir, Marcus Aurelius.

The Emperor of “Don’t Rock the Boat” 🚤

Antoninus’s reign was defined by what he didn’t do: start costly wars. He inherited an empire at its peak and decided, wisely, to focus on defense and administration. His one major military action? Building the Antonine Wall in Britain (a turf-and-stone follow-up to Hadrian’s Wall), which was more about consolidation than expansion.

A Legacy of Law & Care

His real impact was felt at home:

Legal Reforms: He championed justice, extending legal protection to slaves and making the law more humane. Fairness was his brand.

Financial Prudence: He emptied his own pockets to avoid raising taxes, rebuilt cities damaged by disaster, and left the treasury overflowing.

The Ultimate Nepotism Win: He adopted Marcus Aurelius as his successor, ensuring a smooth transition and another generation of stable rule. Talk about good judgment!

The Quiet Cornerstone

So, why isn’t he more famous? Because peace is less dramatic than war. Antoninus Pius proved that sometimes the most powerful act is wise stewardship. He gave Rome—and Marcus Aurelius—the stable foundation needed to face future storms.

#AntoninusPius #FiveGoodEmperors #AntonineWall #PaxRomana #MarcusAurelius

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