Western History 47: Who were the Good Emperors?

There were five good Emperors who followed the Flavians – Nerva (96-98CE), Trajan (98-117 CE), Hadrian (117-138 CE), Antonius Pius (138-161 CE) and Marcus Aurelius (161-180 CE).

 Nerva was more of a placeholder after the torrid period of Domitian’s reign. However it was under Trajan that Empire reached its furthest extent. A Spaniard by birth, Trajan was both a general and a statesman. He restored much of the power of the Senate, allowed for a greater freedom of speech and took over the key role of Chief Magistrate. Like his predecessor Nerva he worked to improve the lot of the poor especially that of the children. Education reform was a key priority.

Trajan’s adopted son Hadrian was a patron of the art but did believe in extending the Empire like Trajan did through Military conquest. He was more tolerant of Christians than the earlier Emperors but was not all hesitant in putting down the Jewish rebellion (Bar Kochba revolt) with brutality. Roman forces withdrew from Assyria, Mesopotamia and Armenia as the Empire became less focused on expansion in the East.

Hadrian focused on fortifying Roman territory in Germany and Britain (where he built the well known Hadrian’s Wall to safeguard the Province against the Picts). He also took it upon himself to visit all the provinces and extended the road system of the Empire to consolidate communication.

           

The next Emperor Antonius Pius continued the reforms especially in the areas of Jurisprudence, Government and Administration. The bureaucratic engine of the Empire was realized with Pius seeing himself as a ‘paternal autocrat’ who exercised his single ruler drive on behalf of the people.

Marcus Aurelius, the last of the Five Good Emperors was both a philosopher and a general. His work Mediations is considered a primer in Stoicism (together with the works of Cato, Cicero and Seneca) although his persecution of Christians (whom he suspected as agents of unrest) runs counter to the thoughts outlined in his writing. As a thinker Aurelius believed in a purity of life and championed the nobility of man. On the military front he fought the successful Danubian Wars, stared down a challenge to the throne (from one Lucius Verus) and seemed for all intent to have revived the expansionist drives of the Emperors prior to Hadrian.