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Greatest Emperor

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Poll Question: Greatest Emperor of Rome (-473)
Poll Choice Votes Poll Statistics
22 [45.83%]
0 [0.00%]
8 [16.67%]
4 [8.33%]
2 [4.17%]
1 [2.08%]
1 [2.08%]
0 [0.00%]
4 [8.33%]
6 [12.50%]
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Imperator Invictus View Drop Down
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  Quote Imperator Invictus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Greatest Emperor
    Posted: 12-Aug-2004 at 21:12
The first AE forum theme that I remember is back!

The greatest emperor is not one who just had a memoriable reign, an admirable personality, a glorious commander, or a skillful administrator, but one with the best combination of such characteristics. Here are my nominations:

Augustus
Achievements: The first emperor, Augustus stablized the empire after years of civil war into the Pax Romana, two centuries of peace and prosperity. Augustus was a modest emperor compared to later standards: he gave power to his subordinates and called himself the "frist of the senate", rather than an an absolute ruler. As the first emperor, he set a lasting foundation. He sponsored many public bulding projects, restoring old temples and building new ones. He organized the empire effectively and brought Roman literature to a golden age. Augustus "found Rome brick and left it marble".
Shortcomings: Augustus himself was not a particularly charismatic military commander on the field and had to leave the work to his subordinates.

Claudius
Achievements: He became the protagonist of the novel and miniseries "I Claudius". The sucessful invasion of Britian was during his reign. He was a supporter of justice.
Shortcomings: He was paranoid during his initial part of his reign and his wives took control.


Trajan
Achievements: A most skillful commander, Trajan brought the Empire to its greatest territorial extent. He conquered Dacia, in which his vicotries are displayed in his famed column. Then, he invaded the Parthian Empire, capturing its capital and deposing its king. Although he lost the siege at Hatra and had to withdraw, no Roman Emperor would conquer as far to the east as he did. At Rome, he is known for being fairly tolerant to Christians and building a forum and bath. Future Emperors were wished to be "More fortunate than Augustus and better than Trajan". He was the only pre-Christian emperor to be given a place in paradise by the Medieval poet Dante.
Shortcomings: His campaign in Mesopotamia against the Parthians was cut short not only by a rebellion there, but also a significant one within the eastern proviinces.

Hadrian
Achievements: Hadrian strengthened the defenses by withdrawing Trajan's eastern conquests and building the Hadrian Wall in Britian. He was a competent ruler and oversaw many building projects, particularly the Parthenon. Hadrian traveled throughout the empire, but particularly to Greece, as he was fond of Greek culture. He was by all means a learned emperor, much of a poet and scholar. Finally, Hadrian started the fashion of Emperors with beards.
Shortcomings: Hadrian's reign was noted for a major Jewish rebellion, in which half a million Jews were killed. He himself was not a popular ruler, as he comitted many murders during his reign. Personally, He would not be on my top 7 list, but I realize that he is well noted.

Marcus Aurelius
Achievements: He was a most intellectual Emperor, who wrote the "Meditations" on Stoic philosophy. He was also the first Emperor to share rule (with Verus). Generally, he was a good manager of the Empire, even in war.
Shortcomings: Without doubt, he dissastrously named Commodus the heir to the Empire. He turned out to be one of the worst emperors, and it began a growing tradition to have the son inherit the throne from his father. Commodus was already named co-emperor (Augustus) before Marcus' death.

Septimius Severus
Achievements: One of the greatest commander-emperors; he was also the first Emperor of african origin. severus gained the throne through force and continued to campaign against foreign and other "rebellious" leaders. His sack of the Parthian capital was one of the main reason for the collapse of the dynasty. Severus made many improvements to the military and skillfully manipulated its power for his rule, but also funded many building projects in Rome.
Shortcomings: Septimius Severus ruled with cruelty and brute force, which his sucessor followed. He named both his son co-Emperors, and this really did not turn out well. The son who murdered the other became known as one of the worst emperors.

Aurelian
Achievements: The time before Diocletian was one of great chaos of continual civil wars and "pretender uprisings". The Low came when Britian, Gaul, and Spain broke off and formed its own "Gallic" Empire. In the East, Zenobia of Palmyra conquered everything from Asia Minor to Egypt. Barbarians from the north took advantage and broke through. Aurelian came to power and defeated both the Gallic and Palmrene empires, reuniting the Empire and earning the title "Restorer of the World". Without doubht, he was arguably the greatest commander-emperors. The Aurelian Wall of Rome bears his name.
Shortcomings: his reign only lasted 5 years before he was assasinated. Civil unrest resumed.

Diocletian
Achievements: Stablized the empire after the "Barracks emperors" period and offered the empire a completely new organization with 2 Augusti and 2 Caesars, decentralizing the power and degrading the status of Rome in favor of other cities of the "tetrarchy". He was also the first to resign from power.
Shortcomings: He failed to stop the inflation. Without doubt, Diocletian was consequential. Whether his reorganization was sucessful is another story. It's up to you to decide. I'd say that the long term separation of the East and West was necessary for the survival of the Empire, but his specific system of the tetrarchy collapsed due to humanly greed.

Constantine
Achievements: He was a great military emperor who won many victories, eventually cumulating to power over the entire empire. Constantine founded Constantinople and legalized Christianity.
Shortcomings: Without arguing whether or not his reforms were good or not, he did have some other flaws: his sucessors were poor and engaged in a "family feud"; the army started decling rapidly into barbarianism.


Edited by Imperator Invictus
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  Quote Tonifranz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12-Aug-2004 at 21:25

Augustus, without a doubt.

He renewed Roman civilization from the chaos of the late republic.

 

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  Quote Imperator Invictus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12-Aug-2004 at 21:31
Augustus is a good choice, but the "Barracks Emperors" period in which Aurelian was in and Diolcetian ended was by far more chaotic than the late republic.  Between that period, the late empire, and the late republic, I would say that the late republic was the least chaotic. 

Edited by Imperator Invictus
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  Quote Tonifranz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12-Aug-2004 at 22:01
By the way, Imperator Invictus, do you know the achievements of Antoninus Pius, Princeps from 138-161? I know very little about him, and I saw little being written about him?
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  Quote Jr_Capablanca Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-Aug-2004 at 04:50

Hello!

And why isn`t Vitellius or Nero on the list??? No, seriously now, i think I vote for Augustus.

/Capa

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  Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-Aug-2004 at 06:23
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  Quote TJK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-Aug-2004 at 06:27

My vote goes to Trajan

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  Quote Cornellia Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-Aug-2004 at 06:46

My vote definitely goes to Augustus. 

With peace and prosperity restored, Augustus reigned for 41 years before dying a month short of his 76th birthday. The foundation of the Principate had been set and Augustus became the model for all succeeding emperors. Tact and discretion had created a basis for imperial government far strong than could have been forged by naked power alone.

 

Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas
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  Quote boody4 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-Aug-2004 at 11:07
Trajan is da' man!
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  Quote Keltoi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-Aug-2004 at 12:28
Trajan was simply an amazing emperor. He accomplished so much that no one else could.
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  Quote Dawn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-Aug-2004 at 14:24

Augustus was my choice.

His political ablity  gained his control of most if not all of the officies of rome without bloodshed and hardly a fight.

 

One of Claudius major abilities was his use of the imperial buraucray. Through freed man that he apointed he ran the empire allthough those same freedman cause much hard feelings for him.

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  Quote Tobodai Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-Aug-2004 at 14:40
I have always been a Trajan fan.
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  Quote Arkhanson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-Aug-2004 at 15:39

why Hadrian is so important for roman empire ?

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  Quote Lannes Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-Aug-2004 at 16:04

Originally posted by Imperator Invictus


Shortcomings: Septimius Severus ruled with cruelty and brute force, which his sucessor followed.

But he was still regarded as a hero by the people.  My vote goes to Severus, with Vespasian as a close second.

 



Edited by Lannes
τρέφεται δέ, ὤ Σώκρατης, ψυχὴ τίνι;
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  Quote Temujin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-Aug-2004 at 16:45
Octavian and Constantine, voted Octavian
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  Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-Aug-2004 at 18:16
I voted for Octavian Augustus
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  Quote Dari Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 14:54

Why isn't Ceaser on the list?



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  Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 14:56
Because he wasn't an emperor I think
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  Quote Lannes Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 16:07

Originally posted by MixcoatlToltecahtecuhtli

Because he wasn't an emperor I think

He was elected as dictator and then dictator for life, but no term as emperor. 

τρέφεται δέ, ὤ Σώκρατης, ψυχὴ τίνι;
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  Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 16:44
Originally posted by Lannes

Originally posted by MixcoatlToltecahtecuhtli

Because he wasn't an emperor I think

He was elected as dictator and then dictator for life, but no term as emperor. 

The word for emperor in most languages are derived from Julius Caesar's name. The Roman historian Suetonius who wrote the history of the first twelve "Ceasars" started his book with Julius. Julius Caesar commanded Roman legions and held therefore the title Imperator. But modern historians do not regard him as an emperor because the republic came back after his death and it was up Augustus to finish the job.

My vote by the way vent to Marcus Aurelius.

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