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Dari
Shogun
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Topic: Greatest Emperor Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 16:49 |
No, I think the word for emperor isn't derived for most langauges by "Ceaser's name". Tzar and Chancellor are the only ones that come to mind.
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Dari is a pimp master
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 16:52 |
the German word Kaiser (and the Dutch word keizer, although we never had one) is also derived from Caesar
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Cornellia
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 17:07 |
You guys are forgetting someone....... Octavius was adopted by his great uncle and then took the name of C. Julius Caesar Octavianus (hereafter "Octavian"). To identify himself fully with his adoptive father and to lend his subsequent actions a veneer of legitimacy, he simply called himself "Caesar".
Then the Senate gave him the quasi divine title of Augustus which was a slightly archaic word meaning sacred or revered........and that's how he's been known through the ages.
It was his memory that was enshrined in the political ethos of the Imperial age as a paradigm of the good emperor; although every emperor adopted his name, Caesar Augustus, only a handful earned genuine comparison with him.
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Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas
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Imperator Invictus
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 17:45 |
Actually, Caesar was a very un-emperor title. Many members of the royal
family held it. Caesar was always considered an inferior title compared
to Augustus.
The different titles:
Caesar (deriv: Czar, Kaiser):
Means a imperial family member, especially one in line for secession.
In the tetrarachy with two emperors and two junior emperors, the
Caesars were the junior emperors. The Augusti were the emperors.
Augustus: "Venerable" the title that means Emperor in its truest sense.
Imperator (deriv: Emperor):
"Comander" Military title. This would mean commander in chief. All
emperors and some non emperors held this title.
Pater Patriae "Father of the country": Title given to emperors after a certain number of years he has been emperor.
Pontifex Maximus: "greatest priest" Another title used almost exclusively by emperors durnig the principlate.
Edited by Imperator Invictus
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Lannes
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 18:51 |
Originally posted by Imperator Invictus
Actually, Caesar was a very un-emperor title. Many members of the royal family held it. Caesar was always considered an inferior title compared to Augustus. |
My understanding of it is that the title "Caesar" was given to the announced heir to the throne.
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τρέφεται δέ, ὤ Σώκρατης, ψυχὴ τίνι;
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Mosquito
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 18:53 |
Iv been always saying that if all the roman emperors were like Tiberius the empire would last forever. Somtimes it is better to have a ruler who isnt genius, great commander (altough before Tiberius became emperor he did his job on the battlfield) but also isnt the complete dumb and who treats his duties seriously. Tiberius belived that empire didnt need any new lands and conquests and that it just requires good and fair administration. Instead spending fortunes on the gladiator games he kept very strict discipline both in the army and administration, not saying about the fact that actually during his reign Romans enjoyed stability and senate enjoyed bigger role than later. At least Tiberius even tollerated opposition and only part of the officials were being choosen after his "recomendation" while others could have been freelly elected by senate. He also didnt tollerate when his governors were robbing people in the provinces.
Edited by Mosquito
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Beylerbeyi
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Posted: 15-Aug-2004 at 09:58 |
I voted for Constantine.
I think it was a very good idea to move the centre of the state to Byzantium (and originally to divide it into two). This move probably added centuries to the life of the Empire. Conversion to Christianity was a very prudent move too.
I also feel somehow in his debt, because I am born in Istanbul, so without him adopting it as his capital, I would probably never have been born...
I'd also mention Hadrian. I think he was good enough to be included in this list. He was a great builder. Mother once observed that in all Roman cities (mostly ruins by now) in Turkey, there is a Hadrian gate or Hadrian bath or something else built by Hadrian. So, he visited the Greeks everywhere not only in Greece.
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Ptolemy
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Posted: 15-Aug-2004 at 13:11 |
Definately Constantine. Moving the capital to Byzantium was a prudent move. As well, he reunited the empire removing all the squabbling successor empires. These two moves were beneficial to the long term well-being of the empire. Most people forget he succesfully waged war against may Germanic tribes who were bent on taking chunks of the empire. His legalization of Christianity was also important. The religion was already growing at an alarming pace for Diocletion and we all know what Diocletion did to Christians. Christianity had already become the state religion of Armenia and had a massive following in the East. He also supported freedom of Religion which was forgotten by future emporers.
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Master of Puppets
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Posted: 15-Aug-2004 at 15:55 |
Hmmm... Difficult. Maybe I should vote for Romulus Augustulus, though... Nah, guess I'll go for Augustus anyway. The way he ended the Century of Civil War is truly remarkable. I wouldn't know if I'd call him modest, though. Maybe just prudent, seeing the example set by Caesar. Also, he may not have been the greatest commander, but he knew who to choose to replace him (well, except for Varus...) Indeed, we must certainly not forget the great impact Augustus's reign has had on literature. At least half of all great poets and prose writers of Golden Latin are from Augustus's reign and were under his cultural umbrella: Horatius, Vergilius, Ovidius and Livius are the most famous examples. I agree Aurelian did an amazing job, too, but we don't know what he'd have done if he would have had the opportunity to re-organize the Empire. Maybe an Aurelian-Diocletian combo could beat Augustus...
Oh, btw, Hadrian (re)built the Pantheon, not the Parthenon
Edited by Master of Puppets
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Wherever I turn, there is Death.
The Epic of Gilgamesh; Tablet XI, line 245
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ihsan
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Posted: 15-Aug-2004 at 19:04 |
TRAIANVS
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Mosquito
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Posted: 15-Aug-2004 at 20:26 |
Originally posted by Imperator Invictus
Pater Patriae "Father of the country": Title given to emperors after a certain number of years he has been emperor.
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I would rather say that Pater Patriae means Father of the Fatherland"
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Lannes
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Posted: 15-Aug-2004 at 20:28 |
Originally posted by ihsan
TRAIANVS
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Trajanus Decius?
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τρέφεται δέ, ὤ Σώκρατης, ψυχὴ τίνι;
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ihsan
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Posted: 16-Aug-2004 at 16:10 |
Whatever his long Imperial title is
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Imperator Invictus
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Posted: 16-Aug-2004 at 21:09 |
I think he's talking about Imperator Caesar Divi Nervae Filius Nerva
Traianus Optimus Augustus Germanicus Dacicus Parthicus, Pontifex
Maximus, Tribuniciae potestatis XXI, Imperator XIII, Consul VI, Pater
Patriae
Emperor Caesar Nerva Trajan Augustus,
son of the god Nerva, the best, (victor against the) Germans, Dacians,
Parthians, the Greatest priest, (Proclaimed as one) of Tribunal powers
21 times, (proclaimed) Imperator 13 times, Consul 6 times, father of
the fatherland.
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Lannes
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Posted: 16-Aug-2004 at 21:15 |
Originally posted by Imperator Invictus
I think he's talking about Imperator Caesar Divi Nervae Filius Nerva Traianus Optimus Augustus Germanicus Dacicus Parthicus, Pontifex Maximus, Tribuniciae potestatis XXI, Imperator XIII, Consul VI, Pater Patriae
Emperor Caesar Nerva Trajan Augustus, son of the god Nerva, the best, (victor against the) Germans, Dacians, Parthians, the Greatest priest, (Proclaimed as one) of Tribunal powers 21 times, (proclaimed) Imperator 13 times, Consul 6 times, father of the fatherland.
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I as referring to Imperator Caesar Gaius Messius Quintus Traianus Decius Pius Felix Invictus Augustus, while Ihsan was referring to Imperator Caesar Divi Nervae Filius Nerva Traianus.
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τρέφεται δέ, ὤ Σώκρατης, ψυχὴ τίνι;
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Imperatore Dario I
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Posted: 17-Aug-2004 at 07:46 |
They are all great emperors, and I'm not picking this one as my favorite, but I like Gordian III. He was a very young emperor, and even if he was assassinated early on, he scored a lot of successes against the Sassanian King Shapur I.
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Let there be a race of Romans with the strength of Italian courage.- Virgil's Aeneid
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ihsan
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Posted: 17-Aug-2004 at 11:07 |
Originally posted by Imperator Invictus
I think he's talking about Imperator Caesar Divi Nervae Filius Nerva Traianus Optimus Augustus Germanicus Dacicus Parthicus, Pontifex Maximus, Tribuniciae potestatis XXI, Imperator XIII, Consul VI, Pater Patriae
Emperor Caesar Nerva Trajan Augustus, son of the god Nerva, the best, (victor against the) Germans, Dacians, Parthians, the Greatest priest, (Proclaimed as one) of Tribunal powers 21 times, (proclaimed) Imperator 13 times, Consul 6 times, father of the fatherland.
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All I can say is COOL!
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Mosquito
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Posted: 17-Aug-2004 at 16:29 |
or just Marcus Ulpius Traianus
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rider
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Posted: 18-Aug-2004 at 04:56 |
My vote goes to Hadrian because he simply was an astonishing leader...and after i have read his biography i find him the greatest emperor of all times...or maybe Theodosius or Augustus was greater...
And i think Nerva should be in the list also?
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Colchis
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Posted: 19-Aug-2004 at 23:25 |
Originally posted by Beylerbeyi
I voted for Constantine.
I think it was a very good idea to move the centre of the state to
Byzantium (and originally to divide it into two). This move
probably added centuries to the life of the Empire. Conversion to
Christianity was a very prudent move too. |
And this once we differ my dear Beylerbeyi -much to my surprise.
I think Constantine was partly responsible for the Hellenistic culture
to decline for many years to come. Even though he did not condemn the
traditional religion of the Roman Empire he did elevate Christianity to
an equal place. Still, he was very much a "pagan" until his last
moments and was frequently depicted with pagan symbols, not to mention
his deification after his death. Besides, the one "God" he refers to is
rather uncertain, it could very well have been his beliefs and devotion
in Sol Invictus interfering with the new faith. Christianity was a more
political choice than anything else and Constantine himself never got
rid of the pagan rites and practices. It was only after his death that
his three sons, and mainly Constantius who made paganism and everything
connected with it illegal and persecuted pagans and philosophers as
well as "heretic" (ie. those who didn't agree with him) Christians. In
any case, even though I am in Constantine's debt too for founding
Constantinopolis I think his opening the way for Rome's conversion and
thus its downfall he is far behind in my "favorites". Me and Mister
Edward Gibbon are of one mind on this one.
Anyway, I voted for Marcus Aurelius as I admire his work, his
philosophy and he wasn't a bad ruler after all, trying to keep the
empire in one piece and pretty much succeeding -if it weren't for his
rather incompetent son.
Edited by Colchis
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