The document summarizes the reigns of the Five Good Emperors of Rome - Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius. It describes how each emperor contributed to a period of stability and prosperity in the Roman Empire through the 2nd century CE, focusing on administrative reforms, public works projects, expansion or consolidation of imperial borders, and respect for the senate. Each emperor adopted a successor to ensure a peaceful transfer of power.

1. The Five Good
Emperors
Nerva, Trajan,
Hadrian, Antonius
Pius, and Marcus
Aurelius

2. Nerva (96-98 CE)
 Appointed emperor by
Domitian’s assassins
 Swore to never execute a
Roman senator and to deal with
senate as a legitmate political
body
 Spent lavish amounts of money
to secure public goodwill, such
as tax breaks for the poorest
Roman families
 Completed many public projects
begun by Domitian while actively
seeking to destroy his
predecessor’s good name
 Survived a rebellious abduction
by the Praetorian Guard by
handing over Domitian’s
assassins and adopting Trajan
as his heir.

3. Trajan (98-117 CE)
 Took the name Optimus Maximus for
his contributions to the Empire
through his victories on the frontier
and his respectful treatment of the
senate
 Increase the amount free food stuffs
distributed to the poor
 Completed many magnificent and
beneficial public works, such a new
forum, baths, and a large market
 Undertook an overly ambitious war
against Parthia with an eye to
conquering the entire Mesopotamian
region
 During his war with the Parthians, his
health failed and he died of natural
causes while trying to return to
Rome.

4. Hadrian (117-138 CE)
 Backed off from Trajan’s overly
ambitious expansion policies and
sought to explore and understand the
existing provinces of the empire
 As an author and philosopher,
Hadrian supported the arts and the
city of Athens as a cultural center of
the empire
 Completed Hadrian’s Wall, which
spanned northern Britain from coast
to coast
 Traveled the entire empire during his
reign
 Spent his last several years resisting
coup attempts and fighting illness,
eventually dying of natural causes
after adopting Antoninus Pius as his
heir

5. Antoninus Pius (138-
161 CE)
 Earned his nickname “Pius” with his
refusal to put to death those awaiting
execution under Hadrian’s rule
 Improved the bureaucratic functions
of the empire bringing about a
prosperous period for the empire
 Did not make major changes to
Hadrian’s government programs
 Ruled from Rome and dealt with
rebellions and international crises by
delegating responsibility to local
governors
 Threw a celebration of Rome’s 900th
anniversary that were so lavish and
expensive he had to debase the
currency to pay the costs of the
games
 Died of natural causes never having
left Italy during his reign

6. Marcus Aurelius
(161-180 CE)
 Ruled over very troubled
times for the empire
 Incessant wars in the
provinces
 Plague in the east
 Eminent philosopher and
writer, a true intellectual, he
wrote the famous Meditations
 Very skilled and interested in
law, he earned a reputation
as devoted to justice
 Devoted to defending the
empire, he died from illness
contracted on the German
frontiers

7. Marcus Aurelius
(161-180 CE)
 Ruled over very troubled
times for the empire
 Incessant wars in the
provinces
 Plague in the east
 Eminent philosopher and
writer, a true intellectual, he
wrote the famous Meditations
 Very skilled and interested in
law, he earned a reputation
as devoted to justice
 Devoted to defending the
empire, he died from illness
contracted on the German
frontiers