Five Good Emperors: Difference between revisions
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#REDIRECT [[Nerva–Antonine dynasty#Five Good Emperors]] |
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[[Image:Roman Empire 125.svg|thumb|right|300px|The Empire in 125 AD]] |
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The '''Five Good Emperors''' is a term that refers to five consecutive emperors of the [[Roman Empire]] who represented a line of virtuous and just rule — [[Nerva]], [[Trajan]], [[Hadrian]], [[Antoninus Pius]], and [[Marcus Aurelius]]. Their reigns lasted between 96 to 180 AD. The term was coined by the political philosopher [[Niccolò Machiavelli]] in 1503: |
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:''From the study this history we may also learn how a good government is to be established; for while all the emperors who succeeded to the throne by birth, except Titus, were bad, all were good who succeeded by adoption; as in the case of the five from Nerva to Marcus. But so soon as the empire fell once more to the heirs by birth, its ruin recommenced.''<ref name = "ihyxhp">Machiavelli, ''Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livy'', Book I, Chapter 10</ref> |
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[[Machiavelli]] claimed that these adopted emperors, through "good" rule, earned the respect of those around them: |
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:''Titus, Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus, and Marcus had no need of prætorian cohorts, or of countless legions to guard them, but were defended by their own good lives, the good-will of their subjects, and the attachment of the senate.''<ref name = "ihyxhp"/> |
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The rule of these five emperors was also analyzed by the 18th century historian, [[Edward Gibbon]], in ''[[The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire]]''. According to Gibbon, their rule was a time when "the Roman Empire was governed by absolute power, under the guidance of wisdom and virtue".<ref>Gibbon, ''The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, I.78</ref> Gibbon believed these benevolent dictators and their moderate policies were unusual and contrast their more tyrannical and oppressive successors (their predecessors are not covered by Gibbon). |
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As noted by Machiavelli, the period of the five good emperors was particularly notable for the peaceful method of succession. Each emperor chose his successor by [[Roman adoption|adopting]] a hand-picked heir, which established a bond legally as strong as that of kinship and thus technically respected the customary—not constitutional—dynastic principle, thus preventing the political turmoil associated with the succession both before and after this period.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unrv.com/five-good-emperors/adoptive-succession.php |title=Adoptive Succession |accessdate= 2007-09-18}}</ref> The naming by [[Marcus Aurelius]] of his son [[Commodus]] as heir proved to be an unfortunate choice, and is considered by some historians (notably [[Edward Gibbon|Gibbon]]) to mark the start of the Empire's decline.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unrv.com/decline-of-empire/decline-of-empire.php |title=Decline of the Roman Empire |accessdate= 2007-09-18}}</ref> |
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==Historical evaluation== |
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{{Unreferenced|date=December 2008}} |
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From [[Edward Gibbon]]'s ''[[The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire]]'': |
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<blockquote>If a man were called to fix the period in the history of the world during which the condition of the human race was most happy and prosperous, he would, without hesitation, name that which elapsed from the death of [[Domitian]] to the accession of [[Commodus]]. The vast extent of the Roman Empire was governed by absolute power, under the guidance of virtue and wisdom. The armies were restrained by the firm but gentle hand of four successive emperors, whose characters and authority commanded respect. The forms of the civil administration were carefully preserved by Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian and the Antonines, who delighted in the image of liberty, and were pleased with considering themselves as the accountable ministers of the laws. Such princes deserved the honour of restoring the republic had the Romans of their days been capable of enjoying a rational freedom.</blockquote> |
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However, more recent historians, while agreeing with many of the details of this analysis, would not entirely agree with Machiavelli and [[Edward Gibbon|Gibbon]]'s praise of this period. There were more people under the rule of these emperors than the few affluent individuals whose lives are mentioned or recorded in the historical record. A large fraction of the rest were [[farmer]]s or their dependents, who lived their lives always at the whim of avaricious government officials, or unrestrained [[bandit]]s, no less during the reign of these "Good Emperors" than before or after. The extent to which these people suffered or were happy continues to be a subject of historical debate. |
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Additionally, Machiavelli's theory that adoption, rather than birth, led to moderate rule is also questionable. A number of Roman Emperors that Machiavelli did not feel were good rulers were adopted including [[Augustus]], [[Tiberius]] and [[Caligula]], though these were all adopted in their capacity as close relatives to the ruler. |
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<sup></sup> |
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==Timeline== |
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<timeline> |
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ImageSize = width:700 height:120 |
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PlotArea = width:680 height:60 left:10 bottom:20 |
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Colors = |
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id:yellow value:rgb(0.7,0.7,1) # light yellow |
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id:red value:rgb(1,0.7,0.7) # light red |
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id:green value:rgb(0.7,1,0.7) # light green |
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id:blue value:rgb(1,1,0.7) # light blue |
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id:cyan value:rgb(0.7,1,1) # light blue |
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id:purple value:rgb(1,0.7,1) # light purple |
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id:grey value:gray(0.8) # grey |
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Period = from:90 till:190 |
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TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal |
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ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:10 start:90 |
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ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:5 start:95 |
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BarData= |
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bar:barre1 |
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PlotData= |
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align:center textcolor:black fontsize:8 mark:(line,black) shift:(0,-5) |
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bar:barre1 |
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from: 96 till: 98 color:orange text:[[Nerva]] |
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from: 98 till: 117 color:yellow text:[[Trajan]] |
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from: 117 till: 138 color:blue text:[[Hadrian]] |
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from: 138 till: 161 color:red text:[[Antoninus Pius]] |
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from: 161 till: 180 color:green text:[[Marcus Aurelius]] |
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</timeline> |
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{{Nerva-Antonine family tree}} |
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==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
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{{Epochs of Roman Emperors}} |
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[[Category:Nerva-Antonine Dynasty]] |
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[[Category:Roman Empire was homo sexual |
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== Headline text == |
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]] |
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[[Category:Roman imperial dynasties]] |
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[[Category:European royal families]] |
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[[ar:خمسة أباطرة جيدين]] |
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[[bs:Pet dobrih careva]] |
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[[ca:Els cinc bons emperadors]] |
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[[cs:Adoptivní císaři]] |
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[[de:Adoptivkaiser]] |
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[[es:Emperadores Antoninos]] |
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[[eu:Antoniar leinu]] |
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[[fr:Antonins (India)]] |
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[[gl:Cinco bos emperadores]] |
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[[ko:네르바-안토니누스 황조]] |
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[[hr:Pet dobrih careva]] |
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[[is:Góðu keisararnir fimm]] |
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[[it:Imperatori adottivi]] |
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[[he:חמשת הקיסרים הטובים]] |
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[[lt:Penki geri imperatoriai]] |
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[[nl:Adoptiefkeizers]] |
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[[ja:五賢帝]] |
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[[pl:Pięciu dobrych cesarzy]] |
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[[pt:Cinco bons imperadores]] |
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[[ru:Пять хороших императоров]] |
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[[sk:Dynastia adoptovaných cisárov]] |
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[[sr:Пет добрих царева]] |
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[[sh:Pet dobrih careva]] |
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[[tr:Beş İyi İmparator]] |
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[[zh:五贤君]] |
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Latest revision as of 16:39, 1 February 2023
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