Marble portrait of the emperor Antoninus Pius, ca. 138–161 CE

New York, The Met, Fletcher Fund, 1933, 33.11.3; https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/253386

When the Senate proclaimed an elderly colleague named Marcus Cocceius Nerva as emperor in AD 96, their main hope was for a period of peace and stability. The old man would be a caretaker, happy to devote a short reign to the establishment of an even more stable succession.

And, according to the long-established view, that is exactly how things turned out. Nerva died in AD 98, having adopted his successor Trajan, a young and vigorous emperor, who would embark upon a new era of Roman conquest. In fact, the adoption of a successor from a network of carefully selected friends, associates and wider family members, would prove to be an extremely successful strategy for almost a century. It gave Rome the Five Good Emperors: Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius.

To later generations, this seemed like a time of peak prosperity and stability for the Roman Empire, all under the governance of wise and well-chosen rulers. But appearances can be deceptive. Not only were these five rulers utterly different one from the other, they were also far from universally popular, and their decisions would have profound consequences for the empire – not all of them good. Join us to discover more.

RJW F2509 Online (via Zoom)

A 5-hour short course, delivered via 2 x 2½-hour sessions on consecutive Mondays (Monday 10 & Monday 17 March, 2.00-4.30).

£40 (individual registration); £72 (for two people sharing one screen).