Nerva–Antonine dynasty
Roman imperial dynasties | ||||||||||||||
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Nerva–Antonine dynasty (AD 96–192) | ||||||||||||||
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The Nerva–Antonine dynasty comprised seven Roman emperors who ruled from AD 96 to 192: Nerva (96–98), Trajan (98–117), Hadrian (117–138), Antoninus Pius (138–161), Marcus Aurelius (161–180), Lucius Verus (161–169), and Commodus (177–192). The first five of these are commonly known as the "Five Good Emperors".
The first five of the six successions within this dynasty were notable in that the reigning emperor did not have a male heir, and had to
The importance of official adoption in Roman society has often been considered
With the murder of Commodus in 192, the Nerva–Antonine dynasty came to an end. It was followed by a brief period of turbulence known as the Year of the Five Emperors which ended with the establishment of the new Severan dynasty.
History
Nerva–Trajan dynasty
Nerva was the first of the dynasty.[3] Though his reign was short, it saw a partial reconciliation between the army, the senate and the commoners. Nerva adopted as his son the popular military leader Trajan. In turn, Hadrian succeeded Trajan; he had been the latter's heir presumptive, and averred that he had been adopted by him on Trajan's deathbed.
Antonine dynasty
The Antonines are four
In 138, after a long reign dedicated to the cultural unification and consolidation of the empire, the Emperor Hadrian named Antoninus Pius his son and heir, under the condition that he adopt both Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus. Hadrian died that same year, and Antoninus began a peaceful, benevolent reign. He adhered strictly to Roman traditions and institutions, and shared his power with the Roman Senate.
Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus succeeded Antoninus Pius in 161 upon that emperor's death, and co-ruled until Verus' death in 169. Marcus continued the Antonine legacy after Verus' death as an unpretentious and gifted administrator and leader. He died in 180 and was followed by his biological son, Commodus.
Five Good Emperors
The rulers commonly known as the "Five Good Emperors" were
From the study of 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 as soon as the empire fell once more to the heirs by birth, its ruin recommenced.[5]
Machiavelli argued that these adopted emperors earned the respect of those around them through good governance:
Titus, Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus, and Marcus had no need of praetorian 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.[5]
Edward Gibbon wrote in The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire that their rule was a time when "the Roman Empire was governed by absolute power, under the guidance of wisdom and virtue".[6] Gibbon believed that these benevolent monarchs and their moderate policies were unusual and contrasted with their more tyrannical and oppressive successors.
Alternative hypothesis
One hypothesis posits that adoptive succession arose because of a lack of biological heirs. All but the last of the adoptive emperors had no legitimate biological sons to succeed them. They were therefore obliged to pick a successor somewhere else; as soon as the Emperor could look towards a biological son to succeed him, adoptive succession was set aside.
The dynasty may be broken up into the Nerva–Trajan dynasty (also called the Ulpian dynasty after Trajan's gentile name 'Ulpius') and Antonine dynasty (after their common name Antoninus).
Nerva–Antonine family tree
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Notes:
Except where otherwise noted, the notes below indicate that an individual's parentage is as shown in the above family tree.
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References:
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- Note: Marcus Aurelius co-reigned with Lucius Verus from 161 until Verus' death in 169.
References
- ^ E.g. by Machiavelli and Gibbon
- ^ "Decline of the Roman Empire". Retrieved 2007-09-18.
- ^ "Adoptive Succession". Retrieved 2007-09-18.
- ISBN 978-0-618-61093-8.
- ^ a b Machiavelli, Discourses on Livy, Book I, Chapter 10.
- ^ Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, I.78.