ROME, CAPUT MUNDI

The birth of the Roman Empire was preceded by the expansion of Rome’s power. It was difficult to rule such a vast empire. Moreover, the growing army demanded a principal military and political authority. In that way, well-known people such as Julius Caesar emerged. His main goal was the power and he died because of daring the authority of the Roman Senate. The Empire, as a political system, appeared after civil wars that followed Julius Caesar’s death, at the end of the Roman Republic.

Augustus, Julius Caesar’s adopted son, defeated the alliance between Mark Antony and Cleopatra, and secured his imperial power by undertaking important reforms. He also consolidated a political and cultural unity which occupied the Mediterranean lands. This supremacy would last five centuries. Only their names are enough to evoke the power of the Empire.

Augustus
(63 BC/14 AD)

He was the first emperor of Rome. His reign was the longest one. He ordered to take a census of the Roman Empire when Jesus of Nazareth was born.






Tiberius
(42 BC/37AD)

He was the second emperor of Rome. The Gospels say that Jesus of Nazareth was executed during his reign due to Pontius Pilate’s commands, who was his governor in Judea.

Julio-Claudian dynasty

Reign period	Name	Imperial name
From 27 BC to 14 AD	Augustus	IMPERATOR CAESAR DIVI FILIVS AVGVSTVS
From 14 AD to 37 AD	Tiberius	TIBERIVS CAESAR AVGVSTVS
From 37 AD to 41 AD	Caligula	GAIVS CAESAR AVGVSTVS GERMANICVS
From 41 AD to 54 AD	Claudius	TIBERIVS CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVGVSTVS GERMANICVS
From 54 AD to 68 AD	Nero	NERO CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVGVSTVS GERMANICVS