The Triumph of Empire: The Roman World from Hadrian to Constantine

Description

Published as 'Imperial Triumph: The Roman World from Hadrian to Constantine' in the United Kingdom in 2016 by Profile Books Ltd. 'The Triumph of Empire' takes readers into the political heart of imperial Rome and recounts the extraordinary challenges overcome by a flourishing empire. Michael Kulikowski’s history begins with the reign of Hadrian, who visited the farthest reaches of his domain and created stable frontiers, and spans to the decades after Constantine the Great, who overhauled the government, introduced a new state religion, and founded a second Rome. Factionalism and intrigue sapped the empire from within, even at its apex. Roman politics could resemble a blood sport: rivals resorted to assassination; emperors rose and fell with bewildering speed, their reigns measured in weeks, not years; and imperial succession was never entirely assured. Canny emperors ― including Marcus Aurelius, Septimius Severus, and Diocletian ― constantly cultivated the aristocracy’s favor to maintain a grip on power. Despite such volatility, the Roman Empire protected its borders, defeating successive attacks from Goths and Germans, Persians and Parthians. Yet external threats persisted and the imperial government sagged under its own administrative weight. Religion, too, was in flux with the rise of Christianity and other forms of monotheism. In the fourth century CE, Constantine and his heirs reformed imperial institutions by separating civilian and military hierarchies, restructuring the government of both provinces and cities, and ensuring the prominence of Christianity. 'The Triumph of Empire' is a fresh, authoritative narrative of Rome at its height and of its evolution―from being the central power of the Mediterranean world to becoming one of several great Eurasian civilizations. Acknowledgements viii List of Illustrations x Introduction 1 1. The Early Years of Hadrian 13 2. The Late Reign and the Succession 23 3. Peace and War at Mid-Century 37 4. The Last of the Antonines 56 5. Septimius Severus and His Rivals 72 6. The Reign of Severus 85 7. The Later Severans 98 8. Eurasian History and the Roman Empire 117 9. From Gordian III to Valerian 137 10. Valerian and the Generals 159 11. The Last of the Soldier Emperors 179 12. Diocletian, Constantine and the Creation of the Later Roman Empire 194 13. The Failure of the Tetrarchy 219 14. Constantine and Licinius 229 15. The Structure of Empire Before and After Constantine 245 16. The Constantinian Empire 265 17. The Children of Constantine 282 18. Constantius, Julian and the Empire to Come 299 The Roman Emperors from Augustus to Julian 310 Persian Kings from Ardashir to Shapur II 312 Further Reading 313 Bibliography 320 Index 334