Chapter VI: From the Beginning of the Roman Empire Under Augustus to Its

PERMANENT DIVISION, B. C. 30-395, A. D.

GREAT EVENTS OF THE PERIOD: Rome mistress of the world. The Augustan
Age. Golden Age of Roman literature. 1-100, A. D.: Christianity
founded amid persecutions. Parthia a powerful state but unequal
rival of Rome. 100-200: Zenith of Roman Empire. The good emperors.
Persecutions of the Christians continue. 200-300: Emperors chosen by
the army. Germanic tribes on Roman borders. Persecutions continue.
300-400: Constantine moves the capital of the empire to
Constantinople, and professes Christianity. Rise of Christian
Monasticism. Great church disputes. Germanic incursions and
settlements. The Roman Empire reaches its greatest territorial
extent.

+-------+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|=B. C.=| =The Roman Empire--In Europe, Asia and Africa--Under Augustus :
| | Cæsar, Emperor= :
+-------+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |31-14. Cæsar Octavianus Augustus. The surname Augustus (the Illus- :
| |trious, the Sublime), which was given Octavianus by the Senate in :
| |27 B. C., is the name by which he was known as sole ruler of the :
| |Roman world. :
| | :
| | =Countries Subject to Roman : =Age of Augustus= :
| | Dominion= : :
| | : :
| |IN EUROPE:--_Spain_, _Gaul_, :27-25. Expedition of Augustus :
| |_Britain_, _Italy_, _Rhætia_, :against the Cantabri and Astures.:
| |_Vindelicia_, _Noricum_, : :
| =25= |_Pannonia_, _Illyria_, _Greece_, :25. Expedition to Arabia, without:
| |_Macedonia_, _Thrace_, _Mœsia_, :results, conducted by C. Ælius :
| |_Dacia_. :Gallus, prefect of Egypt. :
| | : :
| |IN ASIA:--_Asia Minor_, _Syria_, :22-21. Successful war against the:
| |_Phœnicia_, _Palestine_, _the :Ethiopians, by Petronius, the :
| |northern and eastern coasts of :successor of Gallus in Egypt. :
| |the Black Sea_, _Armenia_, : :
| |_Mesopotamia_, _Assyria_. :20. Campaign of Augustus against :
| | :the Parthians. Tigranes was re- :
| |IN AFRICA:--_Egypt_, _and the :instated in the kingdom of :
| |whole of the northern coast_. :Armenia. :
| | : :
| |Its distant territories were :19. Subjugation of Spain com- :
| |_Scandia_, _Sarmatia_, _India_, :pleted. :
| |_Æthiopia_, and _Galatia_; Rome : :
| |itself being the common center of:15. Rhætia made a Roman province,:
| |the whole. :along with Vindelicia (now Augs- :
| | :burg) and Noricum. :
| +---------------------------------+ :
| | =German Nations= |12-9. Drusus undertook four cam- :
| =1 +---------------------------------+paigns in Germany proper. :
| A. D.=| | :
| | |4-6. Campaigns of Tiberius in :
| |6-9. Varus, in his camp on the |Germany. :
| |Weser, governs Lower Germany as a| :
| |Roman province. |7. Germanicus is sent into :
| | |Germany. :
| |9. Hermann, or Arminius defeats | :
| |Varus at =Winfield-Lippe=. Teu- | :
| |tonic independence established by| :
| |the defeat of the Roman legions. | :
| |The line drawn between the | :
| |Germanic and Latin races. | :
| | | :
| |14-17. Expedition of Germanicus. |14-37. Tiberius (Claudius Nero), :
| | |step-son of Augustus. :
| =25= |_The Romans from this time main- | :
| |tain military power on the right |37-41. Caligula (properly, Gaius :
| |bank of the Rhine and from the |Cæsar Germanicus), youngest son :
| |Maine to the Danube._ |of Germanicus. :
| | | :
| | |41-54. Claudius (Tiberius :
| | |Claudius Nero), son of Drusus, :
| | |influenced largely by 1, the :
| | |shameless Messalina; 2, the :
| | |ambitious Agrippina. :
| | | :
| | |43. Commencement of the conquest :
| | |of Britain. :
| | | :
| =50= |50. Colony of Claudius. Agrippa | :
| |(Cologne) founded. |54-68. Nero (Nero Claudius Cæsar :
| | |Augustus Germanicus). Destroys :
| | |Britannicus and all the Julian :
| | |family. :
| | | :
| | |59-62. Murders his wife and :
| | |mother. :
| | | :
| | |64. Fire at Rome, followed, :
| | | :
| | |65. by the persecution of the :
| | |Christians. :
| | | :
| | |68. Death of Nero, and extinction:
| | |of the house of Cæsar. :
| | | :
| |69-70. Revolt of the Batavians in|69-79. VESPASIANUS, (Titus :
| |Belgian Gaul. |Flavius Vespasianus), one best of:
| | |Roman princes. Eruption of :
| | |Vesuvius and destruction of :
| | |Herculaneum, Pompeii and Stabiæ. :
| | | :
| | |86-107. DACIAN WARS. :
| | | :
| | | _PLUTARCH_ (50?-120?):
| | | :
| | |98-117. TRAJAN (Marcus Ulpius :
| | |Traianus). Excellent ruler and :
| | |general. Magnificent buildings in:
| | |Rome (Forum Traianum) and :
| | |throughout the empire. :
| =100= | | :
| | |101-103. Victorious over the :
| |106. Dacia a Roman province. The |Dacians. :
| |country is filled with Roman | :
| |colonists. Origin of the Latin |107. Reduction of part of Arabia.:
| |language in Hungary. | :
| | |114-116. War with the Parthians, :
| | |in which Rome is victorious. :
| | |Armenia and Mesopotamia Roman :
| | |provinces. :
| | | :
| | | PERIOD OF GREATEST EXTENT OF :
| | | THE EMPIRE. :
| | | :
| | |117-138. Hadrian (Publius Ælius :
| | |Hadrianus) a lover of peace, an :
| | |excellent administrator, learned :
| | |and vain. :
| | | :
| | |117. Gives up the provinces of :
| | |Armenia, Mesopotamia and Assyria.:
| +---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| | =German Nations= | =The Roman Empire--In Europe, :
| | | Asia and Africa= :
| +---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| |121. Roman wall from the Rhine to|121. Builds a wall across the :
| |the Danube by Hadrian. |north of England. :
| =125= | | :
| | |131. Improves Roman juris- :
| | |prudence. :
| | | :
| | |138-161. ANTONINUS PIUS, whose :
| |140. =The Goths migrate south- |reign was the happiest period of :
| |wards.= |the Roman empire. :
| =150= | | :
| | |161-180. MARCUS AURELIUS, (Marcus:
| | |Aurelius Antoninus), a wise and :
| | |active sovereign, highly :
| | |educated, a stoic philosopher. :
| | | :
| | |162-165. Verus successful against:
| | |the Parthians. :
| | | :
| | |166. The Marcomanni, with their :
| |167-180. War of the league |allies, penetrate as far as :
| |against Rome. |Aquileia. :
| | | :
| |170. Invasion of Illyria as far | :
| =175= |as Aquileia. | :
| | |178. The Marcomanni and their :
| | |allies renew the war with Rome, :
| | |and before the close of it M. :
| | |Aurelius dies, 180, at Sirmium. :
| | | :
| | |193-284. CIVIL WARS OF THE ROMAN :
| | |EMPIRE. :
| | | :
| | | =Period of Military Despotism= :
| | | :
| +----------------+----------------+193-211. Septimius Severus. Im- :
| | =Franks= : =Goths= |provements in the administration :
| +----------------+----------------+of justice through the jurist :
| =200= |The name of :200. The Goths |Papinianus. :
| |Franks, (or free:enter Dacia, and| :
| |men), was given :after crossing |208. Expedition to Britain :
| |to a military :the Danube |against the Scots. :
| |confederacy of :attack the Roman| :
| |the lower Rhine :provinces. |211-217. CARACALLA, (Antoninus :
| |and the Weser. : |Bassianus). By the Constitutio :
| | : |Antoniana Roman citizenship was :
| | : |conferred upon all the inhabi- :
| | : |tants of the provinces. Systemat-:
| | : |ic plundering of the provinces, :
| | : |unsuccessful wars against the :
| | : |Goths in Dacia, cruel treatment :
| | : |of the inhabitants of Alexandria.:
| | : |Plundering expedition against the:
| | : |Parthians. :
| | : | :
| | : |222-235. SEVERUS ALEXANDER. Ex- :
| =225= | : |cellent ruler, advised by the :
| | : |jurists Domitius Ulpianus and :
| | : |Julius Paullus. :
| | :236-237. They | :
| |238. They invade:invade lower | :
| |Gaul. :Mœsia, and exact|248. Celebration of the thou- :
| | :tribute of the |sandth anniversary of the founda-:
| | :Romans. |tion of Rome. :
| | : | :
| =250= | :250. The Goths, | :
| | :under their | :
| | :king, Ostro- | :
| | :gotha, for the | :
| | :first time force| :
| | :their way into | :
| | :the Roman Empire| :
| | :by crossing the | :
| | :Danube. | :
| | : | :
| | :258-69. Four | :
| | :great expedi- |268-270. Claudius II. raised to :
| | :tions of the |the throne by the soldiers. :
| | :Goths into Asia | :
| | :Minor and |270-275. AURELIANUS. He concluded:
| | :Greece. |peace with the Goths by the sac- :
| | : |rifice of the province of Dacia. :
| | :272. They are |He defeated Zenobia in two :
| | :driven from |battles, at Antiochia and at :
| | :Illyricum and |Edessa, subdued Syria, besieged :
| | :Thrace, and de- |and destroyed Palmyra, captured :
| | :feated also on |Zenobia, and reconquered Egypt, :
| | :the Danube. |273. Aurelian called “Restorer of:
| | : |the universal Empire.” :
| | :274. They obtain| :
| =275= | :Dacia from the |275. Tacitus, Imperator. He de- :
| | :Romans. |feated the Alani, who had invaded:
| | : |Asia Minor. :
| | :The Goths, in | :
| | :their progress |276-282. Probus. Drove back the :
| |277. Extraordi- :southward, are |Franks, Burgundians, Alamanni and:
| |nary naval expe-:joined by count-|Vandals, entered Germany, and :
| |dition of the :less swarms of |strengthened the wall between the:
| |Thracian Franks,:barbarians and |Rhine and Danube. :
| |in the Mediter- :thus overwhelm | :
| |ranean and :the countries |282-283. Carus succeeded. Con- :
| |northern seas. :they invade. |quered the Sarmatians. :
| | : | :
| | : |284-305. Diocletianus proclaimed :
| |288. Maximian :Gothic monarchy |imperator by the soldiers. :
| |transplants a :on the banks of | :
| |part of them :the lower Danube| =Period of Absolute :
| |into Gaul. :and the northern| Imperialism.= :
| | :coast of the | :
| | :Black Sea. | :
| | : | :
| | :290. They con- | :
| |294. Repeated :quer the | :
| |migrations. :Burgundiones. | :
| =300= | : | :
| |306. Constantine: | :
| |defeats the : |308. Rebellion in Rome. Six :
| |Franks, who had : |emperors. :
| |invaded Gaul. : | :
| | : |310-323. WARS OF CONSTANTINE THE :
| | : |GREAT. :
| | : | :
| | : |323-337. CONSTANTINE, THE GREAT, :
| =325= | : |sole ruler. Christianity recog- :
| | : |nized by the State and favored at:
| | : |the expense of paganism. :
| | : | :
| | : |330. Seat of empire moved to :
| | : |Constantinople. :
| | : | :
| | : |337. On the death of Constantine :
| =350 | :350. Hermanric, |the Great, the empire was divided:
| |356-7. Franks :King of the |between his three sons: Constan- :
| |and Alemanni :Ostrogoths, |tine, Constans and Constantius. :
| |pour into Gaul. :founds an exten-| :
| | :sive empire. |361. JULIAN, called the Apostate.:
| | : |Disliked Christianity, and tried :
| | : |to restore paganism. :
| | : | :
| | : |364. Empire divided into East and:
| |365-371. Valen- : |West with an emperor ruling in :
| |tinian drives :366. The Goths |each. :
| |the Alemanni out:invade Thrace, | :
| |of Gaul. :but are defeated| | :
| | :by the generals | WEST | EAST :
| | :of Valens. Upon | | :
| | :the invasion of |364. |364. Valens, :
| | :the Huns, the |Valentinian I. |killed by Goths.:
| | :Ostrogoths sepa-| :
| | :rate from the | :
| | :Visigoths. | :
| | : | :
| =375= | :375. Death of |375-493. INVASION OF ROMAN EMPIRE:
| | :Hermanric and |BY NORTHERN BARBARIANS. :
| | :fall of his | :
| | :empire. |375. Gratian and| :
| | : |Valentinian II. | :
| | :376. The Visi- | | :
| | :goths pressed by| |379. Theodosius :
| | :the Huns, im- |383. Valentinian|I. Became a :
| | :plore the pro- |II. |Christian; kept :
| | :tection of | |back the Goths; :
| | :Valens, and | |divided Armenia :
| | :cross the Danube| |between Rome and:
| | :into Mœsia, | |Persia. :
| | :which he cedes | :
| | :to them. |394. The whole empire was, for :
| | : |the last time, reunited under :
| | : | :
| | : |394-395. THEODOSIUS. After his :
| | : |death the division of adminis- :
| | : |tration into an eastern and west-:
| | : |ern section, which had existed :
| | : |for a hundred years, became a :
| | : |permanent division of the empire.:
| | : | :
| | : |395. _DIVISION OF THE EMPIRE :
| | : |BETWEEN THE SONS OF THEODOSIUS, :
| | : |HONORIUS AND ARCADIUS._ :
+-------+----------------+----------------+---------------------------------+

+-------+---------------------+---------------------+---------------------+
|=B. C.=: =Roman Empire= | =Parthia= |=China, Japan, India=|
+-------+---------------------+---------------------+---------------------+
| : =Palestine= | | |
| +---------------------+ | |
| :30. Augustus bestows | |30. Japan: Suinin, a |
| :increase of territory| |great civilizer. |
| :on Herod. | | |
| : | | |
| :29. Herod kills his | | |
| :wife, Mariamne. | |27. India: Andhra |
| : | |kingdom very power- |
| =25= :25. Herod begins ex- |25. Tiridates aspires|ful. |
| :tensive building |to the sovereignty | |
| :operations in Judea: |but is defeated and | |
| :rebuilds Samaria, re-|takes refuge at the | |
| :constructs temple at |court of Augustus. | |
| :Jerusalem, 20-19. | | |
| : |20. Phraates restores| |
| : |the standards taken | |
| : |from Crassus. | |
| : | | |
| : |18. Sends his sons as| |
| :4. Birth of =Jesus |hostages to Rome. | |
| :Christ=. Date now | | |
| :generally accepted |_Gradual decline of | |
| :though not actually |the Parthian | |
| :certain. |Kingdom._ | |
| =1 +---------------------+ | |
| A. D.=: =The Christian | | |
| : Church= | | |
| +---------------------+ | |
| :6. Judea made a Roman| | |
| :province under a pro-| |21. India: |
| :curator. | |Gondophares, King of |
| =25= : |_Series of struggles |Kabul and Punjab. |
| :26. Pontius Pilate |for succession to the| |
| :becomes procurator of|throne for over one | |
| :Judea. |hundred years._ | |
| : | | |
| :28-29. Baptism of | | |
| :Jesus Christ and be- | | |
| :ginning of His public| | |
| :work. | | |
| : | | |
| :30. Crucifixion of | | |
| :Jesus Christ. | | |
| : | | |
| :35-36. ST. PAUL con- | | |
| :verted to Christiani-| | |
| :ty. | | |
| : | | |
| :42. ST. PETER, the | | |
| :Apostle, after | | |
| :filling the see of | | |
| :Antioch seven years, | | |
| :goes to Rome. | | |
| : | | |
| :49. Council of the | | |
| =50= :Apostles at Jerusa- |50. Vologeses I. | |
| :lem. | | |
| : |52. War against Rome | |
| :56. Paul arrested in |for the possession of| |
| :Jerusalem. |Armenia Minor. |58. China: Ming-Ti |
| : | |introduces Buddhism. |
| :59. Paul arrives in | | |
| :Rome. | | |
| : | | |
| :64. First traditional| | |
| :persecution of Chris-|65. Terminated at the| |
| :tians, by Nero. |death of Tigranes, | |
| : |when Tiridates ac- | |
| :66. Outbreak of |cepts the crown of | |
| :Jewish war. |Armenia from Nero. | |
| : | | |
| :67. Pope Linus. | | |
| :Vespasian despatched | | |
| :against the Jews. | | |
| : | | |
| :70. The destruction | | |
| :of Jerusalem by | |71-130. Japan: Keiko |
| :Titus. | |and Yamato-Dake make |
| : | |large conquests. |
| :72. Conquest of Judea| | |
| =75= :completed. | | |
| : |90. Death of | |
| :95. Second traditio- |Vologeses. Arsaces | |
| :nal persecution of |XXIV. in alliance | |
| :the Christians, by |with the Romans, em- | |
| :Domitian. |bellishes Ctesiphon. | |
| =100= : | | |
| : |107. Chosroes | |
| : |(Arsaces XXV.), im- |109. China: Conquest |
| :112-113. Third tra- |plicated in a war |of Korea. |
| :ditional persecution,|with Trajan on | |
| :by Trajan. |account of Armenia. | |
| : | | |
| : |117. Chosroes re- | |
| : PERIOD OF GREATEST |stored. | |
| : EXTENT OF THE | | |
| : EMPIRE. |121. Vologeses II., | |
| =125= : |(Arsaces XXVI.) |125. India: Nagar- |
| : | |Juna, great apostle |
| :145. Rise of the | |of Buddhism. |
| :Marcionites. |149. Vologeses III., | |
| =150= : |(Arsaces XXVII). Re- | |
| :154. Canon of Scrip- |newal of the war with| |
| :ture fixed about this|Rome. | |
| :time. JUSTIN MARTYR | | |
| :publishes his apology| | |
| :for the Christians. | | |
| : | | |
| :155. Martyrdom of | | |
| :Polycarp; appearance | | |
| :of Montanus. | | |
| : | | |
| :165. Death of Justin |165. Casius destroys | |
| :Martyr. |Seleucia. | |
| =175= : | | |
| :177. Fourth traditio-| | |
| :nal persecution, by | | |
| :Marcus Aurelius-- | | |
| :Irenæus becomes | | |
| :bishop of Lyons. | | |
| : | | |
| :180. Age of Theo- | | |
| :philus and Tatian. |191. Vologeses IV., | |
| : |(Arsaces XXVIII.) | |
| =200= : | | |
| : | |201-269. Japan: |
| : |207. Defeated by |JINGU-KOGO, most |
| : |Septimius Severus, |famous of Japanese |
| : |who sacks the chief |female sovereigns. |
| : |towns of Parthia. | |
| : | | |
| : |216. Artabanus IV., | |
| : |(Arsaces XXX), the |221-265. China: Epoch|
| : |last of the Arsacidæ.|of the “Three King- |
| : +---------------------+doms.” |
| : | =Persia= | |
| =225= : +---------------------+ |
| : |226-651. Dynasty of | |
| : |the Sassanides. | |
| : | | |
| : |226-240. Artaxerxes | |
| :235. Origen. Sixth |becomes the founder | |
| :persecution of the |of the new Persian | |
| :Christians, under |monarchy. | |
| :Maximinus. | | |
| : | | |
| :248. Cyprian becomes | | |
| :bishop of Carthage. | | |
| :Monastic life origi- | | |
| :nates about this | | |
| :time. Dispute between| | |
| :the churches of Rome | | |
| :and Africa about | | |
| :baptism. | | |
| =250= : | | |
| :251. Seventh persecu-| | |
| :tion of the Christi- | | |
| :ans, under Decius. | | |
| : | | |
| :257. Eighth persecu- |257. War against the | |
| :tion, under Valerian.|Romans: Sapor advan- | |
| : |ces as far as Cappa- | |
| :260. Paul, of |docia. The Emperor | |
| :Samosata, bishop of |Valerian taken | |
| :Antioch, denies the |prisoner. | |
| :divinity of Jesus | | |
| :Christ. | | |
| : | | |
| :270. MANES advocates |_The Sassanidæ, |270-310. Japan: OJIN,|
| :his doctrines in |claiming to be de- |a great warrior. |
| :Persia. |scendants of the | |
| : |ancient kings of | |
| :274. Ninth persecu- |Persia, form preten- | |
| =275= :tion, under Aurelian.|sions to all the | |
| : |Asiatic provinces of | |
| : |the Roman Empire._ | |
| : | | |
| : |292-301. Narses. | |
| =300= : | | |
| : |301-309. Hormisdas | |
| :303. Tenth persecu- |II., builds Ormus. | |
| :tion of the Christi- | | |
| :ans, by Diocletian. |305. Persecution of | |
| : |the Christians | |
| : |stopped by | |
| : |Constantius Chlorus. | |
| : | | |
| : |309-380. Sapor II | |
| :311. Pope Miltiades. |carries on a series | |
| :Constantine issues |of wars with Rome. |313. Japan: Nintoku, |
| :Edict of Toleration. | |the Sage Emperor. |
| : | | |
| :320. Strife of the | |320. India: |
| :Donatists in Africa. | |CHANDRAGUPTA, first |
| : | |supreme emperor of |
| =325= :325. The Council of | |India. |
| :Nice, consisting of |326. Persecution of |_Brilliant Gupta |
| :three hundred and |the Christians. |Period from 320 to |
| :eighteen bishops, who| |480._ |
| :condemn Arianism. | | |
| :ATHANASIUS, ARIUS, | | |
| :flourish in the reign| | |
| :of Constantine. | | |
| : | | |
| :337. Pope Julius I. |337-363. War with | |
| : |Rome. Sapor demands | |
| :340. Christianity |the restitution of | |
| :propagated in Ethio- |all the provinces | |
| :pia by Frumentius.-- |Persia had formerly | |
| :Gothic version of |possessed in Asia | |
| :Bible by Wulfila |Minor. | |
| :(Ulfilas). | | |
| =350= : | | |
| :352. Pope Liberius. | | |
| :Hilary of Poitiers.--|362-3. War with | |
| :Cyril, Bishop of |Julian, who is slain | |
| :Jerusalem. |in repulsing the | |
| : |Persians, on the | |
| :363. Jovian. Restored|Tigris. | |
| :Christianity. | | |
| : |372-420. Peace with | |
| =375= :375. Ambrose of |Rome. |375. India: |
| :Milan; Martin of | |Chandragupta II. ex- |
| :Tours. |380-383. ARTAXERXES |tended the empire. |
| : |II. | |
| :381. The second gene-| | |
| :ral council of |383-388. Sapor III. | |
| :Constantinople. |Division of Armenia | |
| :Gregory of Nazianzus |between Persia and | |
| :made patriarch of |Rome. | |
| :Constantinople. | | |
| : | | |
| :395. _DIVISION OF THE EMPIRE BETWEEN THE SONS OF THEODOSIUS, |
| :HONORIUS AND ARCADIUS._ |
+-------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+