Maps and Years: Caesars of Rome

The caesars were so named because they inherited the private fortune and name of Julius Caesar (pronounced as in the German "kaiser"). Having become extremely wealthy through the conquest and plundering of Gaul, Caesar was dictator of Rome from 49 to 44 BC. In 47 BC, he supported Queen Cleopatra in the Egyptian civil war. When he found himself in a tight spot in the city of Alexandria, he received help from the Jews. He recognized the right of Jewish migrants around the Mediterranean to live according to their religion and laws. In 44 BC, he was assassinated in the Roman Senate.

  • Augustus (27 BC-14). The young Octavian was Caesar's nephew and heir. After several civil wars, he ended Egypt's independence in 31 BC. Under the name and honorary title of Caesar Augustus, he took hold of the republic from 27 BC, calling himself a 'first among equals.' Upon his death in 4 BC, Herod the Great left the execution of his will and the division of his kingdom to Augustus. Augustus died in the year 14.
  • Tiberius (14-37). Under Tiberius, Judea and Syria were peaceful. In the years 34-37, Tiberius tried unsuccessfully to renew the peace treaty with Parthia and, at the same time, to depose the Parthian king Artabanus. It is possible that Herod Antipas played a supporting role in the peace negotiations.
  • Gaius (Caligula) (37-41). The peace treaty with Parthia was signed when Caligula became emperor. In the year 38, riots and a persecution of Jews broke out, particularly in Alexandria in the Nile Delta, the second largest city in the empire. The following year, Caligula ordered the governor of Syria in Antioch to place an idol of the emperor as supreme god in the temple in Jerusalem. Due to the ensuing unrest, particularly in Galilee, the governor postponed this, thereby risking the emperor's revenge. Caligula had meanwhile become increasingly embroiled in conflict with the senators. He was assassinated in 41.
  • Claudius (41-54). Caligula was succeeded by his stuttering uncle Claudius, partly due to the actions of the Jewish king Agrippa. In 43, Claudius carried out Caligula's plan to invade Britain. Around 48, he may have expelled Jewish followers of Jesus from the city. In 54, he was poisoned by his physician as part of a plot to put his 16-year-old heir Nero on the throne.
  • Nero (54-68). The capricious Nero dreamed of being worshipped as a charioteer and artist. In the year 59, he had his ambitious mother killed. When large parts of Rome were destroyed by fire in 64, rumours spread that Nero had stood watching, playing music and singing. It was also said that he had set the fire himself so that he could rebuild the city to his liking. Nero blamed a Jewish sect, the followers of Jesus, for the fire and had dozens of Christians burned or thrown to wild animals. Peter and Paul were also killed. Nero came into increasing conflict with the Roman elite. In 65, he ordered his old teacher Seneca to commit suicide. In 68, the governor of Gaul rebelled (he was defeated) and then the governor of Spain, Galba. Nero fled and met his death—the end of the dynasty of Julius Caesar.
  • Year of the Four Emperors (69). The disastrous year 69 saw four emperors fighting for power, while the Jewish War was still in full swing. The legions on the Rhine refused to swear allegiance to Galba. Galba was murdered in Rome and succeeded by Otho. But the legions on the Rhine marched to Rome to make their commander Vitellius emperor. After losing the first battle, Otho committed suicide. Vespasian, the commander in the Jewish War, was proclaimed emperor by the armies in the east. In the Rhineland, the Batavians took action, ostensibly to support Vespasian, but ultimately it turned into a rebellion against Rome. Troops who had sworn allegiance to Vespasian marched into Rome and Vitellius was executed.
  • While Vespasian (69-79) became emperor, his son and successor Titus (79-81) completed the conquest of Jerusalem. After the death of the popular Titus, his younger brother Domitian (81-96) became emperor. Under Domitian, tensions with the Senate increased again. He was assassinated by courtiers.
  • Supported by the Senate, the elderly Nerva (96-98) became emperor. He was succeeded by his adopted son Trajan (98-117) and then by Trajan's adopted son Hadrian (117-138). Trajan was an active military commander but failed to hold on to his conquests in Parthia. He died on his way back to Rome. Hadrian was known for his love of culture and Hellenism. Both emperors had to contend with large-scale Jewish wars.