Roman Emperors: The Nerva-Antonine Dynasty

Roman Emperors: The Nerva-Antonine Dynasty

AntoineDynasty - Roman Emperors: The Nerva-Antonine Dynasty
The Mausoleum of Emperor Hadrian, today known as Castel Sant’Angelo was completed in 139 AD.

The Roman Empire, founded in 27 BC saw the Julio-Claudian Dynasty, a brief civil war during the Year of the Four Emperors then the Flavian Dynasty, which ended with the assassination of Domitian in 96 AD. For the first time in history, the Senate selected the next Emperor: Marcus Cocceius Nerva, who spent his lifetime in imperial service beginning under the reign of Nero and continuing through the Flavian Dynasty. Nerva’s appointment marked the inception of the Nerva-Antonine Dynasty; its seven emperors–listed below–ruled from 96 to 192 AD.

  1. Nerva, 96 to 98 AD
  2. Trajan, 98 to 117 AD
  3. Hadrian, 117 – 138 AD
  4. Antoninus Pius, 138 – 161 AD
  5. Marcus Aurelius, 161 – 180 AD
  6. Lucius Verus, 161 – 169 AD
  7. Commodus, 180 – 192 AD

No we didn’t make a mistake in the dates marking the reigns of Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Versus; they were co-emperors. Legendary political philosopher named these five “The Five Good Emperors” because of the respect they earned: Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius.

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