Roman Empire

The ancient state that governed lands around the Mediterranean under Roman rule, conventionally dated from Augustus’s accession in 27 BCE to Constantinople’s fall in 1453.

Roman emperor: The sovereign ruler of the Roman Empire, whose authority and powers changed over time. Emperors stood at the center of imperial command, succession, and political legitimacy.
Roman Republic: The Roman state governed through elected magistrates, assemblies, and the Senate before imperial rule. The empire inherited republican offices while concentrating authority in one ruler.
Constantine the Great: Roman emperor who founded Constantinople and promoted Christianity in the fourth century. His new capital became the enduring center of the eastern empire.
Pax Romana: A long period of relative stability and prosperity across much of the Roman Empire. It captures the political conditions often associated with the early empire.
Roman Senate: A political institution whose membership and influence changed across Roman history. The Senate retained status and administrative functions even as emperors controlled power.
Julius Caesar: Roman general and politician whose dictatorship preceded the Republic’s collapse. His assassination intensified the succession crisis that led to Augustus’s settlement.
Diocletian: Roman emperor who reorganized imperial government and divided rule among several emperors. His reforms addressed the instability of the third-century imperial crisis.
Crisis of the Third Century: A period of military, political, and economic upheaval in the Roman Empire from 235 to 284. Repeated coups and invasions exposed weaknesses in imperial governance.
Roman provinces: Territorial administrative units governed by Roman officials outside Italy. Provincial government connected imperial authority to cities, armies, and local elites.
Battle of Actium: The 31 BCE naval battle in which Octavian defeated Antony and Cleopatra’s forces. Octavian’s victory removed his main rivals and cleared the way for sole rule.

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