The Roman Empire (27 BC-476 AD)

The Empire is the system in which real political power was in the hands of a single individual, the emperor. It opened with the Emperor Augustus. The Senate was limited to being a body supporting this political power.
High Empire is called the period from Augustus to Diocletian empire which takes place between Diocletian and the fall of the Roman Empire in the West.

The Roman Empire (27 BC-305 AD)

Roman Empire at its peak

Statue of Marcus Aurelius

Between 14 and 68 heirs of Augustus, are happening in power: Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero. This dynastic succession was interrupted by the civil war, in the year 68, was fought between the three emperors who ruled in that year. This first period of crisis in the Empire will be overcome by the Flavian.
A Flavian were succeeded the Antonine (96-193), generic name given to Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius and Commodus emperors, with a similar Flavian policy.
Septimius Severus to the Severan dynasty (197-235), in which he himself, Caracalla, Macrinus, Heliogabalus and Alexander Severus was opened.
The absolute power of Rome, capital of the Empire was weakened over time. Between 235 and 300 Roma's only priority was the defense of the borders of the Empire of the continuous attacks of the barbarians and those who came empire Sassanian Persia. The pressure of these people prompted the army assumed power from 235 currently known as military anarchy that lasted fifty years. These emperors soldiers had intended only to struggle against the enemies of the Empire.

The consequence of these wars was the rising cost of maintenance of the army and the high level of borrowing to maintain, leading to impoverishment and loss of identity and values. One aspect of the loss of identity was the religious crisis, the invasion of new Eastern religions.
The persecution of Christians by Diocletian, also called Great Persecution, was no more than an attempt to eliminate the dangers facing the empire.
In 284 a military revolt saved the Empire, proclaiming himself Emperor Diocletian. During his rule Tetrarquía system by which the empire was divided between two Augusti and two Caesars he was established.
Diocletian abdicated in 305 Tetrarchic demonstrating the ineffectiveness of the system weight without someone to lead it.

The empire (305-476)

Romano banner

Since the abdication of Diocletian in 305, a series of struggles that lasted until 312, when Constantine became sole emperor of the West and last emperor of the unified empire followed. He instituted Christianity as the official religion of the Empire.
At this stage the transfer of the capital of the Empire to the ancient city of Byzantium occurs, rebuilt and extended by decision of the emperor. Byzantium, from November 8, 324 (date of opening) was renamed Constantinople or city of Constantine.
Later Theodosius divided the empire between his two sons Arcadius and Honorius emerging the Western Roman Empire and Eastern Roman Empire.
In 476 the fall of the Roman Empire in the West occurs. The Eastern Roman Empire, later called Byzantine Empire survived until 1453. araku places to visit