Emperors of Rome | Reflections on the Emperors of Rome (Lecture 36)

Lecture 36: In this final lecture, we look back over the course and ask: What makes the emperors of Rome so compelling a subject? We start by surveying the ancient sources’ portrayal of the emperors and examining critically the traditional categorizations of “good” and “bad” emperors. We subject those traits to analysis and discover them to be largely a matter of spin: The same behaviors can be found in accounts of both good and bad emperors, and only prejudicial presentation separates the two. We therefore embark on our own diagnoses of what made bad emperors bad and, in so doing, uncover some fundamental truths about power, legitimacy, and empire in Rome.

Essential Reading:
Baldwin, The Roman Emperors.
Millar, The Emperor in the Roman World.

Supplementary Reading:
Drake, Problematics of Military Power.
Roller, Constructing Autocracy.