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Antonine Culture

Antonine Economy and Society

Encouraged peasant farming Slaves to coloni Diversification of agriculture aided by commerce Increase of industry and trade Arabia, China, India, Malacca Urbanization Empire a federation of city-states Alimentary institutions Originally private philanthropy, later cities and imperial government join in Interest on mortgages provide social safety net

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Antonine Culture
Greco-Roman culture Spread of both Latin and Greek literature and culture Silver Age Latin Starts with Nero and Flavians: Lucan, Statius, Martial, Quintillian, Tacitus, Suetonius Highly rhetorical, sometimes form over substance Second Sophistic Greek revival: Plutarch, Lucian, Arrian Philosophy Stoicism: Epictetus, M. Aurelius, favored by aristocrats; note also stoic opposition Cynicism: embraced largely by middle class Religion (deferred to discussion of Christianity and Eastern Religions)

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33-Antonine Culture; Commodus and the End of an Era

Commodus and the Severans

Crisis and Temporary Recovery, A.D. 180-235

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Sources
Dio Exists only in fragments and epitomes for this period Historia Augusta SHA biographies for this period are more romantic fiction than history Herodian, early third century A.D. Greek author of History of the Empire after Marcus, which covered the period from M. Aurelius to Gordian III (A.D. 180 238) Minor works Aurelius Victor, Caesares; anonymous Epitome de Caesaribus; Eutropius Numismatics

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33-Antonine Culture; Commodus and the End of an Era

Commodus, A.D. 180-192

L. Aurelius Commodus Marcus Aurelius broke the pattern of adoptions by allowing his own son to succeed But he had a son! Earlier good emperors had not had a choice Started reign by negotiating peace with Quadi and Marcomanni Image Negative sources portray this as the act of a funloving playboy Typical of a young, brash ruler Hercules Romanus Fun-loving excesses took a megalomaniacal turn Wrestling in a lions skin . . . A return, or an exceeding, of Neronian excesses?
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A Bevy of Conspiracies
Group of senators conspire with Commodus sister Lucilla Plot failed (A.D. 182) Only made Commodus more fearful and ruthless Perennis Praetorian prefect, initiated Commodus reign of terror Appointed equestrians over legions, son over Illyrian army Eventually executed for conspiracy himself (A.D. 185) Cleander Freedman and former cubicularius (chamberlain) becomes praetorian prefect Noted for financial corruption Sacrificed to plebs during grain shortage (A.D. 190) What comes first, conspiracies or the tyrant?
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Descent into Civil War

Commodus murdered in A.D. 192 Marcia (mistress), Aemilius Laetus (praetorian prefect), and Eclectus (chamberlain) plot to have him strangled in bath Doublet of Domitians end Helvidius Pertinax, A.D. 193 Senatorial choice Fails to pay praetorians enough, tries to discipline them Laetus leads praetorians against Pertinax Didius Iulianus, A.D. 193 Praetorians auction the empire, Iulianus outbids Sulpicianus, prefect of the city Plebs stone Iulianus, rally in the circus, call upon Pescennius Niger, governor of Syria to take the throne Syrian legions proclaim Niger, Britain Clodius Albinus, and Danube legions Septimius Severus
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A Threefold Conflict
Septimius, on the Danube, was the first to make it at Rome Iulianus tried to resist, was murdered by a praetorian Avenges Pertinax, adds Pertinax to his name War Against Pescennius Niger, A.D. 193-194 Praetorians cashiered, new guard subsequently drawn from all the legions Temporarily bought off Albinus, acknowledging him as Caesar and successor Defeated Niger in a series of eastward movements: Byzantium (long siege), Issus, Antioch Cities loyal to Niger punished, Syria divided First Parthian War, A.D. 194-195 Defeat of Clodius Albinus at Lugdunum, A.D. 197 Britain divided into two provinces
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