The Roman imperial succession

Resource Information

The work The Roman imperial succession represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in Swedenborg Library, Bryn Athyn College. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Language Material, Books.

Label

The Roman imperial succession

Statement of responsibility

John D Grainger

Creator

• Grainger, John D., 1939-

Author

• Grainger, John D., 1939-

Subject

• Emperors -- Succession
• History
• 30 B.C.-284 A.D
• Rome -- History -- Empire, 30 B.C.-284 A.D
• Rome (Empire)
• Emperors -- Rome -- Succession

Genre

• History

Language

eng

Summary

John D Grainger analyses the Roman imperial succession, demonstrating that the empire organized by Augustus was fundamentally flawed in the method it used to find emperors. Augustus' system was a mixture of heredity, senatorial and military influences, and these were generally antagonistic. Consequently the Empire went through a series of crises, in which the succession to a previous, usually dead emperor was the main issue. The infamous 'Year of the Four Emperors', AD 69, in only the most famous of these crises, which often involved bouts of bloody and destructive civil war, assassinations and purges. These were followed by a period, usually relatively short, in which the victory in the 'crisis' established a new system, juggling the three basic elements identified by Augustus, but which was as fragile and short lived as its predecessor; these 'consequences' of each crisis are discussed. The lucid and erudite text is supported by numerous genealogical tables and dozens of depictions of emperors. -Dust jacket

Cataloging source

YDX

Illustrations

• illustrations
• music

Index

no index present

LC call number

DG278.3

LC item number

.G73 2020

Literary form

non fiction

Nature of contents

bibliography