Anthropology Archive

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At the end of the century of civil strife (133 BC - 30 BC), Rome was finally united under one ruler. Thereafter ensued what became known as the Pax Romana, the Peace of Rome, which lasted for well on 200 years, from 30 BC to 235 AD.

This time was also to mark the racial undoing of the Empire, caused by the long term effects of the inclusion of foreign lands and peoples under the aegis of the Roman Empire, and significantly by the bypassing of a law set down by the first Romans prohibiting mixed marriages outside of the Roman circle of citizenship.

Upon Octavian's' victorious return to Rome in 29 BC, the senate conferred upon him the title of honorable (Augustus) or August, a name by which he became known thereafter. Octavian Augustus held no official government position in Rome after 23 BC, but still was almost absolute ruler of Rome until his death in 14 AD, through the Roman army, of which he remained supreme leader, or imperator (from which the word emperor came).

The Pax Romana is also known as the principate - as political power was divided between the senate and the "principes", the leading person of society (the "first amongst equals", as Octavian described his own position.)

The Pax Romana - the extent of the Roman Empire at the time of Octavian Augustus, 14 AD.

During his long reign (41 years in all), Octavian Augustus established a stable and efficient public service, an equitable taxation policy and consolidated the Roman Empire's borders.

Under his command the borders of the Empire moved up the Danube River and into Germany as far as the Rhine - but he suffered a dramatic reverse when the Germans inflicted a massive defeat upon the Roman armies in 9 AD at the Battle of Detmold.

In the Near East, Sulla's army had campaigned against the (by now racially mixed) Parthian empire as early as 92 BC, but it was only the emperor Trajan who managed to finally subdue the Parthians -although he quickly handed their lands back to them in what was claimed to be an act of conciliation.