History of The Roman Empire

Julio-Claudian dynasty
Augustus, leaving no sons, was succeeded by his stepson Tiberius, the son of his wife Livia from her first marriage. Augustus was a scion of the gens Julia (the Julian family), one of the most ancient patrician clans of Rome, while Tiberius was a scion of the gens Claudia, only slightly less ancient than the Julians. Their three immediate successors were all descended both from the gens Claudia, through Tiberius' brother Nero Claudius Drusus, and from gens Julia, either through Julia Caesaris, Augustus' daughter from his first marriage (Caligula and Nero), or through Augustus' sister Octavia (Claudius). Historians thus refer to their dynasty as "Julio-Claudian".

The Adoptive Emperors
The next century came to be known as the period of the "Five Good Emperors", in which the succession was peaceful though not dynastic and the Empire was prosperous. The emperors of the period were Nerva (96–98), Trajan (98–117), Hadrian (117–138), Antoninus Pius (138–161) and Marcus Aurelius (161–180), each being adopted by his predecessor as his successor during the latter's lifetime. While their respective choices of successor were based upon the merits of the individual men they selected, many argue the real reason for the lasting success of the adoptive scheme of succession lay more with the fact that none of them had a natural heir.

Christian Empire
The beginning of the Roman Empire as a Christian empire lies in 313, with the Edict of Milan. The edict was signed under the reigns of Constantine I and Licinius. The edict established tolerance for Christianity throughout the Empire, but did not yet make it the official state religion. After the Edict was proclaimed, however, the Christian Church rapidly became extremely influential amongst the ruling classes of the Empire, and the Bishops were established in positions of power and influence.

Notable Archaeologists

Andrea Carandini
Andrea Carandini (b. 1937) is an archaeologist specializing in ancient Rome. Among his many excavations is the villa of Settefinestre. The son of Niccolo Carandini, he was born in Rome in 1936 and teaches Archaeology at the University of Rome La Sapienza. His research now focuses on the topography of Rome, Etruria in the Roman period and the analysis of monumental complexes in various cities in Italy (Volterra, Grumentum, Pompeii, and Veii).

Frank Edward Brown
Andrea Carandini (b. 1937) is an archaeologist specializing in ancient Rome. Among his many excavations is the villa of Settefinestre. The son of Niccolo Carandini, he was born in Rome in 1936 and teaches Archaeology at the University of Rome La Sapienza. His research now focuses on the topography of Rome, Etruria in the Roman period and the analysis of monumental complexes in various cities in Italy (Volterra, Grumentum, Pompeii, and Veii).