So how about it? Constantine? Caligula? Trajan?
Explain why ; )
FYI, I asked for your 'favorite' not the 'best'.
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I'm annoyed quite often.
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About Me
- Cruz
- Miami, FL, United States
- I'm Cruz, I like dark and cloudy walks on the beach and I think too much for my own good.
30 comments:
It's a toss up for me, Claudius + Marcus Aurelius.
Claudius was arguably the best administrator of the lot. He made the Aqueduct system work, made the harbor at Ostia into a real working port; he revised the Roman legal system to try to establish the rule of law.
AH but then again there's Marcus Aurelius. A humanist, philosopher, warrior, and a firm believer in democracy. He could kick your ass AND drop some wisdom on you. Too bad he couldn't beat the elite by himself (he was the JFK of ancient Rome =P). Also, Aurelius pretty much invented secular humanism.
I posted the topic, I have to pick one. So today I choose...Marcus Aurelius.
lol..I sat here just looking at this post forever && a day. I swear, I wasnt sure if this was subterfuge or ancient history, but anyway, I have 2 say I'm going with Constantine. && even though most might expect me to say something stupid like, "because I liked the movie with keanu", its really because Im Christian, && if Im correct, he was the first Christian Roman Emperor, && he did for Christians what MLK did for the slaves, am I right? :]]
-jess =)
Yeppers, he elevated Christianity, his greatest achievement. Also, it could be said that it is he who destroyed the Greek and Roman religions (& countless others).
Lol..
I'm going to do my research first on this one, I'd hate to sound like an idiot, no elbows pointed.. ;)
But beforehand, may I ask, is it limited to our choice out of the three?
♥ crazy,
sasha m!chelle™
Of course not, do your research woman. Vespasian, Augustus, Hadrian, etc.
Whos the best Roman Emperor? Augustus. But your question isnt asking that, so I have to say my favorite is Marcus Aurelius, he was probaly the last of Rome's great emperors.
In your response, I think Claudius was a biased ruler. He revised the Roman legal system alright...to HIS liking.
Claudius is nowadays perhaps the most famous of the Julio-Claudian Emperors. In Graves' stories he comes off as a somewhat foolish but kind old man, going through life the best way he can in a bad situation, and then ironically doing better than anyone else at the job. But of course, some people will disagree, because in historical writing Claudius is more often portrayed as the best of a bad bunch: scholarly and sometimes just, yet vindictive, often cruel and most definitely corrupted by power.
As far as I'm concerned, his "corruption" didn't affect his empire, but then again, this isn't my forte.
Excuse me, but how could his corruption NOT affect his Empire? As a ruler he was manipulative, vindictive, biased, and he used brute mentality. Explain that.
I don't mean to be rude, but my favorite will remain my favorite. I never said I was a History major or anything, this is from what I've read/learned, if you believe otherwise, that's fine.
But as the author of this post has said, Claudius' reform of the judicial and social systems in Rome was awesome, none before or after him were able to do that, correct me if I'm wrong....
People like to focus on him as a scholar, bu he was only a scholar by temperment and lack of anything else to do. That's like saying the son of a Mafia wanted to join the family tradition out of sheer joy and love for the profession of crime. He was a drooling idiot most of the time; which is why his wife killed him. Case closed.
I'm going to plead a little pity on this one by saying that this isn't my forte either, but I'm going with Trajan, but like Cruz (author) said, I'm saying he's my favorite, not the best, even though he was the second of the five good rulers.
If you feel Claudius or Marcus Aurelius outrule him, fine. No argument there, but like I said Trajan it is for me.
I'm not going for the tyrants because unlike the rest, Trajan's reputation has survived undiminished. There really isn't any controversy there.
He expanded the Roman Empire to it's maximum extent, and he did it without corruption, which leads to me saying, yes Claudius was tough and inteliigent, but I agree that he was corrupt.
(Just my opinion people ;)
♥
sasha m!chelle™
See? that's all i was saying. I shared my opinion, and I neither agreed or disagreed with the fact that he's known to have taken the power to his head. Fair enough.
Even though I have to say that Trajan is a good pick, he did a lot for people what I wish OUR government today would do. He was a patron of the Arts, led civic rebuilding programs, was an excellent military leader, he expanded food support programs for poor and educational support schemes for children and he
reduced taxes. Seems to me that he was really FOR the people, but then again, what is civilization without regulation?
That's where Claudius steps in.
He was a bad-ass with a brain. He did for the law what Trajan upheld. Without his great administration, so may other advantages given to the Romans wouldn't have transpired the way they did.
I could go on...?
That's fine.
I think it really depends on what our perspective is. If we feel that power overrules their other achievements then maybe we'd go for the tyrants or war heroes.
I agree with it being an interesting time, imagine analyzing our Presidents as far as them expanding our country, improving our Laws, and being great military leaders, etc. It just doesn't cut it with the cinematics, huh?
I made my choice. I guess we'll leave it up to Cruz to make us look like we had a deficient education as far as Roman History goes ;)
♥
sasha m!chelle™
May I change the subject for a sec and ask why we're focusing on the *Emperors* and not the little people they literally stepped on?
Claudius didn't amninistrate himself, why are we always focusing on the people in the spotlight and not those hlding up the cue cards?
Maybe Im just on a detailed rage, but come on, do u think G.Bush writes his own speeches? NO.
But hey, its ur post, but maybe u should try and get a little more specific, how about it? ;)
<3 Marcus Aurelius
Thanks for the feedback, everyone.
First and foremost, "Who's your favorite Roman Emperor?" That was the question, MY question. I could've asked a thousand and one questions regarding ancient Rome but the fact of the matter is ...I just wanted some feedback on Roman Emperor's. I didn't ask anyone to question other's opinions and I didn't ask anyone to question why I choose this topic.
I never said the emperor's put in work all by their loney. All I wanted was your favorite Emperor and an explanation backing up your choice. Is that so hard?
One_love: The best in terms of what? For instance, If you mean "best" by the extent of his influence on the modern world, I would say it's a toss up between Constantine, who made Christianity legal to practice (although it was Theodosius I who established it as the religion of the state), and Aurelius, who as I mentioned earlier pretty much invented secular humanism.
Claudius, the guy had a disability, and was barred by his family. Going from that to ending up at the top and improving the running of the empire...not bad for a dim witted, midly retarded emperor ; )I like going with the underdog--that is why I mentioned Claudius.
Beek: - Trajan is a nice pick, he expanded the empire. Although he did not really do much to solidify his gains before his death. His neighbors were mobilizing against him and plotting their takeover. Then again, you can't knock Trajan for the man's successor not living up to his splendor.
Adriana: - "but then again, what is civilization without regulation?
That's where Claudius steps in.
He was a bad-ass with a brain. He did for the law what Trajan upheld. Without his great administration, so may other advantages given to the Romans wouldn't have transpired the way they did." --Well put, kudos. Please, do go on ; )
wow, looks like a massacre, when yea, all u wanted were opinions, so hey, here's mine: Retarded yet brainy bad-ass Claudius is my fave.
Go with the underdog who came out on top.
In whole, he did his thing. And guess what? That was upheld long after his reign, unlike Trajan.
-how you like 'em grapes? ;)
-*Crys*
*whoa* now, contrary to what the critics say, I dont have a problem with your post(s), yeah, I got off topic, excuse me, but it wasnt half-bad. I just caught up on ur older posts and wanted to generalize the fact that u dont elaborate much.
please excuse
- A rightful fan of Constantine.
Okay? ;)
Alrighty, I'll try to be a little more crystal clear with my future posts.
No, I think the problem more or less is that people were bickering over others opinions, when in truth, we all ahve the right to our own. He asked about your "favorite", not who you thought was the best and why.
Just because my fave color is yellow doesnt mean you have to beat me up because yours is green kind thing.
My fave is Claudius, yours is Constantine.
-simple ;D
Caligula- crazy Castro of the Roman Empire. Perverted, outspoken n mysterious.
I guess I can relate 2 him better, lol.
Yea Caligula use to go down to the arena and fight as a gladiator, fairly unusual hobby for an emperor eh?
Nero-
He was 16 when he took over, he was called a madman, and it's almost fictional how his mother killed his "father" to get him on the throne, just to be slept with and killed in return by him.
He poisoned his brother at dinner one evening. He alienated the entire senate with his Greek artisitic tastes and his disgust of them. He was blamed for the big fire that wiped out most of the area around the forum. He blamed it on the Christians, though, and used them as human torches to light up his parties.
He was the last of the Julio-Claudians to be Emperor. Not that anyone really was surprised... They didn't have such a good track record.
You have to love the drama ;)
~Nessa~
My disclaim~
I never said he was the best..lol
That title could probably go to Claudius, as I see he's faved here ;)
Killing your mom and then dressing up & portraying characters that killed their mothers in plays lol priceless.
Despite what historians say, I think this guy had a hidden genius.
Because of him we can burn CD'S & DVD'S =P
Nice choice, Nessa!
Why isn't Julius Caesar considered a Roman Emperor?
Thanks!
I go for the more cinematic people in life, because life is a stage. ;)
But if Nero had a hidden genius, its no wonder he hid it well..lol
I like the way you think!
~Nessa~
Technically, Caesar was the first emperor he just never held the title.
I think a safe bet would be Trajan, but as far as favorite I'm going to go with not being able to decide between Claudius and Nero. Both maniacs, but I don't know much else. I think Trajan was more for the people. And if you cant already tell, I'm big on that =)
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