The eagle was a symbol of ancient Rome. the letters SPQR stands for (Senatus Populus Romanus) or “The Senate and People of Rome.”
My next two books take place in the first century AD. I’m sure you know Rome ruled the world then. The Roman Empire is almost a character itself in these books, so I thought I’d share a little bit about it today. Here is the 5-minute recap of 2200 years.
Long before the Empire, there existed the Roman Kingdom, starting with the founding of the city in 753 BC. According to myth, twin brothers Romulus and Remus quarreled over which of the seven hills they should build the city upon, and Romulus killed his brother. The resulting city was named after him, and he was its first king.
The toga was between 1 and 20 feet long, and required to help of a slave to put on properly. THe emperor’s ‘toga picta’ was solid purple with gold decorations.
The kings of Rome were protected by twelve lictors wielding the fasces bearing axes, a sign of imperium, or power. They also had the right to sit upon a curule chair and wear the purple Toga Picta. These were symbols of Rome throughout the kingdom, republic, and empire until it fell.
The curule chair was traditionally made of or veneered with ivory, with curved legs forming a wide X. With no back and low arms, this chair was meant to be uncomfortable to sit on for long periods of time, to remind the ruler that he was to carry out his duties efficiently and quickly.
According to legend, Romulus established the Senate after he founded Rome by personally selecting the 300 most noble men (wealthy men with legitimate wives and children) to serve as his council. Under the kingdom, the Senate actually had very little power. Violent and domineering, the last king, Tarquinius, was deposed, and a new system of government was needed. The office of consul was created, and two consuls would rule for a term of one year, sharing power with the Senate. Brutus and Collatinus became Rome’s first consuls in 509 BC. In a crisis, where one-man rule would be beneficial, a dictator would be elected from among the consuls to serve for no more than six months. The Republic lasted another 500 years.
Around 59 BC, power was shared unofficially among three men: Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus. Crassus was killed in battle, leading to a civil war between Caesar and Pompey. Ceasar’s defeat of Pompey left him with all the power in his hands. The Senate feared he would become too powerful, and he was murdered in the Senate in 44 BC. Et tu, Brute?
The colosseum, iconic symbol of Rome, was started by Vespasian in 70 AD and took ten years to build. It gets its name from an almost 100-foot high statue of Nero, the Colossus.
A second triumvirate was formed among Octavius, Caesar’s adopted son; Mark Antony, his lieutenant; and Lepidus. Mark Antony and Octavius then fought—and won—the Battle of Philippi against Caesar’s assassins Brutus and Cassius. The Second Triumvirate of Octavius, Lepidus and Mark Antony was formed, but the brutally ambitious Octavius defeated Mark Antony in 31. He soon was granted the use of the names “Augustus”, indicating his primary status above all other Romans; “Princeps”, which he used to refer to himself as in public; and he adopted the title “Imperator Caesar” making him the first Roman Emperor.
Rome fell in 476 AD when a Germanic ruler became the first outsider to rule the city. The Empire lasted until the fifteenth century. Its capital by then had moved to Constantinople, which was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1453.
Sic transit gloria mundi –Thus passes the glory of the world.