Are Emperors Always Bad? The Five Good Emperors Quiz

Answer: Niccolò Machiavelli

Machiavelli was the first to refer to Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius collectively as "the Five Good Emperors" in "The Discourses on Livy." Some might consider this ironic considering Machiavelli's reputation for advocating ruthlessness rather than virtue for rulers in "The Prince." Nevertheless, he praised them for their ability to maintain the good will of the people they ruled through their wise governance. Machiavelli argued that those who succeeded to the throne by birth were all bad, while the Five Good Emperors were good because they were chosen on their merits rather than family connections.

Answer: Nerva-Antonine

This dynasty consisted of seven emperors, although only five of them qualified as the "Good" emperors. The other two members were Lucius Verus, who co-reigned for part of Marcus Aurelius' reign and was probably not that bad, and Commodus, who was the last of the dynasty and was actually pretty terrible.

The period of the Nerva-Antonine dynasty was noted as a time of particular peace and prosperity for ancient Rome, but after Commodus was assassinated, Rome descended into a period of prolonged instability and internal conflict.

Answer: The first emperor to be chosen by the senate

Previous emperors had usually come to the throne through their family connections or by seizing power forcefully. Following the assassination of his predecessor Domitian, the senate appointed Nerva, who was a well-respected politician. Although his reign was fairly brief, ancient historians considered him to be a wise and moderate emperor.

Answer: He returned land that previous Emperors had stolen from their political enemies

Trajan, who succeeded Nerva, was so well-respected that every emperor after him began their reign with the senate wishing that he be "luckier than Augustus and better than Trajan." He did implement a welfare campaign for orphans and poor children but it was only available to those living within the confines of Italy, not elsewhere in the empire.

He actually expanded the empire through a series of military campaigns.

Answer: A defendant is innocent until proven guilty

Antoninus Pius introduced many legal reforms, such as improving the rights of slaves and restricting (although not abolishing) the use of torture in legal proceedings.

Answer: Wall

Hadrian's Wall was built in the north of what is now England to defend the area against incursions from the Picts, people native to what is now Scotland. Contrary to a widespread misconception though, the wall does not mark the boundary between England and Scotland, which is further north.

The wall was 117 kilometres long and built by Roman soldiers, who patrolled and guarded it for nearly 250 years. He also constructed similar walls along the Danube river to the north of Italy as part of a plan to keep the empire safe from external threats.

Answer: Trajan

Dacia was a neighboring kingdom in the area of what is now Romania. Dacia had attacked a Roman province during the reign of Domitian, which led to a war with an unsatisfying outcome for Rome. Trajan decided to resolve the Dacian issue more permanently and led two offensive campaigns that resulted in the destruction of the kingdom and Dacia becoming a Roman province.

Answer: Stoicism

Stoicism was a Greek philosophical school that advocated accepting the present moment, remaining calm in the face of misfortune, and emphasised that "virtue is the only good" for human beings. Marcus Aurelius wrote a collection of "Meditations" on his philosophy that is highly regarded for its wisdom to this day.

Answer: Gladiator

The Ridley Scott film "Gladiator" presents Commodus in a most unflattering light, which is not entirely undeserved, but the scene in which he murders his father in a fit of anger and usurps his throne is completely fictional. Marcus Aurelius is known to have died of natural causes during the Antonine Plague.

However, it is true that Commodus was fond of participating in gladiatorial games that he always won, which earned him the scorn and contempt of the Roman people. Commodus was the only member of his dynasty to have succeeded by birthright, rather than having been chosen on his merits, which may have represented a lapse in judgment on the part of Marcus Aurelius. On the other hand, some historians have argued that had he rejected his son's claim and chosen another, this might have led to civil war over the succession.

Answer: Antoninus Pius

He reigned from 138 to 161, and at his death was the longest reigning emperor since Augustus. His record as second-longest reigning emperor was not beaten until the reign of Constantine the Great in the fourth century. When he died, he was succeeded by his adopted sons Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, who ruled for a time as co-emperors, and who had Antoninus deified with the agreement of the senate.