Top 10 Most Influential People
IN ROMAN HISTORY
10. Nero
- Claudius's stepson
- Became emperor in AD 54
- Cruel and probably insane
- In order to pay for horse racing and music, he was willing to bankrupt Rome.
- Executed his wife, mother and senators, paranoid that they were plotting against him.
- Committed suicide
- He influenced Rome by being the last Julio-Claudian Emperor, that resulted in the following 28 years of good emperors. He was also a loss to the arts.
9. Constantine
- Roman general in AD 312
- (According to legend) He saw a flaming cross and made his soldiers put it on their shields that led them to victory. He credited this win to the Christian God.
- Became emperor in AD 312, thus becoming a protector of Christianity.
- He influenced Rome religiously. Issuing the Edict of Milan, all religious groups were allowed to worship as they pleased.
- Ordered churches to be built in Jerusalem and Rome
- He influenced the spread of Christianity throughout the entire Roman world.
8. Paul
- Convert who helped Christianity spread, significantly among non-Jews
- Paul wrote the Gospels and the writings of other early Christian leaders. The Gospels contain letters written to various churches.
- Traveled to many places, and wrote for the new religion.
7. Octavian
- Grandnephew of Julius Caesar
- He joined forces with Marc Antony and Marcus Lepidus as a triumvirate.
- Ruled in Italy and the west.
- Octavian forced Lepidus to retire from political life.
- He then persuaded the Romans that Antony had planned to rule with Cleopatra, his foreign wife, at his side. This caused Octavian to to declare war against him.
- Antony and his wife committed suicide to
escape the capture of Octavian.
- Becomes the ruler of Rome
- His rule marks the beginning of the Roman Empire.
6. Attila
- Chief of the Huns
- Raided the eastern empire with his men and then moved north into Gaul
- Attila turned towards Italy and plundered the larger cities after his plans were foiled in the provinces.
- Died in AD 453
retreat to eastern Europe
- With the Huns being gone, this gave the opportunity for others to invade.
5. Odoacer
- German soldier
- In AD 476, Odoacer seized control of Rome and overthrew Romulus Augustulus.
- Named himself king of Italy
- His days as king in AD 467 today signifies the year the Roman Empire "fell. Yet, its end is not due to this.
4. Theodosius I
- Emperor
- Made the official religion of the Roman Empire Christianity in AD 392.
- Banned old Roman and Hellenistic religions
- Willed that upon his death the empire be split into eastern and western parts.
3. Julius Caesar
- During 100 BC, Julius Caesar was born in Rome to an aristocratic family.
- He is one of Rome's greatest generals and political leaders.
- Ruled with Pompey and Crassus as a triumvirate
- Julius Caesar "crossed the Rubicon" which led him to taking over the government as dictator for life.
- The Romans had two views of Julius Caesar:
Rome
- A tyrant who wanted to make himself king.
- He was stabbed to death on March 15, 44 BC by a group of Senators led by Brutus and Cassius because according to Roman law, anyone was allowed to be killed without trial if they plotted to become king.
- Some of his reforms included a new calendar, giving jobs to the unemployed, providing land in the colonies to the poor, giving citizenship to people in the provinces, and adding representatives from the provinces to the Senate. His reforms for the government affected Rome greatly.
2. Romulus
(According to Legend)
- Raised by a wolf with his twin brother Remus
- While building the wall of a city on a hill, his brother came over from the opposite side of the hill where he was also laying a foundation for his city. Remus jumped over the half-built wall, causing Romulus to attack his brother and kill him. He looked at his brother as a threat and competition.
- After Remus's death, Romulus continued to build his city and also added his brother's land to his. This city became known as Rome.
- By being such an effective military leader, Rome became the greatest city in that part of the peninsula.
1. Jesus
- A Jew who grew up in the town of Nazareth
- From AD 30-AD 33, Jesus traveled through Judea and Galilee. During this time, he preached a new message to other Jews and his followers.
- Urged people to turn from their sin and practice deeds of kindness
- Jesus sometimes used parables in his teachings.
- Believed by his disciples that he was the messiah
- Roman officials in Palestine saw Jesus as a threat. They then took charge and arrested Jesus as a political rebel. He was ordered to be crucified.
- After his death, his disciples claimed that he had risen from the dead.
- Jesus influenced the Christian religion. His teachings and messages spread throughout the world.