As described in The Secret History, Justinian and Theodora are unfitting for Procopius' model of ideal Roman rulers. ... Despite all the criticism he receives in The Secret History, Justinian is universally thought of as a Roman emperor who had a positive effect on his empire. ... He gave the Roman world its first written code of laws described in the greatest detail. Justinian also spread Christianity beyond the Roman Empire, helping it reach the rest of the world and gain popularity. ... However, to most of his people, Justinian is just the change that the Roman Empire needed to prosp...

• Word Count: 955
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Hadrian was the first of all emperors to declare an end to the expansion of the empire, and he stopped the wars and invasions by giving up control of Armenia and Assyria, decreasing Rome's expansion of the empire. ... Hadrian quickly fixed the problem, which would later increase his popularity and keep his empire safe. ... On a second tour of the Empire, Hadrian constructed a 130-km long wall, four meters high and about three meters thick. ... Hadrian's profitable political tactics also led him to change Roman law. ... Like many of the Romans, Hadrian disliked the Jewish population a...

• Word Count: 1304
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

In a classical sense, historians have classified the downfall of the Roman republic as being during the period 133-14AD or from the Grachii to Octavian. from the dissident rumblings from the trubunician Tiberius to the outright proclamtion of Marius as consul for consecutive terms, it seems clear that the movement from republic to monarchy was in full swing. ... Tiberius and indeed Octavian allowed the senate virtually free reign in the running of the empire, or rather the senate chose of its own free will to take an active role in the govering of Rome whilst shunting Octavianus to one side. ...

• Word Count: 432
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate