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→List of Roman Emperors: Added dynasty of Constantine + fall
* [[Trajan]] ''(98-117)''
* [[Trajan]] ''(98-117)''
* [[Hadrian]] ''(117-138)''
* [[Hadrian]] ''(117-138)''
* [[Antonius Pius]] ''(138-161)''
* [[Antoninus Pius]] ''(138-161)''
* [[Marcus Aurelius]] ''(161-180)''
* [[Marcus Aurelius]] ''(161-180)''
** His co-emperor, [[Lucius Verus]], reigned with him from 161-166.
** His co-emperor, [[Lucius Verus]], reigned with him from 161-166.
<ref>http://www.roman-emperors.org/impindex.htm</ref>
<ref>http://www.roman-emperors.org/impindex.htm</ref>
Marcus Aurelius ended the period of the "Five Good Emperors" by permitting his incompetent son Commodus to succeed him. There followed anarchy, called the [[Crisis of the Third Century]]. The Praetorian Guard publicly auctioned the throne; the winner, [[Didius Julianus]], reigned for under a year before [[Septimus Severus]] deposed and executed him. However, he could not prevent the empire from sliding into chaos.
Marcus Aurelius ended the period of the "[[Five Good Emperors]]" by permitting his incompetent son Commodus to succeed him. There followed anarchy, called the [[Crisis of the Third Century]]. The Praetorian Guard publicly auctioned the throne; the winner, [[Didius Julianus]], reigned for under a year before [[Septimus Severus]] deposed and executed him. However, he could not prevent the empire from sliding into chaos.
* [[Septimus Severus]] ruled from 193 to 211
* [[Septimus Severus]] ruled from 193 to 211
* [[Carus]] ruled from 281 to 283
* [[Carus]] ruled from 281 to 283
* Co-emperors and fighting 283 to 285
* Co-emperors and fighting 283 to 285
* [[Diocletian]] ruled from 285 to 305 Changed the Empire to be run by 2 Augustus and 2 Caesars, 4 men
* [[Diocletian]] ruled from 285 to 305
* [[Constantine]] ruled 311 to 337
* [[Constantius]] ruled 337 to 361
Diocletian reformed the imperial system to have two emperors ("Augusti"), each with a junior ("Caesar"). One pair would rule in the east; another in the west. In theory, the Caesar would peacefully succeed his Augustus. However, this proved insufficient to stem the chaos, which soon resumed after his abdication.
* [[Julian]] ruled 361 to 363
* [[Jovian]] ruled 363 to 364
* [[Constantine]] the Great ''(311-337)''. He was the first man to rule the entire empire, and the first emperor to publicly adopt [[Christianity]]. He moved the Imperial capital from [[Rome]] to [[Constantinople]].
...
* Constantine left the empire to his three sons, [[Constantine II]] ''(337-340)'', [[Constans I]] ''(337-350)'', and [[Constantinus II]] ''(337-361)''. However, they fought among themselves, and the army soon rebelled. Emperors after them include:
* [[Magentius]], [[Nepotian]], [[Vetranio]], and [[Silvanus]], who rebelled with some success against Constantine's sons.
* [[Julian]] the Apostate ''(361-363)'', Constantine the Great's nephew.
* [[Jovian]] ''(363-364)''
The Empire was now more or less permanently divided into Eastern and Western sections. The Western section ended with the deposition of the child [[Romulus Augustulus]] (a puppet of his father [[Orestes]]) by his general, the Germanic chieftain [[Odoacer]], in 476. However, the Eastern Roman Empire continued as the [[Byzantine Empire]] until [[Constantine XI]] died in 1453, in the [[fall of Constantinople]] to the Ottoman Turks.
==Roman Engineering==
==Roman Engineering==
The Roman Empire is known for its construction of roads that stretched throughout the Empire. These roads nurtured trade through the Empire and connected with other trade routes as far as the [[Silk Road]] to [[China]]. In addition to trade, the highways allowed for fast overland movement of military forces to areas that needed defense or suppression. The Roman style of road construction was revolutionary at its time, and has for the most part yet to be improved upon. Crowns allowed runoff of rainwater into gutters and sub-packing of peastone and gravel allowed for absorption of frost heaves where necessary. While not all Roman roads were built this way, this was nevertheless a milestone in road construction. Surveying methods of the time forced the Romans to build these roads arrow straight. During the reign of [[Diocletian]] 372 main roads were recorded, totaling 53,000 miles<ref>Leslie and Roy Adkins, ''Life in Ancient Rome'' ISBN 0-19-512332-8</ref>. Many of the routes the roads followed are still in use today.
The Roman Empire is known for its construction of roads that stretched throughout the Empire. These roads nurtured trade through the Empire and connected with other trade routes as far as the [[Silk Road]] to [[China]]. In addition to trade, the highways allowed for fast overland movement of military forces to areas that needed defense or suppression. The Roman style of road construction was revolutionary at its time, and has for the most part yet to be improved upon. Crowns allowed runoff of rainwater into gutters and sub-packing of peastone and gravel allowed for absorption of frost heaves where necessary. While not all Roman roads were built this way, this was nevertheless a milestone in road construction. Surveying methods of the time forced the Romans to build these roads arrow straight. During the reign of [[Diocletian]] 372 main roads were recorded, totaling 53,000 miles<ref>Leslie and Roy Adkins, ''Life in Ancient Rome'' ISBN 0-19-512332-8</ref>. Many of the routes the roads followed are still in use today.