Pax Romana, meaning Roman peace , was a period in Roman history when the Roman Empire was relatively safe from external military threats and internal social disorder. It lasted from about 30 B.C. to A.D. 180. The term Pax Augusta (Augustan Peace) is sometimes used instead, because the period began with the reign of Augustus , the first Roman emperor .
In 31 B.C., Augustus, then called Octavian, defeated Mark Antony at the Battle of Actium . His victory ended over a century of social disorder, civil war, and other trouble within the Roman Republic (509-27 B.C.). In 29 B.C., Octavian closed the gates of the temple of Janus to indicate that a new peace existed throughout the Roman world. It was Roman custom to open the doors in wartime and close them in times of peace. However, there were ongoing conflicts in Spain and the Alps. The temple gates were closed again in 25 B.C., and probably in 13 B.C. to coincide with the Senate’s approval of the Ara Pacis (Altar of Peace). The Ara Pacis was a monument built to symbolize the new era of peace ushered in by Augustus. Associated with the Pax Romana was the idea of a new Golden Age that recalled a mythical era of peace and prosperity.
As emperor, Augustus reduced the number of Roman legions (divisions of the army). He also established clearer guidelines for governing the territories ruled by Rome. According to some sources, Augustus gave his successor, Tiberius , strict instructions not to expand the empire beyond its existing borders. It is possible that in this way, he hoped to keep the peace he had secured.
Later emperors did not always follow policies against expansion. Claudius invaded Britain in A.D. 43 and captured Mauretania in 44. Trajan conquered Dacia and established new provinces in Armenia and Mesopotamia . During the Pax Romana, there were also frequent revolts in various parts of the empire, including Gaul , Egypt , and Judea. A low point occurred in 69, sometimes called the Year of the Four Emperors, when a civil war took place between a number of army generals fighting to become emperor.
Despite such conflicts, the Pax Romana contrasted with the turbulent final years of the republic and with the A.D. 200’s, which were characterized by power struggles. During the Pax Romana, the arts, literature, and architecture flourished, as did Rome’s economy. At the height of the Pax Romana, the Roman Empire covered about 2 million square miles (5 million square kilometers) and included more than 50 million people.
See also Augustus ; Rome, Ancient (Imperial Rome) .
