The rise of the Roman empire

The Pax Romana was a period of peace during Rome's history. It lasted from the reign of Augustus all the way to Marcus Aurelius, ending when Emporer Commodus ascended the throne. It was a time for stability and peace; bastioned by Augustus, he hoped to gain a sense of law, order and security, by any means necessary. While many were annoyed with Augustus and his tendencies as ruler, they were grateful for the stability and the peace which Pax Romana had brought them. After Augustus' death, the Pax continued, however, the more incompetent leaders that followed him, coupled with plague and countless invasions, eventually broke down the Pax Romana to a shadow of its former glory.