Genius of the Roman Empire

I. Imperial Regime
    A. Augustan Reforms
        1. Military Reforms
        2. Administrative restructuring
        3. Social Renewal
            a. Virtues--restore pietas, gravitas, frugalitas
            b. Virgil--the new Homer; Aeneas was the new Achilles

B. New Augustan virtues on display

1. Statue of Augustus

    C. Durability of the Imperial System
1. Economic and military stability
a. Peace dividend
b. Image of prosperity: Flavian Ladies
          2. A focus on the good life

II. Secrets of the Good Life

A. Four elements of mastery of the material world

1. self-mastery--Roman virtues

2. mastery of government (republic of law)

a. advances in law

3. mastery of force (life and death)

4. mastery of nature and space

    B. The Colosseum exemplary of all four elements
1. gladiators represent Roman virtues
2. shows are entertainment and good government (example of Caesar)
3. power of life and death (gladiators and spectators)
4. Colosseum itself is a triumph engineering

III. Roman conquest of nature and space
    A. engineering
1. roads, aqueducts and stadiums 

B. architecture
1. creation of interior space
a. Pantheon
b. Baths of Diocletian

IV. Good life contributes to decline?
    A. Holidays and more holidays 

    B. Conquest, slavery and the decline of the economy 

    C. Barbarians and the good life
        a. Tacitus ponders the simple freedoms of barbarians
        b. Barbarians ponder the settled life of Rome