THE ROMAN EMPIRE AD33-163

Casca served in the legions during the Empire's infancy. His first emperor was Tiberius who reigned from 14AD to 37AD, a former military leader who had served in Germania. Under Tiberius the Romans campaigned in Germania but this campaign (14-16AD) was abandoned owing to high costs. A year later the Empire was extended in the east with the establishment of the provinces of Cappadocia and Commagene.

Casca must have joined the legions as a young man shortly afterwards and served on the Rhine frontier. At this time the Praetorian Praefect Sejanus made an impact, his unjust accusations leading to trials, executions and suicides. Tiberius retired to the island of Capri in bitterness where he remained until his death in 37AD. Sejanus had fallen from power in 31AD when he was executed but the reign of terror continued.

Tiberius was succeeded by his nephew Caligula. By this time Casca was serving in the copper mines of Achaea and missed all the excitement of Caligula's reign (37-41AD). The young emperor believed himself to be a divine mixture of Alexander, Caesar and God. Although the trials were abolished things went from bad to worse and militarily there were pompous campaigns in Germania and Britannia that achieved nothing. Eventually the Praetorian Praefect Cassius Chaerea tired of the endless orgies and lewd parties and killed Caligula.

Claudius followed his nephew's demise, and restored the administrative order of Augustus, and to restore morale in the Empire decided to conquer Britannia. The invasion of that island in 43AD led to protracted campaigns that went on long after his death in 54AD. By that time he had established the province of Thrace.

Claudius' murder by his wife Agrippina allowed her son Nero to ascend the throne. It was during his reign that Casca came to Rome and trained to be a gladiator. At first Nero was guided by his mother, the philosopher Seneca and Burrus, the Praetorian Praefect. It was in this happy time that the Empire reconquered Armenia (58-63) and peace was signed with the Parthians. In 62AD however Nero seemed to have lost his marbles and murdered his mother and Burrus, and embarked on a reign of madness. Seneca lost his life following a conspiracy in 65AD, an event that seems to have occurred after Casca was sent to the galleys. Nero eventually overstepped and was turned on by the army. He took his own life in 68AD which usshered in the year of the Four Emperors.

Galba, the governor of Spain, got to the throne first but was ousted by Vitellius, commander of the Rhine legions. However, he lost out to Otho, the Lusitanian military regional commander before Vespasian from the east took over to establish the Flavian dynasty which lasted from 68 to 96AD.

Vespasian suppressed the Jewish revolt and defeated the Batavians on the Rhine. After the conquest of Jerusalem in 70AD the Empire consolidated the frontier on the Rhine. After Vespasian's death in 79AD his son Titus took over. Two things happened during his reign; the eruption of Vesuvius which destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum (witnessed by Casca from his slave galley), and the completion of the Colosseum. Titus died in 81AD, some say poisoned by his brother Domitian.

Domitian ruled under fear of a prophecy that fortold of his murder by someone of his own household, so Domitian set about executing anyone who opposed him for any reason. This reign of terror lasted until 96AD when he was murdered by his own slave under orders from his wife. During his rule Britannia was finally conquered and struggles on the Rhine and Danube continued. Casca's ship was wrecked in the last year of Domitian's reign (96AD). After Domitian came the senator Nerva, an old man who soon realised his days were numbered so he adopted the Spanish soldier Trajan who took the imperial throne two years later. Under him the Empire reached its widest extent, conquering Dacia and Northern Arabia, and in a campaign that defeated the Parthians, the provinces of Mesopotamia, Armenia and Assyria.

Following Trajan's death in 117 he was succeeded by Hadrian, who signed peace with the Parthians and returned the conquered territories to them. His reign saw consolidation rather than conquest and the building of defensive walls in Britannia and along the Rhine and Danube. Jerusalem was sacked and the Jews scattered about the Empire. Hadrian died in 138 and was succeeded by Antoninus Pius (138-161) who in turn was followed by Marcus Aurelius. In 163 was broke out with the Parthians and Casca joined the legions in their attack on Ctesiphon. Roman forces were also victorius at Dura Europus. After Casca deserted the legions peace was concluded following an outbreak of the plague.

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