Western Civilization I / Unit 7 WC1 0610 short lesson, about 20 seconds
The Five Good Emperors and Succession by Adoption
Captions available
The idea
From ninety-six to one eighty five emperors chose successors by adopting the most competent, since none but the last had a surviving son. Gibbon coined the phrase, and the anchor calls the result relatively meritocratic.
In practice
Trajan's philosopher-king model: Romanitas over self-glorification.
Where people slip
Adoption worked because of childlessness. It was not a constitutional rule.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
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