After conquering northern Hispania, Augustus' ambitions were to secure the natural borders of the rivers Danube and Elbe. The first goal required conquering Illyria, Moesia, and Pannonia. The second objective required the conquest of Germania.
The Roman conquests south of the Danube were endangered by the Great Illyrian Revolt. It required a full-scale campaign, but ultimately the Roman army managed to crush the Illyrian tribes.
The second campaign was checked by the battle of the Teutoburg Forest, and the Rhine was hastily secured by the regrouping legions. Several retaliatory raids were later launched against the Germanic tribes; the raids continued during the initial rule of Tiberius, who in the end judged them simply too costly. The rivers Rhine and Danube became the northern borders of the empire and were kept by most of the succeeding emperors until the conquests of Trajan.
Caligula added Mauretania by murdering its local king, Ptolemy of Mauretania who was Caligula's cousin, as he was visiting Rome [20]. This led to a local revolt which was only suppressed during the rule of Claudius.
Several major expansions were realized under the rule of Claudius. Thracia, Noricum, Pamphylia, and Lycia [21] were annexed under various circumstances. The annexation of Mauretania, begun under Caligula, was completed [22] and divided into two new imperial provinces [23]. He also started the invasion and conquest of Britannia.
In 117, during the reign of Trajan, the empire reached its territorial height. The Nabataean kingdom was annexed becoming the province of Arabia Petraea, and under Trajan's personal command the legions conquered Dacia. Later he invaded Parthia and established the provinces of Armenia, Mesopotamia, and Assyria.
Only two years later, Trajan's successor Hadrian returned the last two provinces to Parthia, and placed a greater focus and effort in the defence and fortification of the borders.
Antoninus Pius managed to gain some territories of southern Caledonia (modern Scotland) but these gains were later abandoned.
The Roman conquests south of the Danube were endangered by the Great Illyrian Revolt. It required a full-scale campaign, but ultimately the Roman army managed to crush the Illyrian tribes.
The second campaign was checked by the battle of the Teutoburg Forest, and the Rhine was hastily secured by the regrouping legions. Several retaliatory raids were later launched against the Germanic tribes; the raids continued during the initial rule of Tiberius, who in the end judged them simply too costly. The rivers Rhine and Danube became the northern borders of the empire and were kept by most of the succeeding emperors until the conquests of Trajan.
Caligula added Mauretania by murdering its local king, Ptolemy of Mauretania who was Caligula's cousin, as he was visiting Rome [20]. This led to a local revolt which was only suppressed during the rule of Claudius.
Several major expansions were realized under the rule of Claudius. Thracia, Noricum, Pamphylia, and Lycia [21] were annexed under various circumstances. The annexation of Mauretania, begun under Caligula, was completed [22] and divided into two new imperial provinces [23]. He also started the invasion and conquest of Britannia.
In 117, during the reign of Trajan, the empire reached its territorial height. The Nabataean kingdom was annexed becoming the province of Arabia Petraea, and under Trajan's personal command the legions conquered Dacia. Later he invaded Parthia and established the provinces of Armenia, Mesopotamia, and Assyria.
Only two years later, Trajan's successor Hadrian returned the last two provinces to Parthia, and placed a greater focus and effort in the defence and fortification of the borders.
Antoninus Pius managed to gain some territories of southern Caledonia (modern Scotland) but these gains were later abandoned.
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