The Roman Empire, which existed for 16 centuries, saw many rulers: extravagant, tyrants, just, cruel. However, the most significant period in the formation and development of the country is considered to be the reign of the so-called Antonin dynasty, which went down in history under the name “Golden Age of the Roman Empire”. The name of the dynasty itself comes from the name of the emperor - Antoninus Pius, who ruled the country from 86 to 161 CE.
According to the tradition of succession of power established in Rome, the emperor ruling the state had to adopt his successor. After the death of the "stepfather," the adopted son became the full ruler of the country. So, in 98 A.D. Emperor of Rome was the son of noble Roman colonists, the commander Mark Traian, who became famous for his justice and strict observance of laws. Among the main merits of Trajan are concern for the poor and poor, victory in the Dacian wars, the conquest of the banks of the Danube, etc. The life of a common people under Trajan became more measured and calm, the Roman Empire ceased to depend on the supply of Egyptian bread to the country and could already feed its own people.
Another notable figure of the Antonin dynasty was the emperor-philosopher Marcus Aurelius (161-180), keen on writing essays on the subject of human reason and the equality of people. It is reliably known that Marcus Aurelius treated his fellow citizens not as subjects, but as people who were free in all respects.
The period of the reign of the emperor-humanist and philosopher was overshadowed by the raids of the Germanic tribes, or as the barbarians called them in Rome. By the way, the Romans called barbarians all nations that do not speak Latin or Greek, and are at a lower stage of development. Gauls and Germans inhabiting the territories of Central and Northern Europe were also among the civilizations that lag behind Rome in their level of development. The war with the warring tribes dragged on for several years and ended only with the permission of the Germans to live in the Roman Danube territories.
The last ruler of the heyday of the Roman Empire was Commodus Lucius Aurelius, famous for the persecution of wealthy senators, who confiscated property acquired by dishonest means. Commodore adherents and assistants were ordinary soldiers and Praetorians, who received decent remuneration for their service. The emperor was known for his squandering, and his main hobby - participation in circus games as a gladiator, negatively affected the state treasury. Service in the German, Dacian and British troops was paid much lower than military service in the capital. The discontent of the people increased even more when the emperor proclaimed himself the son of the god Jupiter and the Roman Hercules and demanded a divine attitude. Emperor Commodus was assassinated by conspirators from among the subjects in 192. Together with his death, the golden age in the development of the country ended, the treasury was exhausted, and the Roman Empire fell into decay. And although at least two hundred years remained before the collapse of the state, this event could not but influence the approach of the split of the country into its western and eastern parts. The Western Roman Empire lasted until 476, the Eastern fell apart ten centuries later in 1453 after the Turkish raid.
Today, reliable reasons for the collapse of the Roman Empire have not been fully established. On the one hand, a huge country conquering ever new territories could not exist forever. And on the other hand, the world is arranged so that states appear and disappear, but this practically does not affect the history of mankind . Today it can be argued that the collapse of the Roman Empire most likely did not mean the cessation of the existence of a single state, but the cessation of the existence of ancient civilization itself.