The Roman Empire reached its greatest geographic/territorial, economic, and cultural extent during the reign of what is called the ‘Five Good Emperors’ (96 A.D.-180 A.D.): Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius. These leaders were known for their more judicious rule and reasonable policies. In contrast, their successors were known as oppressive tyrants. Smooth transition of power marked the reign of these ‘Five Good Emperors.’ Consequently, this time of peace is known as the Pax Romana or ‘Roman Peace.’ Prosperity also reigned during this time. It was
also a period when the Roman Empire was both internally and externally secure.

As a geographic demarcation, the Roman Empire was a region of different peoples and many respective nations. These nations were able to keep and practice their respective languages and customs, as permitted by the Roman imperial authority. Thus, what the Roman Empire symbolized was universal power.

The peak of territorial expansion occurred during the reign of Trajan (A.D. 98-117) when Dacia was conquered. At its height, the geographical extent of the Roman Empire spanned an area of some 2.5 million square miles (6.5 million sq. km). It had a total population of 56,800,000. Some maps state that the greatest extent of the Roman Empire happened in the third century A.D. when Mesopotamia was included in the Empire. Mesopotamia became a part but only for a short period, towards the end of Emperor Trajan’s reign. Hadrian, his successor, abandoned Mesopotomia after Trajan’s death.

At its height, the Roman Empire owned large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean, including some countries that are known today as parts of the continents of Europe, Africa, and Asia. At its peak, the Roman Empire’s geographic extent included the following modern day countries: Spain, Portugal, France, Egypt, Andorra, United Kingdom, France, Monaco, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Italy, Malta, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Albania, Greece, Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Armenia, Syria, Iraq, Cyprus, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco.

The Roman Empire stopped expanding by the time Hadrian became Emperor in 117 AD. Hadrian was more concerned with establishing unifying boundaries to the Empire. By AD 395, the old Roman Empire was divided into the Western Roman Empire and the eastern or Byzantine Empire. Internal problems in leadership, migration of indigenous peoples, and the advancing conquerors and invaders from other lands led to the fall of these two divisions of the once glorious and expansive Roman Empire.

The Roman Empire, the seat of the ancient Roman civilization where political power meant an autocratic rule and territorial expansion, was a showcase of how good leadership can earn territorial expansion, while bad leadership can cause disintegration. It also showed the world that ‘moderate governing policies where different countries under an empire are allowed to sustain their respective cultures were the best ways to encourage countries to be annexed to the empire.’ Most of all, the Roman Empire stands as the biggest proof that peace resulting from unity brings about prosperity and greatness – the most important lesson for hegemonies and aspiring hegemons.

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Via UNRV History