14 CE
The year that ended the long reign of Rome's first emperor, Augustus, whose death marked the transition of power to his adopted son Tiberius and tested the durability of the imperial system he had created.
Geopolitics & Power
- Emperor Augustus died on August 19 at the age of 75 in Nola, ending a reign of over four decades during which he had transformed the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire.
- Tiberius, the adopted son and designated heir of Augustus, succeeded him as emperor, establishing the precedent of dynastic succession that would define the Julio-Claudian dynasty.
- The Roman Senate officially deified Augustus after his death, declaring him a god of the Roman state, a practice that would be repeated for subsequent emperors.
- Mutinies broke out among Roman legions stationed along the Rhine and Danube frontiers, as soldiers demanded better pay and conditions, requiring Tiberius's adopted son Germanicus to restore order.
Climate & Environment
- Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration was approximately 278 parts per million, as later confirmed by ice core analysis.
Society & Population
- A census conducted under Augustus shortly before his death recorded approximately four million Roman citizens, though the total population of the empire including non-citizens was estimated at 45 to 60 million.
- The global population is estimated to have been approximately 250 million.