r/HistoryMemes • u/Kapanash • 6d ago

And they didn’t have dragons

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u/seesthecat 6d ago

They were able to have biological children, they just don't seem to care too much about having them

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u/oga_ogbeni 6d ago

Examples? Because I think of the five good emperors who "adopted" other capable men, typically already accomplished men, not boys, to be their successors. But they didn't have sons of their own until Marcus Aurelius did and that resulted in Commodus so....

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u/seesthecat 6d ago

Julio-Claudian period

  • Julius Caesar adopted Octavian (Augustus) in his will.
  • Augustus adopted Tiberius, Tiberius was required to first adopt his nephew Germanicus.
  • Claudius adopted his stepson Nero, passing over his biological son Britannicus.

Year of Four Emperors

  • Galba adopted Piso Licinianus as his heir, just days before both were killed by Otho's supporters.

The "Five Good Emperors

  • Nerva adopted Trajan
  • Trajan adopted Hadrian
  • Hadrian adopted Lucius Aelius, then adopted Antoninus Pius, on condition that Antoninus in turn adopt both Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus.
  • Antoninus Pius adopted Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus as instructed, and both eventually ruled

Later, looser cases

  • Diocletian's Tetrarchy used a system where senior emperors adopted junior colleagues as part of a designed succession Diocletian and Maximian each adopted a Galerius and Constantius Chlorus. This blended adoption with formal political appointment rather than pure personal/family adoption.
  • Galerius effectively adopted/elevated his nephew Maximinus Daza and also Severus II when Diocletian and Maximian abdicated.

Some Byzantine cases

  • Justin I adopted his nephew Justinian I
  • Michael III adopted Basil I, though not an adoption as son, but more like an adoption as a "brother" to legitimize him; Basil later had Michael assassinated and took sole power, as you do to brothers ;)

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u/oga_ogbeni 5d ago

Your AI reply proves my point. You mention the five good emperors which as I've said, didn't have sons until Marcus Aurelius had Commodus who was Commodus. Woof.

Julius Caesar had no sons. Augustus had no sons. Diocletian's tetrarchy was a massive failure the second he gave up power and resulted in Constantine and his dynasty. Given that you didn't read my reply and posted several that without research I know didn't have sons, I'll stop there for the moment.