Which Roman emperor would you like to meet?

[Salomons Cat]

Imagine you could choose a Roman emperor to appear in your living room on a Sunday afternoon for a cup of tea. You miraculously speak the same language, he stays for three hours, and then returns to his own time.
One of my first thoughts, was Brutus—hoping he might have an Eid Mar denarius in his pocket. After all, he referred to himself as imperator on the coin, so he could be an option.
But perhaps there would be a way to have a positive impact on the course of history during this three-hour conversation?
Therfore, I settled on Hadrian.

Some time after his visit to Judaea, the second Jewish-Roman revolt began, leading to its brutal suppression, including a massacre of the Jewish population and the renaming of the province to Syria Palaestina. I suspect the timing of the revolt, so soon after Hadrian’s visit, may have contributed to this particularly harsh punishment for the Jews. And although I wouldn’t underestimate the narcissism of any Roman emperor, I believe Hadrian was receptive to reasonable arguments.

Besides the fact that the massacre of the Jews continues to shape our view of Hadrian to this day, perhaps during a three-hour conversation, I could explain to him the long-term consequences of his actions and how the region still suffers from ongoing conflicts. Who knows how the world might look today if those events had unfolded differently?

That said, many here are far more knowledgeable about history than I am, and I’m curious to hear your opinions. Which Roman emperor would you like to meet, and how would you make use of the meeting?

[CPK]

Probably Vespasian - he seemed the most down-to-earth and was probably as relatable as a Roman emperor could be. 

What would I ask him about? Probably as many historically related questions as I could possibly think of! His own life history, the Jewish War, his rise to power, etc. Plus it would be really fun to get to know him on a more personal level, such as favorite foods, leisure activities, hobbies/interests, etc.

I would also see if he'd be willing to trade me a mint-fresh portrait sestertius in exchange for, say, a 1 oz. silver coin (which, after all, contains about 40 sesterces' worth of silver.) I'm sure a man as practical as Vespasian would accept that. 🙂  

VESPASIAN, AD 69-79
AE As (28.71mm, 10.42g, 6h)
Struck AD 76. Rome mint
Obverse: IMP CAESAR VESP AVG COS VII, laureate head of Vespasian left
Reverse: S C, Spes standing left, holding flower in right hand and raising skirt with left
References: RIC II 895
Glossy aqua-green patina. Some roughness on reverse. A very rare variant (obv. leg. & left-facing portrait) of a common type. Missing from the British Museum Collection.

[Roman Collector]

If you're looking for wisdom, who better to meet than the Stoic emperor himself?

[Salomons Cat]

2 minutes ago, Roman Collector said:

If you're looking for wisdom, who better to meet than the Stoic emperor himself?

I must admit I’m a bit surprised that you didn’t choose Faustina II to see which portrait suits her best and what hairstyle she is wearing. Are you sure?!

[Roman Collector]

2 minutes ago, Salomons Cat said:

I must admit I’m a bit surprised that you didn’t choose Faustina II to see which portrait suits her best and what hairstyle she is wearing. Are you sure?!

The OP asked about emperor, not empress, so I'm out of luck. I'm not sure Faustina would be all that interesting to talk to, though. I think Julia Domna was much more intellectual. 

[rasiel]

My first thought "but then what would I do for the other 2:50 minutes?"

Rasiel

[Julius Germanicus]

I‘d love to meet old Augustus. I would tell him to make Germanicus his sole heir and exile Tiberius to Capri.

[JAZ Numismatics]

4 hours ago, Roman Collector said:

If you're looking for wisdom, who better to meet than the Stoic emperor himself?

Also my choice. Here's an excellent lecture on MA by the late, great Michael Sugrue of Princeton University...

 

[Prieure de Sion]

As appealing as the thought is, I don't think I'd want to meet an emperor of that time. Power corrupts - and I'd be too worried about saying the wrong thing, asking the wrong question, to fall out of favor on a whim. And then I'd be a slave on a ship or lose my head. No thanks - I'll do without.
 
Give me a time machine with which I can visit time and people unobserved and I'm in.

[JayAg47]

Commodus, man just wanted to do some cos-play and chill out, lol he always looks stoned on his coins, intentional or not. I think he'd really love videos games. 

Too bad he was born to the most powerful/stoic man at that time, subsequently inheriting the most powerful empire. 

Edited October 18, 2024 by JayAg47

[shanxi]

3 minutes ago, JayAg47 said:

I think he'd really love videos games.

I'm just imagining you bringing him a video game as a present and then realizing that there are no sockets.

Commodus: "Throw him to the lions !!!"

[Qcumbor]

6 hours ago, Salomons Cat said:

Which Roman emperor would you like to meet

None

Q

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

Maybe Gallienus, a mostly misunderstood figure with some military capability and interest in neo-Platonism. (He was a sponsor of Plotinus, the famed philosopher of Assiut, Egypt known at the time as Lycopolis). One could argue that while sometimes vilified by earlier historians like Edward Gibbon who cribbed off of the unreliable Historia Augusta, he took several actions that saved the empire during a most acute stage of the third century crisis. For example he created the mobile field army under his general Aureolus, reigned for an eye-popping fifteen years and introduced the severe debasement of the coinage. From a numismatic perspective one could ask why he did this. Maybe akin to the Fed "printing" trillions of dollars of debt. First up is a debased type...

Sol as Soli Cons Avg (Sol the conservator of the emperor) @JAZ Numismatics possibly featuring Pegasus or one of Sol's horses...

Next is an aureus in the Vocative case, Gallienae Avgvstae with a reverse of Vbique Pax (Peace everywhere). Museum piece

Lastly an acclamation from Cologne as Germanicvs Maximvs V (Marc Breitsprecher)

Edited October 18, 2024 by Ancient Coin Hunter

[mcwyler]

Yep, whichever you choose the first question is "Any spare change?".

Except you'd probably find that, like our recently departed Queen, he'd never carry money as anything he wants he would get for free anyway. The legionaries accompanying him would see to that.

[JAZ Numismatics]

2 hours ago, Ancient Coin Hunter said:

Maybe Gallienus, a mostly misunderstood figure with some military capability and interest in neo-Platonism. (He was a sponsor of Plotinus, the famed philosopher of Assiut, Egypt known at the time as Lycopolis).

The writings of Plotinus are every bit as compelling to me as the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius. Here's a link to a wonderful, short essay, On Beauty.

https://www.platonic-philosophy.org/files/Plotinus - On Beauty (I-6).pdf

[Kali]

Gallienus (253 - 268 A.D.)

AR Antoninianus
O: IMP C P LIC GALLIENVS AVG, Radiate and cuirassed bust right.
R: IOVI CONSERVA, Jupiter standing left, head turned right, holding scepter in right and thunderbolt in left.
5.1g
24mm
RIC 143F (Rome) Sear 10237

[kirispupis]

I'd have to go with the mercurial Nero, to see what he was really like. We also share the same birthday. I bet he could throw a party...

Nero 54-68 CE
Denarius Lugdunum 56-57 CE
AR 19.00mm, 3.67 g
Bare head r.
Rev. EX SC within wreath C 207
RIC 12

[Orange Julius]

I think for me it would be Gallienus or Claudius II as we have very little reliable information or primary sources. I’d like to understand them and the dynamics of their challenges a bit better. Plus Claudius II sounds like a fun guy to drink with.

Notable runners up: Aurelian, but I hear he was kind of a serious guy so maybe not so fun to talk to. Gordian III as I love his coins and know little about him beyond the summary details but he was a child so… maybe I should talk to the people behind the puppet. Julian II, I would really like to meet but I feel through reading his letters that he may be a bit insufferable. Domitian, was he really a monster? Plus I’d like to hear more about writing a hair care book. Procopius, who I’d like to be a wingman for, to experience his usurpation and run from the law… but only if I was un-killable.

I’m surprised Constantine hasn’t popped up yet as the proto-Christian emperor.

Edited October 18, 2024 by Orange Julius

[Octavius]

I would NOT want to be a fly on the wall in Domitian's palace!