Conquest
As Rome develops, the nation becomes increasingly consumed by war. By the time Caesar becomes senator, he recognizes the signs of political change which lend themselves to revolution. He takes advantage of his popularity to seize the moment and establish himself as ruler of the new empire. The Roman Empire, over the course of its existence, conquers numerous territories, colonizing most. These victories include: Gaul, Pompey, Raetia, and Dalmatia. With conquest and expansion always the goal, the senate and rulers devote their attention to military prowess and ingenuity, sometimes at the expense of the liberal arts. Strategy replaces oration as the preferred attribute of government officials under the new empire.
Internal Discord
The history of Rome is riddled with instances of internal discord. With so much territory and such formidable enemies, the leaders experience tremendous pressure to retain their power and to obtain more, often at the cost of their colleagues. Civil wars litter the chronology, the most famous being the longstanding feud between Octavian and Mark Antony. By the end, Rome has lost several territories to Egypt, but Antony and Cleopatra are defeated and end their lives willfully. Additionally, the internal conflict of Rome pervaded into the highest chambers. Emperors, like Caesar most famously, were assassinated by regular citizens and even sometimes as part of greater schemes to usurp the throne. Regardless of the type of internal discord, these conflicts between Romans characterize much of the trouble which the nation faced during its inception and rise to power, also contributing most emphatically to its decline.
Political Flattery
Although Paterculus inserts his own opinions of Rome's history into the text, he preserves a certain degree of reticence to criticize, in keeping with his position as one of Tiberius' subjects. The political atmosphere of Rome in A.D. 29 is perilous. In order to publish his history and maintain personal safety, Paterculus devotes the end of his book to the praise of the emperor. He flatters shamelessly, composing prayers and poetry for Tiberius' honor. Nevertheless, some of Paterculus' theories regarding the success and failure of certain military campaigns or political movements may certainly have offended the emperor because his best interest is concerned with the superiority of the Roman government. Criticism is not tolerated by Roman censorship in Paterculus' time, so he's taking a risk with his subtle opinions. The extension of his praise of Tiberius at the book's conclusion speaks to Paterculus' awareness of his delicate position.
