Roman emperors used strategic planning for dynastic succession

A new study published in the Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies challenges the long-held historical view that Roman imperial succession was improvised or non-dynastic. Researcher Caillan Davenport from the National University of Australia argues that Roman emperors utilized deliberate strategies to secure their family's power for multiple generations.

Applying the concept of ‘dynastic scenario thinking’—a framework used to study European princely houses—Davenport analyzed the period from Augustus in 27 B.C. to Commodus in 192 A.D. The research suggests that while Rome lacked formal primogeniture laws and required the support of the Senate, army, and people, emperors actively managed succession through marriages, adoptions, and the cultivation of alternative heirs such as siblings or cousins.

Even when an emperor chose a non-relative as a successor, the individual was often adopted or married into the dynasty to maintain continuity. The study positions Roman monarchy on a spectrum between purely elective systems and those with immutable laws, highlighting a sophisticated approach to long-term political stability.