The people of Rome witnessed a great many ushering of different governments and regimes in and out of their fair city throughout the centuries. First they had the kings then they had the republic and afterwards came the empire. This saw a great many individuals come to power in Rome, some good and some bad, but Rome got a taste of everything. The Imperial age gave the people of Rome much turmoil but also much prosperity. The bulk of this prosperity was a direct result of the work of emperor Augustus. Before Augustus Rome had been plagued with civil war after civil war and Augustus had to fight in his own civil war before he could come to power. This left the Roman people battered, broken, and tired of the fighting. For a civilization that glorifies war and watches gladiator matches for fun, you know the fighting would have to have been bloody and long for the citizens to be tired of it. After the civil war of the Tetrarchy Augustus rose to power as Emperor of Rome and the people were clammering for peace. This is exactly what Augustus gave them, Pax Romana. Augusts gave the people the stability and lack of bloodshed they craved and ushered in a era of prosperity and growth.