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The under lying success of the Anthonine emperors, so called because of their family name, or the five good emperors so called because there were five of them, was due to a principle called co-option.
五賢帝又稱為安敦寧皇帝，因為這是他們的姓，而他們之所以被成為五賢帝是因為前后一共有五位皇帝 他們都是由和平傳位當上皇帝的。
The first four of these emperors did not pass the Imperium down to their male offspring.
五賢帝中的前四位都沒有把帝權交給自己的子孫。
Instead Nerva, Trajan, Hagran and Antonius Pius selected a promising young man from the roman upper classes, adopted this man into their family, and groomed him as the future princeps.
涅爾瓦 圖拉真 哈德良和安托尼烏斯·披烏斯都從羅馬上層階級中選擇了一位前途無量的年輕人，收為養子，立為儲君。
For once the Roman Empire experienced a smooth transition of power from the princeps to a worthy successor.
這段時期里，羅馬帝國經歷了一段平穩的權力過渡期，儲君都能成為受人尊敬的繼位者。
One common thread connecting these emperors was their belief that both the princeps and the state should serve the good of the human race,
這些皇帝的一個共同信念就是儲君和政府都應當為人類的利益而服務，
the solace generus humani and not the other way around.
為了慰藉人類而非相反。
Although class inequities, gender inequities and other such things were still practiced,
雖然階級不平等，性別不平等和其它類似的問題仍然存在，
then is now, the so called five good emperors did their best to level the playing field for all Romans.
但是當時的五賢帝已經盡了各自最大的努力為所有羅馬人爭取平等。
Unfortunately the fifth good emperor was a very good emperor,
不幸的是，第五個賢君自己是一個非常好的皇帝，
the stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius, he picked as a successor his worthless son Commodus.
斯多葛學派哲學家馬可·奧勒留，但他卻選擇了自己的兒子康茂德繼位。
Breaking the practice of coaction and dragging the empire down along with it.
破壞了和平傳位的慣例，將整個羅馬帝國帶上了下坡路。
In segment 12d, church and state in the early empire,
12d 羅馬帝國早期的教堂和政府，
we compare the rather stale Roman state religion with the rising Christian sect.
我們將陳腐的羅馬國教與崛起的基督教相比較。
The worship of the old Greco Roman deities had served Rome pretty well over the centuries,
數世紀以來，羅馬人對于古希臘羅馬神靈的崇拜都一直很好，
it had built a common roman identity and as the Romans themselves believed ensured the success of their nation.
建立起了羅馬人的共同身份認同，羅馬人自己也認為正是這種信仰確保了他們國家的勝利。
But better living conditions raised questions about the purpose of human existence and the hope for some kind of satisfactory afterlife
但是更好的生活條件就帶來了關于人類存在的目的和希望有令人滿意的后世生活的問題，
and in these areas the Roman state religion was found greatly wanting.
而在這些問題上，羅馬國教就顯得力不從心了。
Although the Romans generally tolerated other's religions so long as they didn't threaten the Mos Majorum too badly
盡管羅馬人一直都可以包容不同的宗教 只要這些宗教對自己的祖先傳統不造成太大的威脅，
the government does seem to have taken a quick dislike to the Christians.
但是羅馬政府似乎對基督教很快就產生了厭惡之情
The Christians were persecuted sporadically as early as the reign of Nero.
基督教徒早在尼祿大帝時期就開始時不時地遭到迫害。
But widespread persecution took longer to build up.
但是過了一段時間才開始有大規模的迫害
The Christian faith was itself going through important adjustments especially organizational.
與此同時，基督教信仰自身也在經歷重要的改變，尤其是組織結構上有了很大改變。
And we will trace these items too.
我們在之后也會講到。
Enlightenment historians such as Edward gibbon often blame Christianity for undercutting Rome's Mos Majorum. And for making Rome weak.
像愛德華·吉本這樣的啟蒙時代史學家常常會怪罪基督教削弱了羅馬祖先遺風的力量，因為讓羅馬變得衰落。
