4. A history of Ephesus from coins: the Roman province
4.2 The Julio-Claudian emperors
With the defeat of Anthony at the Battle of Actium, all the Empire fell to Octavian, who soon was to become the first emperor, Augustus.
Augustus (27 BCE-14 CE), during his long reign, evolved a system of government by which Rome and her empire were ruled by one man ( link ). His innovations were often masked by an ostensible return to conditions of "the good old days," under the Republic. Augustus ( 24 ) not only reorganized the province Asia, but allowed a temple to Rome and his deified father Julius Caesar to be built for the resident Romans at Ephesus. The empire brought peace to Asia in general, though there was still the occasional earthquake.
Tiberius (14 -37 CE) was not directly related to Augustus, being the son of Augustus' wife Livia; due to the death of closer relatives, Augustus made him heir to his power. When a disastrous earthquake struck the cities of Asia in 17 CE, he rendered prompt assistance; and the cities (including Ephesus) thanked him with a monument in his honor. He was succeeded by his grand-nephew Caligula, who ruled four years and was assassinated in 41.
Claudius (41-54 CE) ( 25 ) was the choice of the Praetorian Guard to succeed his murdered nephew, Caligula. Like his own uncle Tiberius, he aided the cities of Asia after another earthquake in 53. It was also during his reign that Saint Paul came to Ephesus, and that the silversmith Demetrios provoked a riot against him in the theater. Claudius was succeeded by his wife Agrippina's son Nero (54-68 CE), who may have made Ephesus neokoros, though the honor would not outlast his death.