Roman Emperors

(Note that, contrary to popular belief, Julius Caesar was never Emperor (princeps), although he was named dictator for life in 45 BC (but was not the first Roman to hold that title) and was regarded as such by Roman historians.)

For the worship of the Roman Emperor as a god, see imperial cult.

The Principate

• Augustus (27 BC - AD 14)
• Tiberius (14 - 37)
• Gaius Caligula (37 - 41)
• Claudius (41 - 54)
• Nero (54 - 68)
• Galba (68 - 69)
• Otho (69)
• Vitellius (69)

Flavian Dynasty

• Vespasian (69 - 79)
• Titus Flavius (79 - 81)
• Domitian (81 - 96)

Nervan-Antonian Dynasty

• Nerva (96 - 98)
• Trajan (98 - 117)
• Hadrian (117 - 138)
• Antoninus Pius (138 - 161)
• Marcus Aurelius (161 - 180) (co-emperor Lucius Verus 161 - 169; throne claimed by Avidius Cassius 175)
• Commodus (180 - 193)

Severan Dynasty

• Pertinax (193) (recognized as emperor by Septimius Severus)
• Septimius Severus (193 - 211) (throne was also claimed by Didius Julianus 193, Pescennius Niger 193 - 194, and Clodius Albinus 193 - 197)
• Caracalla (211 - 217)
• Macrinus (217 - 218)
• Heliogabalus (218 - 222) (throne claimed by Verus 219, and Uranius c.221)
• Alexander Severus (222 - 235) (throne claimed by Taurinus)

Rulers during the Crisis of the Third Century

• Maximinus Thrax (235 - 238) (throne claimed by Quartinus 235)
• Gordian I and Gordian II (238)
• Pupienus and Balbinus (238)
• Gordian III (238 - 244) (throne claimed by Sabinianus 240)
• Philip the Arab (244 - 249) (throne claimed by Pacantius 248, Iotapianus 248, and Silbannacus)
• Decius (249 - 251) (throne claimed by Priscus 249 - 252, and Licinianus 250)
• Herennius Etruscus (251)
• Hostilian (251)
• Trebonianus Gallus (251 - 253)
• Aemilianus (253)
• Valerian I (253 - 260)
• Gallienus (260 - 268) (throne claimed by Ingenuus 260; Regalianus 260; Macrianus Major, Macrianus Minor and Quietus 260 – 261; Memor 261; Mussius Aemilianus 261 - 262; and Aureolus 265)
• Claudius II Gothicus (268 - 270)
• Quintillus (270)
• Aurelian (270 - 275) (throne claimed by Domitianus 270 - 271, Felicissimus 271, and Septimius 271)
• Tacitus (275 - 276)
• Florianus (276)
• Probus (276-282) (throne claimed by Saturninus 280, Proculus 280, and Bonosus 280)
• Carus (282-283)
• Carinus (283-285) (co-emperor Numerian; throne claimed by M. Aurelius Julianus 283)

Tetrarchy

• Diocletian (284 - 305) (co-emperor Maximian 286 - 305)
• Constantius Chlorus (305-306) (co-emperor Galerius 305 - 311)
• Constantine I, the Great (306 - 337) (co-emperors Galerius, Licinius 308 - 324, and Maximinus Daia 308 - 313; throne claimed by Maxentius 306 - 312, and Domitius Alexander 308 - 309)

House of Constantine

• Constantius II (337 - 361) (together with Constantine II 337 - 340, and Constans 337 - 350; throne claimed by Magnentius 350 - 353)
• Julian (361 - 363). Also known as 'the Apostate'
• Jovian (363 - 364)

Valentinian Dynasty

• Valentinian I (364 - 375) (co-emperor Valens 364 - 378; throne claimed by Procopius 364 - 365)
• Gratianus (375 - 383) (co-emperor Valentinian II, 375-392; throne claimed by Magnus Maximus, 383 - 388)

House of Theodosius

• Theodosius I (379 - 395) (throne claimed by Eugenius 392 - 394)

Western Empire

• Honorius (395 - 423) (co-emperor Constantius III 421; throne claimed by Priscus Attalus 409 - 410 and again in 414 - 415, Constantine III 409 - 411, and Jovinus, 411 - 412)
• Valentinian III (423 - 455) (throne also claimed by Joannes 423 - 425)
• Petronius Maximus (455)
• Avitus (456 - 457)
• Majorian (457 - 461)
• Libius Severus (461) - 465)
• Anthemius (467 - 472)
• Olybrius (472)
• Glycerius (473 - 474)
• Julius Nepos - (474 - 475/480)
• Romulus Augustus (a.k.a. Romulus Augustulus) 'last' western emperor (475 - 476)

continuation: see list of Barbarian kings of Rome

Eastern Empire

• Arcadius (395 - 408)
• Theodosius II (408 - 450)
• Marcian (450 - 457)
• Leo I (457 - 474)
• Leo II (474)
• Zeno (474 - 491)
• Basiliscus (475 - 476)
• Zeno (restored) (476 - 491)

continuation: see list of Byzantine Emperors

see also Julio-Claudian family tree; Severan dynasty family tree; Gallic Empire; Roman usurper

External links

There are good biographies of most Roman Emperors in De Imperatoribus Romanis.

Referenced By