Emperor Overviews

Augustus

First Roman emperor; began Pax Romana; expanded empire; Praetorian Guard; Teutoburg Forest (9 AD)

Augustus Date Range

27 BC–14 AD

Tiberius

Withdrawn ruler; Capri retirement; Sejanus’ influence; political purges

Tiberius Date Range

14–37 AD

Caligula

Erratic rule; claimed divinity; assassinated by Praetorian Guard

Caligula Date Range

37–41 AD

Claudius

Conquered Britannia; expanded bureaucracy; efficient administrator

Claudius Date Range

41–54 AD

Nero

Great Fire (64 AD); Boudicca revolt; First Jewish-Roman War; suicide

Nero Date Range

54–68 AD

Galba

Unpopular emperor; killed by Praetorian Guard

Galba Date Range

68–69 AD

Otho

Ruled briefly; lost to Vitellius; committed suicide

Otho Date Range

69 AD 2

Vitellius

Defeated Otho; overthrown by Vespasian

Vitellius Date Range

69 AD 3

Vespasian

Restored stability; began Colosseum; founded Flavian dynasty

Vespasian Date Range

69–79 AD

Titus

Vesuvius eruption (79); completed Colosseum; disaster relief

Titus Date Range

79–81 AD

Domitian

Autocratic rule; strengthened military; assassinated

Domitian Date Range

81–96 AD

Nerva

Stabilized empire; adopted Trajan

Nerva Date Range

96–98 AD

Trajan

Greatest territorial expansion; conquered Dacia; major building projects

Trajan Date Range

98–117 AD

Hadrian

Built Hadrian’s Wall; consolidated borders; promoted Greek culture

Hadrian Date Range

117–138 AD

Antoninus Pius

Peaceful reign; economic prosperity; peak of Pax Romana

Antoninus Pius Date Range

138–161 AD

Marcus Aurelius

Stoic philosopher; Marcomannic Wars; Antonine Plague

Marcus Aurelius Date Range

161–180 AD

Commodus

End of Pax Romana; erratic rule; assassinated

Commodus Date Range

180–192 AD

Pertinax

Short reign; killed by Praetorian Guard

Pertinax Date Range

193 AD 1

Didius Julianus

Bought empire; executed

Didius Julianus Date Range

193 AD 2

Pescennius Niger

Eastern rival; defeated by Severus

Pescennius Niger Date Range

193–194 AD 3

Clodius Albinus

Western rival; defeated by Severus

Clodius Albinus Date Range

193–197 AD

Septimius Severus

Founded Severan dynasty; strengthened military

Septimius Severus Date Range

193–211 AD

Caracalla

Granted citizenship to all free men (212 AD)

Caracalla Date Range

211–217 AD

Macrinus

First non-senator emperor; overthrown

Macrinus Date Range

217–218 AD

Elagabalus

Religious extremism; assassinated

Elagabalus Date Range

218–222 AD

Severus Alexander

Moderate rule; assassinated; start of crisis

Severus Alexander Date Range

222–235 AD

Maximinus Thrax

First soldier-emperor; start of Crisis of Third Century

Maximinus Thrax Date Range

235–238 AD

Gordian III

Young emperor; Persian campaigns

Gordian III Date Range

238–244 AD

Philip the Arab

1000th anniversary of Rome; instability rises

Philip the Arab Date Range

244–249 AD

Decius

Persecuted Christians; died in battle

Decius Date Range

249–251 AD

Valerian

Captured by Persians

Valerian Date Range

253–260 AD

Gallienus

Military reforms; empire fragmentation

Gallienus Date Range

253–268 AD (Co rule)

Claudius II Gothicus

Defeated Goths

Claudius II Gothicus Date Range

268–270 AD

Aurelian

Restored empire; defeated breakaway states

Aurelian Date Range

270–275 AD

Diocletian

Ended crisis; created Tetrarchy; reforms

Diocletian Date Range

284–305 AD

Constantine the Great

Legalized Christianity; founded Constantinople

Constantine the Great Date Range

306–337 AD

Constantine II

Controlled western provinces; killed in conflict

Constantine II Date Range

337–340 AD

Constans I

Ruled central empire; assassinated

Constans I Date Range

337–350 AD

Constantius II

Ruled east; civil wars

Constantius II Date Range

337–361 AD

Julian

Attempted pagan revival; died in battle

Julian Date Range

361–363 AD

Valentinian I “the Great”

Establishes co-rule again with his brother; died of a stroke during negotiations with a Germanic tribe (Quadi)

Valentinian I “the Great” Date Range

364-375

Valens

Brother of Valentinian; Fought Fritigern; Died at the Battle of Adrianople at the hands of goths

Valens Date Range

364-378 AD

Gratian

Son of Valentinian; renounced pagan titles such as Pontifex Maximus; influenced by Ambrose to remove Altar of Victory to cut ties with Paganism; overthrown by Magnus Maximus

Gratian Date Range

367-383 AD

Valentinian II

Son of Valentinian I and half brother of Gratian; co-emperor since 4; defeated by Arbogast, installing Eugenius as emperor

Valentinian II Date Range

375-392 AD

Magnus Maximus

Overthrew Gratian; Marked the end of direct empire control of Norther Gaul and Britannia (Great Conspiracy); Defeated by Theodosius I

Magnus Maximus Date Range

383-388 AD

Eugenius

Declared emperor by Frankish general Arbogast; returned to paganism for support (Altar of Victory rebuilt); defeated by Theodoius I

Eugenius Date Range

392-394 AD

Theodosius I

Defeated usurpers Magnus and Eugenius;Last unified emperor; Christianity official religion; Ended the Olympic Games; Massacred Thessalonica and excommunicated; Confided in Ambrose and readmitted

Theodosius I Date Range

379–395 AD

Arcadius

Son of Theodosius; Brother of Honorius; Faced Visigoth Alaric in Moesia; Weak rule

Arcadius Date Range

395-408 AD

Honorius

Emperor at 10; Moved capital to Ravenna; General Stilcho defeats Alaric; betrays Stilicho; Alaric sacks Rome in 410

Honorius Date Range

393-423 AD

Valentinian III

General Aetius defended against Hunnic and Germanic attacks; Atilla the Hun defeated at Catalaunian Plains; Leo I convinced Atilla to withraw; Valentinian executed Aetius

Valentinian III Date Range

435-455 AD