List Of All Roman Emperors

Have you ever wondered about the history of Rome? You can learn all about it with this list of all roman emperors.

The First Three Roman Emperors

Have you often heard people refer to the three roman emperors? There were more then 3 right? Of course there were. However, there was a period of time in which three were ruling Rome at once. But first let's see what Rome was like at the beginning.

Rome was located in a strategic location with a great climate and fertile ground. Rome itself was originally a people heavily influenced by Greece but over time these people became a independent Republic.Nobles dominated the senate but the average Roman citizen was simple farmer with a small piece of land. There were many violent political struggles. Over time poorer citizens gained more power in the political arena.

Around 241 BC the first of three Punic wars ended. The third wars ended around 149 BC and Rome was the victor. These wars between Carthage and Rome began the decay of the Republic and Rome was well on its way to becoming an empire.

Around 55 BC a man by the name of Julius Caesar took command of the army near Gaul. Most everyone has heard of Julius Caesar but probably do not understand the significance of his reign. Julius Caesar was assassinated but that is not what makes him special. Throughout the history of Rome there were plots to assassinate or overtake the throne.

Although the Punic Wars had already started transforming Rome into an empire it wasn't until after Caesars reign that the transformation was complete. Under Caesar, the Roman Republic was still there but power had become more centralized and there had been irreversible changes to Rome. Julius Caesar became a dictator and his reign forever changed Rome.

Octavian noticed these changes and took action. After the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC by Marcus Brutus, there were three men fighting for the rule of Rome; Marcus Lepidus, Marc Antony, and Octavian. Although not technically three emperors, these men were the 3 ruling authorities of Rome until 31 BC.

Octavian was Caesars great-nephew and adopted heir. He began Romes transformation first by hunting down and murdering Caesar's assassins. Marc Antony caused his own downfall by beginning a love affair with Cleopatra in Egypt in 42 BC. This affair was not approved by Rome. Lepidus was eventually forced to give up his power to Octavian in 36 BC. Finally, Octavian fought the Barlle of Actium defeating Antony and Cleopatra who ended up committing suicide in Alexandria.

The three Roman emperors had now become one. After returning to Rome with the support of his old soldiers, Octavian accepted the imperial title of Augustus in 27 BC by the Senate and officially ended the Roman Republic.

After Augustus accepted the Imperial title, his power continued to grow and he relied on his soldiers and paid civil servants. The Caesars had become the first family to lead Rome replacing a small class of politicians.

When Augustus died in 14 AD he was declared a God, as was Julius Caesar. Augustus was remembered as the bringer of peace and restorer of old Roman ways.

Emperors Of The Julio-Claudian Dynasty

Rule	Name	Life
27 BC - AD 14	Gaius Octavius (Augustus)	63 BC - AD 14
14 - 37 AD	Tiberius	42 BC - AD 37
37 - 41	Caligula	12 - 41
41 - 54	Claudius I	10 BC - AD 54
54 - 68	Nero	37 - 68

The Year of The Four Roman Emperors

Rule	Name	Life
68 - 69	Galba	3 BC - AD 69
69	Otho	32 - 62
69	Vitellius	15 - 69
69 - 79	Vespasian	9 - 79
79 - 81	Titus	39 - 81
81 - 96	Domitian	51 - 96

The Five Good Emperors of Rome

After Domitian there was a time in which historians believed Rome was ruled with virtue and wisdom. During this time 5 emperors ruled who are often referred to as the the Five Good Emperors of Rome.

Rule	Name	Life
96 - 98	Nerva	35 - 98
98 - 117	Trajan	53 - 117
117 - 138	Hadrian	76 - 138
138 - 161	Antoninus Pius	86 - 161
161 - 180	Marcus Aurelius	121 - 180

Emperors of the Severan Dynasty

The Severan Dynasty in known so from Septimius Severus. This was the last dynasty prior to the Crisis of the Third Century.

Rule	Name	Life
180 - 192	Commodus	161 - 192
193	Pertinax	126 - 193
193	Didius Julianus	133 - 193
193- 211	Septimus Severus	146 - 21
211 - 212	Caracalla	188 - 217
211 - 212	Geta	189 - 212
212 - 217	Caracalla	188 - 217
217 - 218	Macrinus	164 - 218
218 - 222	Elagabalus Heliogabalus	204 - 222
222 - 235	Alexander Severus	208 - 235

Roman Emperors During The Crisis of The Third Century

The Crisis of the Third Century refers to a time when the Roman Empire was crumbling and near collapse.

Rule	Name	Life
235 - 238	Maximinus	173 - 238
238 - 244	Gordianus III	224 - 244
244 - 249	Philip the Arabian	d. 249
249 - 251	Decius	201 - 251
251 - 253	Gallus	203 - 253
253	Aemilianus	206 - 253
253 - 260	Valerian	d. 269
260 - 268	Gallienus	d. 268

Emperors Of The Illyrian Dynasty

The Illyrian Dynasty is named so because during this time period most of the emperors came from Illyria which was the northern Balkan Penisula. The Illyrian Dynasty was important because during this time Rome began to recover from the the Crisis Of The Third Century .

Rule	Name	Life
268 - 270	Claudius II	214 - 270
270	Quintillus	d. 270
270 - 275	Aurelian	212 - 275
275 - 276	Tacitus	200 - 276
276	Florianus	d. 276
276 - 283	Probus	d. 282
282 - 283	Carus	223 - 283
283 - 285	Numerianus	d. 284
283 - 285	Carinus	d. 285

Emperors Of The Constantinian Dynasty

This Constantinian Dynasty is named so after Constantine I the Great.

Rule	Name	Life
284 - 305	Diocletian	245 - 313
286 - 305	Maximian	d. 310
305 - 306	Constantius	250 - 306
306 - 307	Severus	d. 307
306 - 308	Maximian	d. 310
306 - 311	Galerius	d. 311
306 - 312	Maxentius	d. 312
307 - 313	Maximinus Maximin	d. 313
307 - 337	Constantine I the Great	280 - 337
308 - 324	Licinius	270 - 324
310-313	Daia	?
337 - 340	Constantine II	317 - 340
337 - 361	Constantius II	317 - 361
337 - 350	Constans I	320 - 350
350 - 353	Magnentius	d. 353
361 - 363	Julian the Apostate	331 - 363
363 - 364	Jovian	331 - 364

The Valentinian Dynasty

The Valentinian Dynasty consisted of 4 emperors ruling the east and west.

Rule	Name	Life
364 - 375	Valentinian I	321 - 375
364 - 378	Valens	328 - 378
367 - 383	Gratian	359 - 383
375 - 383	Valentinian II	372 - 392

The Theodosian Dynasty

Rule	Name	Life
379 - 394	Theodosius I	346 - 395
383 - 388	Maximus	d. 388
383 - 388	Valentinian II	372 - 392

The Western Empire

Since Diocletian, the Roman Empire had been divided into the East and West. The Western Empire was the last phase of Rome prior to the Eastern half transforming into the Bryzantine Empire.

Rule	Name	Life
392 - 394	Eugenius	d. 394
394 - 395	Theodosius I	346 - 395
395 - 423	Honorius	384 - 423
425 - 455	Valentinian III	419 - 455
455	Petronius Maximus	d. 455
455 - 456	Avitus	d. 456
457 - 461	Majorian	d. 461
461 - 465	Severus	d. 465
467 - 472	Anthemius	d. 472
472	Olybrius	?
473 - 474	Glycerius	?
474 - 475	Nepos	d. 480
475 - 476	Romulus Augustus	c. 461 - ?