Roman Rulers
(from Mick Howk)
- Julius (49-44 B.C.) Julius Caesar was a man of incredible energy
and charisma. A top notch writer, historian, orator, military
strategist and politician. He was also reputed to be a great
lover, and took Cleopatra, the Queen of the Nile, as one of his
mistresses. He was the first living Roman to put his portrait on
a coin which insulted the Senate and was a factor leading to his
assassination.
- Augustus (31 B.C.- A.D. 14) First Imperial Emperor and arguably
the greatest, Gaius Octavius was voted by the Roman Senate to the
unprecedented title of "Augustus" (majestic/grand) in 27 B.C. and
reigned for 41 years. His rule marked the beginning of Pax
Romana, or Roman Peace that lasted with few interuptions, until
A.D. 235. He was so fondly remembered that coins were struck in
his memory for two hundred years after his death.
- Tiberius (A.D. 14-37) The adoptive heir of Augustus, Tiberius
was an able statesman and soldier with considerable experience.
His reign, however, witnessed the steady dissolution of his
character and ended in complete corruption of power. He is best
known for having ruled during the lifetime of Christ though it is
not certain whether he was aware of his existence.
- Caligula (A.D. 37-41) At the beginning of his reign, Caligula
showed promise ofbeing a good emperor under the influence of his
grandmotherAntonia. After her death a year later, Caligula became
very ill. Some historians attribute this illness with his becoming
the monster so discriptively documented by Seutonius and Grant.
His continuous insults to the Senate and his demands that he be
treated like a god in his own lifetime led to his assassination.
- Claudius (A.D. 41-54) Claudius escaped the wrath of his mad nephew
Caligula because the effects of his infantile paralysis made him
appear as no threat to the throne. However, after the Praetorian
Guard assassinated Caligula and he was thrust upon the throne, he
surprised everyone by being a capable administrator. His major
mistake was recalling Caligula's sister Agrippina back from
banishment and wedding her. She later poisoned him after he
adopted her son Nero, to get her son on the throne.
- Nero (A.D. 54-68) Nero, whose name has become synonymous with evil
and degeneracy, actually started off his reign quite well. But
after murdering his meddlesome mother Agrippina in A.D. 59, Nero
ran amok. His government turned into a reign of terror in which no
one was safe. Some historians blame him for setting fire to half
of Rome in order make way for his Golden Palace. In the end he
was abandoned by his army, declared an outlaw by the Senate and
forced to commit suicide.
- Galba (A.D. 68-69) Galba was an aged soldier with a brilliant
record that had earned him the respect of Tiberius, Caligula and
Claudius. When his troops proclaimed him emperor even before
Nero's death, the Senate confirmed the nomination. However, his
avarice outweighed his previous good deeds in no time and the
Praetorian Guard assassinated him in a conspiracy organized by Otho
after a reign of only seven months.
- Otho (A.D. 69) Otho's reign was the shortest of the twelve
Caesars, lasting only 90 days. He had been a supporter of Galba's
rebellion against Nero and had hoped to be named his heir.
However, when Galba chose another, Otho organized a conspiracy
against the already unpopular Galba and had him assassinated.
Meanwhile, in a play for the throne, the troops of Vitellius dealt
a crushing defeat to Otho's army to which he responded by
committing suicide.
- Vitellius (A.D. 69) A notorious glutton, Vitellius was proclaimed
emperor by his troops in Germany who were in revolt against Galba.
After marching to Rome and dispatching Otho, he settled down to an
endless string of lavish banquets, spending the equivalent of over
a billion dollars in eight months. When the Roman people finally
got tired of his excessive lifestyle, he was dragged from the
palace, butchered in the street and thrown into the Tiber river.
- Vespasian (A.D. 69-79) Tenth of the twelve Caesars, this tough old
soldier brought stability back to the empire after a full year of
civil war that witnessed the rise and fall of Galba, Otho and
Vitellius. Vespasian initiated an extensive building campaign
during his reign of aqueducts, temples, public buildings and most
notably the Collesium. His two sons Titus and Domitian were the
last of the twelve Caesars.
- Titus (A.D. 79-81) Titus was extremely popular, despite the fact
that his reign was marred by a series of natural disasters,
including fires, the plague and the devastating eruption of Mount
Vesuvius just one month after he ascended the throne. He was one
of the few emperors whose passing was regretted by most of the
Roman people when his reign was cut short by a sudden illness that
was most likely instigated by his brother Domitian.
- Domitian (A.D. 81-96) Always resentful of his brother Titus'
popularity, Domitian is suspected by some historians of poisoning
Titus or otherwise hastening his premature death. He was initally
an efficient ruler, but became increasingly paranoid. He had a
cruel streak which turned him into a bloody tyrant about halfway
into his reign. His assassination, engineered by his wife Domitia,
initiated Rome's "Golden Age".
- Hadrian (A.D. 117-138) Hadrian was one of the greatest of the
Roman emperors, a man of tremendous ability and intelligence, whose
interest in architecture and the arts brought Rome to the very
pinnacle of its Golden Age. He spent much of his reign touring the
provinces of the vast empire and greatly improving the defenses, as
in his famous wall that stretches across Britain at the border of
Scotland; built to hold back the barbarians in the north.
- Marcus Aurelius (A.D. 161-180) Marcus Aurelius was a philosopher
who became emperor. He was adopted by Hadrian along with Antoninus
Pius and Lucius Verus to insure a succession of chosen rulers. As
he was too young and inexperienced at the time of Hadrian's death,
Antoninus Pius came first. Once on the throne he performed his
duties with great diligence, spending most of his reign in the
field with the army. He is best remembered for writing The
Meditations, a series of personal thoughts and observations which
reflected his stoic philosophy.
- Antoninus Pius (A.D. 138-161) Antoninus was an adopted son of
Hadrian who reigned during part of the Golden Age of Rome in that
for many years peace and prosperity prevailed and many "quality of
life" building projects were completed. He was given the title
"Pius" (dutiful) for his efforts to have his adoptive father
consecrated against the wishes of the Senate that Hadrian had
alienated late in life. Unlike Hadrian who traveled constantly
during his reign, Antoninus Pius never left Rome.
- Gordian III (A.D. 238-244) Gordian III was the last in a series of
"boy emperors" who tried to hold the Roman Empire together during
a period of growing turbulence and chaos. He was said to be a
gentle and unassuming soul, who came to the throne at the age of
13. Yet when the Persians invaded the empire, Gordian rose to the
occasion and led the Roman army to the east, where he inflicted a
crushing defeat on the invaders. He was murdered at the age of 19
presumably at the instigation of his successor, Philip I.
- Philip I "The Arab" (A.D. 244-249) Philip, the son of an Arab
chieftain who had been granted Roman citizenship, was appointed
Preatorian Prefect after the suspicious death of Timistheus in A.D.
243. He immediately began plotting to seize the throne, and by the
following year had stirred up the troops enough to murder their
young emperor Gordian and elevate Philip to the throne. The major
event of his reign was the spectacular series of games staged to
celebrate the 1,000th anniversary of the founding of Rome.
- Valerian I (A.D. 253-260) Valerian had the dubious distinction of
being the only Roman emperor ever captured in battle by a foreign
army. While fighting the forces of the Persian king Shapur I, he
was ambushed and taken prisoner. It is said that he spent the rest
of his life in captivity as the Persian king's personal footstool.
- Philip II (A.D. 244-249) Philip II was the son of Philip I "The
Arab" who had seized the throne following the murder of Gordian III
which he had instigated. Philip II ruled with his father for six
years. The major event of their reign was the spectacular series
of games staged to celebrate the 1,000th anniversary of the
founding of Rome.
- Gallienus (A.D. 253-268) Son of Valerain I and co-emperor. Later
became sole ruler when his father became first Roman emperor ever
captured by a foreign enemy. He had the misfortune of being a good
and well-intentioned ruler in a time of almost total chaos and
anarchy. He was a patron of the arts and sponsored a kind of
renaissance in Rome when he was between battles.
- Claudius II Gothicus (A.D. 268-270) Claudius was a leading general
of the Roman army, serving under Valerian and Gallienus and was
proclaimed emperor after the assassination of Gallienus in which he
supposedly particiated. He was a brilliant leader who won a great
victory over a numerically superior army of invading Goths.
However the Goths brought the plague with them and Claudius became
one of it's many victims.
- Victorinus (A.D. 268-270) Victorinus succeeded to the throne of
the Gallic empire after the very brief reign and assassination of
Marius, but the empire was in the process of disintegration. After
a short reign Victorinus was murdered by one of his own officers,
allegedly for seducing his wife.
- Tetricus II (A.D. 270-273) Tetricus II and his father Tetricus I
had succeeded to the throne of the Gallic Empire after the death of
Victorinus but when Aurelian invaded Gaul they realized the
futility of resistance and both abdicated. Aurelian spared them,
in a rare act of clemency for the times, and they spent the rest of
their lives in Rome as private citizens.
- Diocletian (A.D. 284-305) The greatest imperial reorganizer since
Augustus, his rebuilding of the empire enabled it to survive for
another two centuries in the west and 1,100 years in the east.
Unfortunately, his reign was tainted by the Great Persecution
against the Christians, which claimed thousands of lives.
- Allectus (A.D. 293-296) Carausius, a Roman admiral turned pirate
who declared himself emperor in Britain (A.D. 287-293) to escape
punishment by Rome was murdered by Allectus, his chief minister,
who assumed his crown. However, Allectus did not have the ability
of Carausius and when Constantius invaded Britain the usurper was
soon dethroned.
- Valentinian I (A.D. 364-375) Valentinian I was proclaimed emperor
after the death of Jovian, and having named his brother Valens co-
emperor, he took the western portion of the empire for himself. He
had great success against the invading Germans, and Gaul was secure
for many years thereafter. He was a very cruel emperor and often
had unexplainable fits of rage, one of which resulted in a burst
blood vessel and death.
- Valens (A.D. 364-378) Co-emperor with older brother Valentinian I.
They divided the empire into the eastern half; from the lower
Danube to the Persian border under Valens and the Western half;
from Caledonia to northwest Africa under Valentinian I. Valens
spent much of his reign campaigning against the Goths on the Danube
and the Persians in the East. He was killed along with most of the
Roman army by the Goths in the Battle of Adrianople.
- Constantine "The Great" (A.D. 307-337) The accomplishments of
Constantine are too numerous to mention in a few words, except to
say that he changed the course of history by adopting Christianity
and moving the Roman capital to Constantinople. He was greatly
honored by subsequent rulers who issued many commemorative coins
with his image.
- Constans (A.D. 337-350) Constans became the ruler of the western
half of the empire after the death of Constantine "The Great" and
had considerable success against the barbarians. He was eventually
deposed by the forces of his brother Constantius II and lost both
his territory and his life.
- Constantius II (A.D. 337-361) Constantius was the second son of
Constantine "The Great" and Faustina. In the bitter struggle for
power with his two brothers Constans and Constantine II following
the death of their father, he eventually emerged the victor and
became sole ruler of the empire for eleven more years.
- Julian II "The Apostate" (A.D. 360-363) Julian II was the last
pagan Roman emperor. He was an intelligent, cultured, born leader
who tried in earnest to return the Roman Empire to its former
glory. He might well have succeeded if he hadn't been killed in a
battle with the Persians at the age of 33.
- Valentinian II (A.D. 375-392) Valentinian II was only four years
old when he was proclaimed emperor upon the death of his father
Valentinian I. However, the real power of his throne was held by
the Frankish general Arbogastes. At the age of 21, when
Valentinian tried to have the general removed, he was strangled to
death in his palace at Vienna.
- Theodosius "The Great" (A.D.379-395) Theodosius "The Great" was
one of the formost generals in the Roman army and became emperor
after the death of Valens. He spent most of his reign campaigning
against the Goths and various other usurpers. Eventually, he
extended his reign over the entire empire but then died five months
later of dropsy.
- Arcadius (A.D. 383-408) Son of Theodosius "The Great", he was left
in charge of the eastern part of the empire while his father waged
civil war in the west. When his father died suddenly in A.D.395,
he and his brother Honorius were left to rule the two halves of the
rapidly disintegrating empire. Arcadius died from a kick by a
horse in A.D.408, and two years later Rome was sacked by the Goths.
- Gratian (A.D. 367-383) Son of the great soldier-emperor
Valentinian I, Gratian was given the rank of Augustus at the age of
seven. He was reputedly a mild mannered, handsome and personable
young man who tried to rule with moderation and justice. It is
said that he preferred hunting to working with the government. He
was deposed in a military coup and murdered at the age of 23.
- Aurelian (A.D. 270-275) Aurelian was among the greatest of the
Roman Emperors. When he ascended the throne, the empire was
falling apart from internal revolt, barbarian invasion and rampant
inflation. Leading his army, he marched from one end of the empire
to the other, crushing all enemies to his cause. He even reformed
the coinage improving the quality and appearance.
POST CAESAR ROMAN EMPERORS
Emperor and Reign
- Nerva (A.D. 96-98)
- Trajan (A.D. 98-117)
- Hadrian (A.D. 117-138)
- Antoninus Pius (A.D. 138-161)
- Marcus Aurelius (A.D. 161-180)
- Lucius Verus (A.D. 161-169)
- Commodus (A.D. 177-192)
- Clodius Albinus (A.D. 193-195)
- Didius Julianus (A.D.193)
- Septimius Severus (A.D. 193-211)
- Geta (A.D. 198-209)
- Caracalla (A.D. 198-217)
- Macrinus (A.D. 217-218)
- Diadumenian (A.D. 218)
- Elagabalus (A.D. 218-222)
- Severus Alexander (A.D. 222-235)
- Maximinus I Thrax (A.D. 235-238)
- Balbinus (A.D. 238)
- Pupienus (A.D. 238)
- Gordian III (A.D. 238-244)
- Philip I "The Arab" (A.D. 244-249)
- Philip II (A.D. 247-249)
- Trajan Deicus (A.D. 249-251)
- Hostilian (A.D. 251)
- Herennius Etruscus (A.D. 249-251)
- Trebonianus Gallus (A.D. 251-253)
- Volusian (A.D. 251-253)
- Aemilian (A.D. 253)
- Valerian I (A.D. 253-260)
- Valerian II (A.D. 253-255)
- Gallienus (A.D. 253-268)
- Saloninus (A.D.255-259)
- Postumus (A.D. 259-268)
- Marius (A.D. 268)
- Claudius II Gothicus (A.D. 268-270)
- Victorinus (A.D. 268-270)
- Quintillus (A.D. 270)
- Tetricus I (A.D. 270-273)
- Tetricus II (A.D. 270-273)
- Aurelian (A.D. 270-275)
- Vabalathus (A.D. 271-272)
- Tacitus (A.D. 275-276)
- Probus (A.D. 276-282)
- Carus (A.D. 282-283)
- Numerian (A.D.283-284)
- Carinus (A.D. 283-285)
- Diocletian (A.D. 284-305)
- Maximianus (A.D. 286-310)
- Carausius (A.D. 287-293)
- Allectus (A.D. 293-296)
- Constantius I (A.D. 293-306)
- Galerius (A.D. 305-311)
- Severus II (A.D. 305-306)
- Maxentius (A.D. 306-312)
- Maximinus II (A.D. 309-313)
- Constantine "The Great" (A.D. 307-337)
- Licinius I (A.D. 308-324)
- Licinius II (A.D. 317-324)
- Crispus (A.D. 317-326)
- Constantine II (A.D. 317-337)
- Hanniballianus (A.D. 335-337)
- Delmatius (A.D. 335-337)
- Constans (A.D. 337-350)
- Constantius II (A.D. 337-361)
- Vetranio (A.D.350)
- Magnentius (A.D. 350-353)
- Decentius (A.D. 351-353)
- Constantius Gallus (A.D. 351-354)
- Julian II "The Apostate" (A.D. 360-363)
- Jovian (A.D. 363-364)
- Valentinian I (A.D. 364-375)
- Valens (A.D. 364-378)
- Gratian (A.D. 367-383)
- Valentinian II (A.D. 375-392)
- Theodosius the Great (A.D. 379-395)
- Magnus Maximus (A.D. 383-388)
- Flavius Victor (A.D. 387-388)
- Arcadius (A.D. 383-408)
- Eugenius (A.D. 392-394)
- Honorius (A.D. 393-423)
- Theodosius II (A.D. 402-450)
- Johannes (A.D. 423-425)
- Marcian (A.D. 450-457)
- Leo I (A.D. 457-474)
- Anthemius (A.D. 467-472)
Note: if you want to change something on the list here above, please let me know.
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