Following the great civil wars of the first century BC, the ultimate victor of those wars, Octavian, was granted the
title of "Augustus" by the senate. This title was subsequently assumed by all his successors, and is the main title of the Roman emperors. In later years, junior emperors were sometimes appointed by the Augusti. The title granted
to these junior emperors was "Caesar". This title often (but by no means always) implied that the holder was the heir to the throne. Was it A Good Thing to be Roman emperor?
For the 147 emperors listed here, the cause of death breaks down as follows: Natural: 44 (including 2 of plague and 1 of an apoplectic fit).
The worst time to be emperor was the third century, when almost all the emperors were killed by their own troops or opposing Roman forces. It should be remembered that most of these men were proclaimed emperor by their
troops, whether they wanted it or not. They knew it was a death sentence. If they refused the "honour" they would be killed immediately. The emperor had the worst job in the world.
The Emperors in Chronological Order Column 1 - Name by which the emperor is usually known. Column 2 - Year in which the emperor was appointed the title "Caesar" (junior emperor)
Column 3 - Year in which emperor was appointed (or assumed) the title "Augustus" (senior emperor) Column 4 - Year in which the emperor's reign ended (usually, but not always, with death).
Column 5 - The Emperor's full name, followed in brackets by the number of coins.
Murdered: 53 (including 40 by their own troops, 1 by a mob)
Battle or capture and execution: 28
Suicide: 8
Hunting accident: 1
Lightning: 1
"Accidentally": 1
Unknown: 11
Name |
Caes |
Aug |
End |
Full Name |
|
Augustus |
27BC |
AD14 |
Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus |
||
14 |
37 |
Tiberius Claudius Nero (1) |
|||
Caligula |
37 |
41 |
Gaius Caesar |
||
41 |
54 |
Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero (2) |
|||
54 |
68 |
Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus (1) |
|||
Galba |
68 |
69 |
Servius Sulpicius Galba |
||
Otho |
69 |
69 |
Marcus Salvius Otho |
||
Vitellius |
69 |
69 |
Aulus Vitellius |
||
69 |
79 |
Titus Flavius Vespasianus (2) |
|||
Titus |
79 |
81 |
Titus Flavius Vespasianus Sabinus |
||
81 |
96 |
Titus Flavius Domitianus (2) |
|||
96 |
98 |
Marcus Cocceius Nerva (1) |
|||
98 |
117 |
Marcus Ulpius Traianus (2) |
|||
117 |
138 |
Publius Aelius Hadrianus (2) |
|||
Aelius (Caesar) |
138 |
138 |
Lucius Aelius |
||
138 |
161 |
Titus Aurelius Fulvius Boinonius Arrius Antoninus (2) |
|||
161 |
180 |
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (3) |
|||
161 |
169 |
Lucius Aurelius Verus (1) |
|||
177 |
192 |
Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus (1) |
|||
Pertinax |
193 |
193 |
Publius Helvius Pertinax |
||
Didius Julianus |
193 |
193 |
Marcus Didius Julianus |
||
Pescennius Niger |
193 |
194 |
Gaius Pescennius Niger |
||
Clodius Albinus |
193 |
195 |
197 |
Decius Clodius Septimius Albinus |
|
193 |
211 |
Lucius Septimius Severus (5) |
|||
196 |
198 |
217 |
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (4) |
||
198 |
209 |
212 |
Publius Septimius Geta (1) |
||
Macrinus |
217 |
218 |
Marcus Opellius Macrinus |
||
Diadumenian (Caesar) |
218 |
218 |
Marcus Opellius Antoninus Diadumenianus |
||
218 |
222 |
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (3) |
|||
221 |
222 |
235 |
Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander (1) |
||
235 |
238 |
Gaius Julius Verus Maximianus (2) |
|||
Maximus (Caesar) |
235 |
238 |
Gaius Julius Verus Maximus |
||
Gordian I "Africanus" |
238 |
238 |
Marcus Antonius Gordianus |
||
Gordian II "Africanus" |
238 |
238 |
Marcus Antonius Gordianus |
||
Pupienus |
238 |
238 |
Marcus Clodius Pupienus Maximus |
||
Balbinus |
238 |
238 |
Decius Caelius Antonius Balbinus |
||
238 |
244 |
Marcus Antonius Gordianus (2) |
|||
244 |
249 |
Marcus Julius Philippus (2) |
|||
244 |
247 |
249 |
Marcus Julius Philippus (2) |
||
Jotapian |
248 |
248 |
Marcus Fulvius Rufus Iotapianus |
Usurper in the East |
|
Pacatian |
248 |
248 |
Tiberius Claudius Marinus Pacatianus |
Usurper in the East |
|
Silbannacus |
248 |
248 |
Marcus Silbannacus |
Usurper |
|
249 |
251 |
Gaius Messius Quintus Traianus Decius (1) |
|||
250 |
251 |
251 |
Quintus Herennius Etruscus Messius Decius (2) |
||
Hostilian |
251 |
251 |
251 |
Gaius Valens Hostilianus Messius Quintus |
|
251 |
253 |
Gaius Vibius Trebonianus Gallus (1) |
|||
251 |
253 |
Gaius Vibius Afinius Gallus Vendumnianus Volusianus (1) |
|||
Aemilian |
253 |
253 |
Marcus Aemilius Aemilianus |
||
Uranius Antoninus |
253 |
253 |
Lucius Julius Aurelius Sulpicius Uranius Antoninus |
Usurper |
|
253 |
260 |
Publius Licinius Valerianus (3) |
|||
253 |
268 |
Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus (8) |
|||
253 |
255 |
Publius Cornelius Licinius Valerianus (1) |
|||
255 |
259 |
260 |
Publius Licinius Cornelius Saloninus Valerianus (1) |
||
260 |
269 |
Marcus Cassianius Latinius Postumus (1) |
Gallic Emperor |
||
Regalian |
260 |
260 |
Publius Caius Regalianus |
Usurper in the East |
|
Ingenuus |
260 |
260 |
Ingenuus |
Usurper |
|
Macrianus |
260 |
261 |
Fulvius Junius Macrianus |
Usurper in the East |
|
Quietus |
260 |
261 |
Fulvius Junius Quietus |
Usurper in the East |
|
268 |
270 |
Marcus Aurelius Claudius Gothicus (5) |
|||
Domitianus |
268 |
268 |
Domitianus |
Usurper |
|
Laelian |
269 |
269 |
Ulpius Cornelius Laelianus |
Gallic Emperor |
|
Marius |
269 |
269 |
Marcus Aurelius Marius |
Gallic Emperor |
|
269 |
270 |
Marcus Piavonius Victorinus (2) |
Gallic Emperor |
||
270 |
270 |
Marcus Aurelius Claudius Quintillus (1) |
|||
270 |
274 |
Gaius Pius Esuvius Tetricus (2) |
Gallic Emperor |
||
270 |
274 |
Gaius Pius Esuvius Tetricus (1) |
Gallic Emperor |
||
270 |
275 |
Lucius Domitius Aurelianus (3) |
|||
Vabalathus |
271 |
272 |
Vabalathus |
Usurper in Palmyra |
|
275 |
276 |
Marcus Claudius Tacitus (1) |
|||
276 |
276 |
Marcus Annius Florianus (1) |
|||
276 |
282 |
Marcus Aurelius Probus (8) |
|||
Saturninus |
280 |
280 |
Sextus Julius Saturninus |
Usurper |
|
Proculus |
280 |
280 |
Proculus |
Usurper |
|
Bonosus |
280 |
280 |
Bonosus |
Usurper |
|
282 |
283 |
Marcus Aurelius Carus (1) |
|||
282 |
283 |
284 |
Marcus Aurelius Carinus (2) |
||
282 |
283 |
284 |
Marcus Aurelius Numerianus (2) |
||
Julian I |
284 |
285 |
Marcus Aurelius Julianus |
Usurper in Pannonia |
|
284 |
305 |
Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus (2) |
|||
Aelianus |
285 |
286 |
Aelianus |
Usurper |
|
Amandus |
285 |
286 |
Amandus |
Usurper |
|
286 |
305 |
Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus (2) |
|||
2nd reign |
306 |
308 |
|||
3rd reign |
310 |
310 |
|||
286 |
293 |
Marcus Aurelius Mausaeus Carausius (2) |
Usurper in Britain |
||
293 |
296 |
Allectus (1) |
Usurper in Britain |
||
293 |
305 |
306 |
Flavius Valerius Constantius (2) |
||
293 |
305 |
311 |
Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus (1) |
||
Domitius Domitianus |
296 |
297 |
Lucius Domitius Domitianus |
Usurper in the East |
|
305 |
308 |
313 |
Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximinus (2) |
||
Severus II |
305 |
306 |
307 |
Flavius Valerius Severus |
|
306 |
307 |
337 |
Flavius Valerius Constantinus (10) |
||
306 |
312 |
Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maxentius (1) |
|||
Alexander |
308 |
308 |
Lucius Domitius Alexander |
Usurper |
|
308 |
324 |
Valerius Licinianus Licinius (3) |
|||
Valerius Valens |
316 |
316 |
Valerius Valens |
||
317 |
324 |
Valerius Licinianus Licinius (2) |
|||
317 |
326 |
Flavius Julius Crispus (1) |
|||
317 |
337 |
340 |
Flavius Claudius Constantinus (3) |
||
Martinian |
324 |
324 |
Martinianus |
||
324 |
337 |
361 |
Flavius Julius Constantius (4) |
||
333 |
337 |
350 |
Flavius Julius Constans (6) |
||
335 |
337 |
Flavius Julius Delmatius (2) |
|||
Hanniballianus (Rex) |
335 |
337 |
Flavius Hanniballianus |
Rex |
|
350 |
350 |
Vetranio (1) |
Usurper |
||
Nepotian |
350 |
350 |
Flavius Julius Popilius Nepotianus Constantinus |
Usurper |
|
350 |
353 |
Flavius Magnus Magnentius (2) |
Usurper in the West |
||
351 |
353 |
Magnus Decentius (1) |
|||
351 |
354 |
Flavius Claudius Constantius Gallus (1) |
|||
355 |
361 |
363 |
Flavius Claudius Julianus (2) |
||
363 |
364 |
Flavius Jovianus (1) |
|||
364 |
375 |
Flavius Valentinianus (2) |
Western Emperor |
||
364 |
378 |
Flavius Valens (3) |
Eastern Emperor |
||
365 |
366 |
Procopius (1) |
Eastern Emperor |
||
367 |
383 |
Flavius Gratianus (2) |
Western Emperor |
||
375 |
385 |
Flavius Valentinianus (2) |
Western Emperor |
||
379 |
395 |
Flavius Theodosius (2) |
|||
383 |
388 |
Magnus Clemens Maximus (2) |
Usurper in the West |
||
383 |
408 |
Flavius Arcadius (2) |
Eastern Emperor |
||
Flavius Victor |
387 |
388 |
Flavius Victor |
Western Emperor |
|
Eugenius |
392 |
394 |
Eugenius |
Western Emperor |
|
393 |
423 |
Flavius Honorius (2) |
Western Emperor |
||
402 |
450 |
Flavius Theodosius (2) |
Eastern Emperor |
||
Constantine III |
407 |
411 |
Flavius Claudius Constantinus |
Usurper in Britain |
|
Constans II |
408 |
411 |
Constans |
Son of Constantine III |
|
Maximus |
409 |
411 |
Maximus |
Puppet of Gerontius |
|
Priscus Attalus |
409 |
410 |
Priscus Attalus |
First Reign |
|
Jovinus |
411 |
413 |
Jovinus |
Puppet of Guntiarius the Gaul |
|
Sebastianus |
411 |
413 |
Sebastianus |
Brother of Jovinus |
|
Pulcheria (empress) |
414 |
416 |
Pulcheria |
Eastern Empress |
|
Priscus Attalus |
414 |
415 |
Priscus Attalus |
Second Reign |
|
Constantius III |
421 |
421 |
Flavius Constantius |
Western Emperor |
|
Johannes |
423 |
425 |
Johannes |
Western Emperor |
|
Valentinian III |
425 |
455 |
Placidius Valentinianus |
Western Emperor |
|
450 |
457 |
Flavius Valerius Marcianus (1) |
Eastern Emperor |
||
Petronius Maximus |
455 |
455 |
Flavius Anicius Petronius Maximus |
Western Emperor |
|
Avitus |
455 |
456 |
Marcus Maecilius Flavius Eparchius Avitus |
Western Emperor |
|
457 |
474 |
Flavius Valerius Leo (1) |
Eastern Emperor |
||
Majorian |
457 |
461 |
Flavius Julius Valerianus Majorianus |
Western Emperor |
|
Libius Severus |
461 |
465 |
Libius Severus |
Western Emperor |
|
Anthemius |
467 |
472 |
Procopius Anthemius |
Western Emperor |
|
Olybrius |
472 |
472 |
Anicius Olybrius |
Western Emperor |
|
Glycerius |
473 |
474 |
Flavius Glycerius |
Western Emperor |
|
Leo II |
473 |
474 |
Leo |
Eastern Emperor |
|
Zeno |
474 |
491 |
Zeno |
Eastern Emperor |
|
Julius Nepos |
474 |
475 |
Julius Nepos |
Western Emperor |
|
Basiliscus |
475 |
476 |
Basiliscus |
Eastern Emperor |
|
Romulus "Augustulus" |
475 |
476 |
Romulus Augustus |
Western Emperor |
|
Leontius |
484 |
488 |
Leontius |
Byzantine Emperor |
|
491 |
518 |
Anastasius (1) |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |