History, Facts and
Information
The list contains
the names, dynasties and historic eras of all the Roman
Emperors. The list is definitive and includes all of the
usurpers. The following details outline important dates and
events which help when searching the list of Roman Emperors:
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The period of the Roman
Republic lasted 509 BC – 27 BC, ending with death of Julius Caesar,
the Dictator
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The first Roman Emperor was
Augustus Caesar and his marked the beginning of the Roman Empire
from 27 BC - AD 476
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In 285 the Roman Empire was
split in half by Diocletian - The Western Roman Empire and the other
half became known as the Eastern Roman Empire or the Byzantine
Empire
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The Western Roman Empire ended
officially with the abdication of Romulus Augustus on 4 September
476. Historically, his reign has been used to mark the fall of Rome
and the onset of the Dark Ages and this is where the List of Roman
Emperors ends
Julian-Claudian Dynasty - 27 BC to AD 68
The Julian-Claudian Dynasty
27 BC to AD 68. This dynasty is known as the Julio-Claudians
because its Emperors belonged to the patrician families
called the Julii and the Claudii. Some of the most famous of
all of the emperors belonged to this dynasty including the
first Roman Emperor, Augustus Caesar who was followed by
Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero.
The Year of the Four Emperors 68 - 69 AD
The Year of the Four
Emperors 68 - 69 AD and the beginning of the Flavian
Dynasty. Following the suicide of Nero there was a brief
period of civil war in Rome which resulted in the Year of
the Four Emperors which saw the successive rise and fall of
Galba, Otho and Vitellius until the final accession of
Vespasian who became the first ruler of the Flavian Dynasty.
Flavian Dynasty 69AD - 96AD
The Flavian Dynasty 69AD -
96AD. Vespasian who became the first ruler of the Flavian
Dynasty followed by Titus and Domitian. Vespasian and his
son Titus built the Roman Colosseum.
Five Good Emperors & Nervan / Antonine Dynasty (96–192)
The Five Good Emperors and
the Nervan / Antonine Dynasty (96–192). The Five Good
Emperors were Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and
Marcus Aurelius. The Five Good Emperors were so named by the
political philosopher, Niccolo Machiavelli who gave them
this name in 1503 due to their good government and the
respect given to them by the people of Rome. The Nervan and
Antonine dynasty consisted of the "Five Good Emperors" (Nerva,
Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius)
together with Lucius Verus, who ruled jointly with Marcus
Aurelius, and Commodus the son of Marcus Aurelius.
Year of the Five Emperors (192 - 193)
The Year of the Five
Emperors (192 - 193). Following the murder of Commodus Rome
saw a year of turmoil and chaos in Rome. Pertinax becomes
emperor but is murdered by angry soldiers. The empire is then sold to Didius Julianus who is soon ousted and Pescennius Niger is proclaimed emperor in
Syria. Septimius Severus then marches on Rome and disarms
the Praetorian Guard which resulted in Claudius Albinus being
recognized as Caesar. He loses the power struggle with
Septimius Severus who is proclaimed Emperor and begins the
Severan Dynasty.
Severan Dynasty - (193 - 235)
The Severan dynasty (193 -
235). Septimius Severus began the Severan Dynasty which
included Septimius Severus, Caracalla, Geta, Macrinus,
Diadumenian (son of Macrinus), Elagabalus and Alexander
Severus. The Severan Dynasty marked the end of Pax Romana
(Roman peace) and ended the practice of choosing heirs based on ability rather than lineage or civil war.
Crisis of the Third Century (235 - 284)
The Crisis of the Third
Century was the period in Roman history following the death
of Alexander Severus when Rome entered into the era of
Military Anarchy commonly known as the Crisis of the Third
Century. During the Crisis of the Third Century not one
single Emperor died of natural causes. Revolts sprung up in
virtually all of the provinces and ambitious men struggled
for power. During the crisis there were civil wars, street
fights between the citizens of Rome and soldiers of the
imperial guard, fierce foreign enemies, plagues,
famines, fire and earthquakes.
Year of the Six Emperors (238)
The Year of the Six
Emperors (238) and the start of the Barracks Emperors. There
were six emperors in 238 AD and each of them were officially
recognized by the Roman Senate. Their names were Maximinus
Thrax, Gordian I, Gordian II, Balbinus, Pupienus and Gordian
III. By the end of the Year of the Six Emperors five had
died a violent and bloody death leaving the 13 year old
Gordian III as the sole Roman Emperor.
Barracks Emperors (238 - 268)
The "Barracks Emperors" (238
- 268) who were all military generals who seized power by
force. Taxation was high, the economy was failing and Roman
territories were being captured by barbarians and the Roman
government was unstable. The people of Rome were in despair.
The decline of Rome seemed almost inevitable. During this
uncertain era and violent environment the promise of an
afterlife seemed to be the only thing to hope for. And
people started to turn towards a new religion, Christianity.
Gallic Emperors (260 - 273)
The Gallic Emperors (260 -
273). The Gallic Empire is the name given to the independent
realm that existed for a brief period during the Crisis of
the Third Century. The Gallic Empire consisted of the
breakaway Roman provinces of Germany, Gaul, Britannia, Spain
and Portugal. Finally the emperor Aurelian sought to reunite
all the empire and marched against the Gallic empire.
Aurelian fought against the last of the Gallic emperors. He
was victorious and Tetricus and his son surrendered and the
Gallic territories were restored to the empire.
Illyrian Emperors (268 - 285)
The Illyrian Emperors (268
- 285). The "Illyrian emperors" is the name given to the
Roman emperors who governed the Roman Empire between 268 and
282. Illyria was a region in the western part of
today's Balkan Peninsula. The people for Illyria were renown
for their military prowess and they became an important
source of manpower for the Roman army. Because of their
military strength many of the emperors from this period came
from Illyria.
Roman Empire split Western and Eastern Roman Empire in 285AD
In 285 the Roman Empire was
split in half by Diocletian - The Western Roman Empire and the other
half became known as the Eastern Roman Empire or the Byzantine
Empire
Constantinian dynasty (285 - 364)
The Constantinian dynasty
(285 - 364) is named after its most famous Emperor,
Constantine I. The dynasty is also called Neo-Flavian
because every Constantinian emperor bore the name Flavius,
similarly to the rulers of the first Flavian dynasty in the
1st century. The Constantinian dynasty ruled from the rise
of Diocletian in 285 to the death of Julian the Apostate in
364.
Valentinian dynasty (364 - 394)
The Valentinian dynasty
(364 - 394) derives its name from the first of the dynasty's
Emperors - Valentinian I. Orthodox Christianity became the
officially tolerated variant of the faith and the Empire
became irrevocably split into two halves.
Western Empire (394 - 476)
The Western Empire (394 -
476) The Western Roman Empire ended
officially with the abdication of Romulus Augustus on 4 September
476. Historically, his reign has been used to mark the fall of Rome,
the Decline or Fall of the Roman Empire
and the onset of the Dark Ages. During this period the city of Rome
was sacked by the Visigoths in 410 and by the Vandals in 455
signalling the disintegration of Roman authority and the
Fall of the Roman Empire. This is where the List of Roman
Emperors ends.
Eastern Empire (Byzantine)
The Empire was to live on
in the east for many centuries although it was significantly
reduced in size. It became an essentially regional power
which was centered on Greece and Anatolia. This medieval
stage of the Roman Empire is referred to as the Byzantine
Empire. |
