Roman Emperors
The first emperor of Rome (in the modern sense) was Octavian Augustus. After his victory over Mark Antony and his return from Egypt, he held a triumph and, on January 13, 27 BCE, he relinquished his extraordinary powers before the Senate and announced the restoration of the Republic. However, he retained command of 75 legions and adopted the title of "emperor" as a permanent praenomen.
List of Emperors
Julia-Claudia
- Octavian Augustus, Latin Gaius Iulius Caesar Octavianus (January 16, 27 BCE – August 19, 14 CE)
- Tiberius, Latin Tiberius Iulius Caesar Augustus (August 19, 14 CE – March 16, 37 CE)
- Caligula, Latin Gaius Iulius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (March 18, 37 CE – January 24, 41 CE; Caesar and heir of Tiberius since 31 CE; assassinated by conspirators led by Cassius Chaerea)
- Claudius, Latin Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (January 24, 41 CE – October 13, 54 CE; poisoned by his wife Agrippina the Younger)
- Nero, Latin Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus (October 13, 54 CE – June 9, 68 CE; committed suicide after losing power to Galba)
- Macer, Latin Lucius Clodius Macer (Spring – Autumn 68 CE, killed)
First Interregnum (Year of the Four Emperors)
- Galba, Latin Servius Galba Imperator Caesar Augustus (June 6, 68 CE – January 15, 69 CE, killed by Otho’s supporters)
- Otho, Latin Marcus Otho Caesar Augustus (January 15 – April 16, 69 CE, committed suicide after being defeated by Vitellius’ forces)
- Vitellius, Latin Aulus Vitellius Germanicus Augustus (April 17 – December 20, 69 CE, killed after being defeated by Vespasian's forces)
Flavians
- Vespasian, Latin Titus Flavius Caesar Vespasianus Augustus (July 1, 69 CE – June 24, 79 CE)
- Titus, Latin Titus Flavius Caesar Vespasianus Augustus (June 24, 79 CE – September 13, 81 CE; Caesar since 69 CE)
- Domitian, Latin Titus Flavius Caesar Domitianus Augustus (September 14, 81 CE – September 18, 96 CE; Caesar since 69 CE)
Antonines
- Nerva, Latin Marcus Cocceius Nerva Caesar Augustus (September 18, 96 CE – January 27, 98 CE)
- Trajan, Latin Caesar Nerva Traianus Augustus (January 28, 98 CE – August 8/9, 117 CE)
- Hadrian, Latin Caesar Publius Aelius Traianus Hadrianus Augustus (August 11, 117 CE – July 10, 138 CE)
- Antoninus Pius, Latin Caesar Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Augustus (July 10, 138 CE – March 7, 161 CE)
- Lucius Verus, Latin Caesar Lucius Aurelius Verus Augustus (March 7, 161 CE – March 169 CE, co-reigned with Marcus Aurelius)
- Marcus Aurelius, Latin Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus (March 7, 161 CE – March 169 CE, co-reigned with Lucius Verus; March 169 CE – March 17, 180 CE, sole rule; made his son Commodus co-emperor in 177 CE)
- Commodus, Latin Caesar Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus Augustus (March 17, 180 CE – December 31, 192 CE; co-emperor with Marcus Aurelius from 177 CE; strangled in a conspiracy by his servant Narcissus)
Second Interregnum (Year of the Five Emperors)
- Pertinax, Latin Caesar Publius Helvius Pertinax Augustus (January 1 – March 28, 193 CE, killed by the Praetorian Guard)
- Didius Julianus, Latin Caesar Marcus Didius Severus Iulianus Augustus (March 28 – June 1, 193 CE, deposed and sentenced to death by the Senate after Severus’ troops approached Rome)
- Pescennius Niger, Latin Gaius Pescennius Niger (193–194 CE in Syria and Egypt, killed)
- Clodius Albinus, Latin Decimus Clodius Septimius Albinus (196 – February 19, 197 CE in Britain and Spain; committed suicide after being defeated by Septimius Severus)
Severans
- Septimius Severus, Latin Caesar Lucius Septimius Severus Pertinax Augustus (April 9, 193 CE – February 4, 211 CE; made his son Caracalla co-emperor in 198 CE, and his son Geta in 209 CE)
- Caracalla, Latin Caesar Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus Pius Augustus (co-emperor with his father Septimius Severus from 198 CE; co-emperor with his brother Geta from February 4 – December 26, 211 CE; sole ruler from December 26, 211 – April 8, 217 CE; assassinated in a conspiracy led by Macrinus)
- Geta, Latin Caesar Publius Septimius Geta Augustus (co-emperor with his father Septimius Severus and brother Caracalla from 209 CE; co-emperor with his brother Caracalla from February 4 – December 26, 211 CE; killed by Caracalla)
- Macrinus, Latin Caesar Marcus Opellius Severus Macrinus Augustus (April 11, 217 CE – June 8, 218 CE, co-reigned with his son Diadumenian; killed after being defeated by Elagabalus’ forces)
- Diadumenian, Latin Marcus Opellius Antoninus Diadumenianus (co-reigned with his father Macrinus from April 11, 217 CE – June 8, 218 CE; fled after being defeated by Elagabalus’ forces, later killed)
- Elagabalus, Latin Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus (June 8, 218 CE – March 11, 222 CE, killed by the Praetorian Guard after his failed attempt to kill Alexander Severus)
- Alexander Severus, Latin Caesar Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander Augustus (March 13, 222 CE – March 19, 235 CE; killed alongside his mother Julia Mamaea by soldiers after Maximinus was proclaimed emperor)
This was followed by the Crisis of the Third Century, during which the Empire began to crumble. The most significant emperors after the crisis for Roman history include:
- Diocletian, Latin Caesar Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus Augustus (November 20, 284 CE – May 1, 305 CE)
- Constantine I the Great, Latin Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus (July 25, 306 CE – October 29, 312 CE [Western Caesar]; October 29, 312 CE – September 19, 324 CE [Western Augustus]; September 19, 324 CE – May 22, 337 CE [sole emperor])
