Roman Emperors
Julio-Claudian Emperors (27 BC-AD 68)
All were members of the family of Julius Caesar. Augustus and Claudius had a record of achievement, administrative reforms, public works, and territorial expansion. Tiberius was able, but disliked. Caligula and Nero were brutal tyrants. Caligula may have been insane. Dynasty ended with Nero's suicide and rebellion by the army.
27 BC	Augustus	AD 41	Claudius I
AD 14	Tiberius I	AD 54	Nero
AD 37	Gaius Caesar (Caligula)
Year of the Four Emperors (AD 69)
AD 69	Galba (ruled AD 68-69); Otho, Vitellius, Vespasianus
The Flavians (AD 69-96)
Ended the rebellion begun in Nero's day. Tried to return to reduce size of imperial court and strengthen the Senate. Domitian was a tyrant who killed his political enemies and, in turn, was murdered by them.
AD 69	Vespasianus	AD 81	Domitianus
AD 79	Titus
The Antonines (AD 96-192)
Sometimes called the period of the "Five Good Emperors," or the "Adoptive Emperors." Rome had five able emperors in a row as emperors abandoned the practice of choosing members of their family to succeed them. Instead, new emperors were chosen for their ability and competence and adopted as sons by the previous emperor. Rome reached the peak of its power and prosperity during this period (the Pax Romana). The period came to an end when Marcus Aurelius broke with the pattern of adoption and chose his own incompetent son, Commodus, to succeed him.
AD 96	Nerva	AD 161	Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus
AD 98	Trajanus	AD 169	Marcus Aurelius (alone)
AD 117	Hadrianus	AD 180	Commodus
AD 138	Antoninus Pius
AD 193	Pertinax; Julianus I
The Severi (AD 193-235)
After a brief period of civil war, the African general Septimius Severus established his control. He established a family dynasty. The Severi varied in quality, some good, some bad. Increasingly the Severi lost control of the army and each was assassinated by mutinous army troops.
AD 193	Septimius Severus	AD 217	Macrinus
AD 211	Caracalla and Geta	AD 218	Elagabalus (Heliogabalus)
AD 212	Caracalla (alone)	AD 222	Alexander Severus
The Barracks Emperors (AD 235-284)
A time of almost constant civil war and constant upheaval in politics. Most of the emperors were generals who seized power by force and violence. The period is part of the "Crisis of the Third Century."
AD 235	Maximinus I (the Thracian)	AD 268	Claudius Gothicus
AD 238	Gordianus I and Gordianus II; Pupienus and Balbinus	AD 270	Quintillus
AD 238	Gordianus III	AD 270	Aurelianus
AD 244	Philippus (the Arabian)	AD 275	Tacitus
AD 249	Decius	AD 276	Florianus
AD 251	Gallus and Volusianus	AD 276	Probus
AD 253	Aemilianus	AD 282	Carus
AD 253	Valerianus and Gallienus	AD 283	Carinus and Numerianus
AD 258	Gallienus (alone)
The Tetrarchy (AD 284-364)
A time of reform when Emperors were able to stop the general decline of Roman government. Effective control was reestablished by Diocletian, who divided the Empire into four administrative districts ruled by himself, a co-emperor, and two "caesars." Ended with the permanent division of the Empire.
AD 284	Diocletianus	AD 314	Constantinus I and Licinius
AD 286	Diocletianus and Maximianus	AD 324	Constantinus I (the Great)
AD 305	Galerius and Constantius I	AD 337	Constantinus II, Constans I, Constantius II
AD 306	Galerius, Maximinus II, Severus I	AD 340	Constantius II and Constans I
AD 307	Galerius, MaximinusII, Constantinus I, Licinius,Maxentius	AD 350	Constantius II
AD 311	Maximinus II, Constantinus I, Licinius, Maxentius	AD 361	Julianus II (the Apostate)
AD 314	Maximinus II, Constantinus I, Licinius	AD 363	Jovianus
The Divided Empire
The Western Roman Empire		The Eastern Roman Empire
AD 364	Valentinianus I	AD 364	Valens
AD 367	Valentinianus I with Gratianus
AD 375	Gratianus with Valentinianus II	AD 378	Theodosius I
AD 383	Valentinianus II )
AD 394	Theodosius I Ruled both halves Empires	AD 394	Theodosius I Ruled both Empires
AD 395	Honorius	AD 395	Arcadius
AD 423	Valentinianus III	AD 408	Theodosius II
AD 455	Maximus , Avitus	AD 450	Marcianus
AD 456	Avitus
AD 457	Majorianus	AD 457	Leo I
AD 461	Severus II
AD 467	Anthemius
AD 472	Olybrius
AD 473	Glycerius
AD 474	Julius Nepos	AD 474	Leo II
AD 475	Romulus Augustulus	AD 475	Zeno.
AD 476	End of the Western Roman Empire.		The Eastern Roman Empire continued to exist as the Byzantine Empire until AD 1453.