Roman Emperors
Stephen Corbitt
Academic Team
2011
Early Emperors
• Octavian: 27 BC to 14 AD. Adopted son of Julius Caesar. Ruled
for 41 years (longest rule). Became known as Caesar Augustus.
Ruled at time of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. Part of second
triumvirate with Marc Antony and Lepidus. After Caesar’s death
he fought in a civil war against Antony and was crowned first
emperor after victory. Began Pax Romana.
• Tiberius: 14 to 37. Born in Rome. Married to Octavian’s
daughter. Brilliant general, led campaigns across Europe. Very
somber and reclusive. Jesus of Nazareth was crucified drying his
reign.
• Caligula: 37 to 41. Very popular, but fell ill and suffered
paranoia. Had many family members banished. Tried to make his
horse a consul. Eventually assassinated.
69 AD: Year of the 4 Emperors
• Nero: 54-68. Considered insane. Killed his own mother.
Unpopular with rich, popular with poor. Accused of causing fire
in 64. Persecuted Christians. Forced Seneca to commit suicide.
Built fire in area burnt down by fire.
• Galba
• Otho
• Vitellius
• Vespasian: 69-79. Beginning of the Flavian Dynasty. Built
Flavian Amphitheatre (Coliseum). Ruled during Judean revolts.
Flavian Dynasty
• Titus: 79-81. First son of Vespasian. Good
general. Crushed Judean revolt. Ruled
effectively during Vesuvius disaster.
• Domitian: 81-96. Second son of Vespasian,
supposedly involved in Titus’s death. Terrible
general, bad for economy. Devalued Roman
money. Stabbed 8 times.
Five Good Emperors
• Nerva: 96-98. Elected by Senate. Choose heir based on
capabilites, not heredity.
• Trajan: 98-117. Great general. Brought empire to its largest by
conquering Dacia (built Trajan’s Column in commemoration),
Armenia, Sinai, and Mesopotamia.
• Hadrian: 117-138. Stoic and philosophic. Built Hadrian’s Wall
and the Pantheon. Very popular. Realized empire was too large
and withdrew from a few provinces.
• Antonius Pius: 138-161. Longest reign since Augustus. Very
Popular.
• Marcus Aurelius: 161-177. Last of the Five Good Emperors.
Wrote philosophy, Meditations. Fought campaigns against
Germanic tribes along the Rhine.
The Tetrarchy
• Diocletian: 284-305. Secured throne after
Battle of Margus. Created tetrarchy, where
the empire was spilt in half, and each side
was ruled by an emperor and his deputy.
Led the empire’s last and largest Christian
persecution.
• In 313 A.D. Tetrarchy ends, Constantine
left in West, Licinius in East
• Constantine: 324-337. Fought many civil
wars until his rule was undisputed. Saw
cross in the sky at Milvian Bridge in 312.
Had his mother Helena build churches at
important Christian sites. Edict of Milan
allowed religious tolerance.
Nearing the End
• Theodosius I: 379-395. Last emperor to rule both halves of the empire
as a whole. Made Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire.
Led many military campaigns against the Goths.
• Honorius: 395-423. Son of Theodosius. Decided to abandon Britain,
leaving citizens there to fend for themselves against the Celts, Saxons,
and others. Left the Western Roman Empire in a state of decay and on
the verge of collapse.
• Romulus Augustulus: 461-479. Last emperor of the Western Empire.
Dethroned by Odoacer. Dark Ages soon began.