Roman Emperors

First Emperor, ruling 27BC to AD14

14-37. Son-in-law to the previous emperor.

37-41. A darling of the people who later suffered severe mental health issues, eventually ending in his assassination.

41-54. Uncle to the previous emperor. Invaded Britannia and introduced elephants to those inhabitants.

54-68. Forced to commit suicide after being named an enemy of the people. Enjoyed performing on the stage.

68-69. First of the emperors in the Year of the Four Emperors.

69. Committed suicide rather than take his armies into battle.

69. This emperor was known for his gluttony.

69-79. First of the Flavians. Started the construction of the Colosseum.

79-81. Mount Vesuvius erupted during his rein. The Colosseum was completed.

81-96. The last of the Flavians. A palace conspiracy led to his demise

96-98. Pax Roman at the start of its golden age.

98-117. Thought to have been the second best emperor. The Empire reached its greatest territorial extent during his reign.

117-138. Discontinued Roman expansionism. Known for a certain wall in the north of Britannia.

138-161. This Emperor had a very peaceful reign.

161-180. The first time that emperors shared power. This emperor was known for his meditations. The end of Pax Ramana.

161-169. The second emperor, sharing power with the previous emperor.

180-192. This emperor preferred Gladiatorial games to ruling a vast empire.

193. Did not have a chance to prove himself before being murdered by soldiers from the Praetorian Guard. The first emperor of the Year of the Six Emperors.

193. This senator had the most money to buy being emperor, when auctioned by the praetorian guards.

193-194. Strictly an usurper, but as this was Year of the Six Emperors so he is included here.

193-197. Helped the following Emperor to defeat the previous emperor.

193-211. Founded a more military leaning dynasty. Born in Africa, in Leptis Magna in modern day Libya.

211-217. Joint succession of two brothers. This brother murdered his younger brother.

211. Murdered by his older brother.

217-218. Murdered the sitting emperor in fear of his own life. The first emperor to not hail from the senatorial class, instead hailing from the Equestrian order, the second highest social class after the senators. Promoted his son Diadumenian to co-emperor in his second year.

218-222. Worshipped an Egyptian sun god.

222-235. The last of the Severan dynasty, murdered alongside his mother.

235-238. This emperor was the first commoner to become emperor. Rumoured to have been 8 feet 6 inches tall. As said, 235 marked the start of the Crises of the Third Century which saw many soldier (or barracks) emperors. Many of these emperors were murdered by soldiers from other legions. The crises would eventually end in 284.

238 was known as the Year of the Six Emperors.

238. The son of the previous emperor. He died in battle and ruled for just 22 days.

238. One of two senators that tried to fill the power vacuum following the deaths of the two emperors above. Neither senator trusted the other, and both were murdered by the Praetorian guard.

238. The second of the senators to jointly rule. Also murdered by the Preatorian guard,

238-244. The third of this short lived dynasty.

244-249.Born in modern day Syria. He celebrated Rome's first millennium. He was killed in battle against the next emperor.

249-251. Initially an usurper, killing the previous emperor. Died in battle with his son against the goths.

251. Son of the previous emperor. Died in battle alongside his father against the goths.

251-253. Made peace with the goths before claiming the emperor's chair.

251. The second son of the emperor that ruled from 249-251. Probably died of the plague.

251-253. The son of the emperor who ruled from 251-253. Murdered alongside his father by the next emperor.

253. Ruled for a month - his troops proclaimed him emperor, only to switch sides a month later.

253. It is not known for sure if this man was emperor as only two coins have been found with his name on. May have ruled for a short while.

253-260. A new dynasty brought some stability to the turbulent third century. He was captured live by the Persian emperor Shapur I, which sent shockwaves across the Roman Empire.

253-268. Initially co-emperor with his father, he would rule for 15 years before coming to a grizzly end. The Gallic Empire broke away from the Roman Empire during his reign.

260. Son of the previous emperor, ruling for approximately a month.

268-270. The second emperor to bear this name. He died from the plague, to be succeeded by his half-brother.

270. The half-brother of the previous emperor would only rule for a few weeks before being overthrown.

270-275. A successful soldier emperor defeating the Alamanni, Goths, Vandals, Juthlingi, Sarmatians and Carpi. He also reunited the Roman Empire by defeating the Palmyrene Empire in 273 and the Gallic Empire in 274. Despite this, he was assassinated by some of his own men.

275-276. The last emperor to be chosen by the senate. He ruled for six months.

276. Half-brother of the previous emperor.

276-282. A popular emperor who was assassinated by his own men.

282-283. Another short lived dynasty. This emperor may have been struck by lightning.

283-285. Son of the above.

283-284. Died by possibly inhaling toxic fumes.

284-305. One of two that retired in 305.

286-305. Second of two that retired in 305.

305-306. Father of one of the 'Greats'. Died in present day York.

305-311. This emperor was notorious for persecuting Christians.

306-307. Lost a civil war to the middle emperor.

306-312. Mainly had control of Italy and some of Africa.

306-308. The father of the previous emperor, who originally retired in 305.

307-308. First spell as Augustus.

308-310. His armies quickly abandoned him in Africa.

308-324. Started with three years in the west, and then 13 years in the east.

310-337. One of the Greats. reunified the whole empire only to split it up between three of his children on his death. Thought to have converted to Christianity on his death-bed!

310. His third spell, having ruled from 286-305 and 306-308.

310-313. Fought a civil war in the east and lost.

316-317. Lined up by the eastern emperor to be the western emperor only to be executed in a peace deal.

324. Another candidate lined up by the eastern emperor to be the western emperor only to be executed in a peace deal.

337-340. Ruled the western part of the empire. Fell out with his brother who held the central portion of the empire.

337-350. Quarrelled with his brother, and from 340 controlled the western half of the empire.

337-361. Started with the eastern provinces, but from 353 ruled the whole empire.

350. Actually retired and survived to die of natural causes.

350-353. Usurper who ruled for three years in the western half.

350. Ruled Rome for a short while.

361-363. The last non-Christian emperor.

363-364. The last emperor to rule the empire for the entirety of his reign. May have suffocated on poisonous fumes.

364-375. Ruled over both halves of the empire before making his brother eastern emperor.

375-383. The last emperor to try and invade Germanic tribes across Danube

383-388. Usurper who deposed the previous emperor.

388-392. The second emperor to bare this name.

392-394. Another usurper who ruled the west for two years.

395-423.Weak. Ineffective. Chaotic. Just some of the adjectives describing the twenty-eight year reign of this emperor. Politically incompetent, militarily inept, timid and passive, he faced constant bombardment from barbarian marauders, and during his reign Rome was sacked for the first time in eight hundred years.

407-411. Usurper who ruled in the west, with his son.

409-410. Alaric promoted his senator to emperor for a few months.

421. Was a successful general of the politically weak emperor (395-423), was co-emperor during 421 before he died.

423-425. The eastern emperor disliked this 'usurper'.

425-455. Dominated by Aetius for much of his rein.

455. Tried to flee the sack of Rome by the Vandals. Was captured by the mob and killed.

455-456. Was forced to abdicate by Ricimer.

456-461.Considered to be the last great emperor.

461-465. Not liked by many factions, including the eastern empire.

467-472. The last western emperor that held any real power. Was killed by the 'kingmaker' Ricimer.

472. Was not recognised by the eastern emperor. He died after a few months after ascending the throne.

473-474. Appointed by Gondobad. The eastern emperor did not recognise this man and sent his own nominee to depose him. Surrendered and became a monk.

474-475. The first of two spells as emperor.

475-476. Considered by many historians to be the last emperor. Was only 16 when he was deposed.

476-480. The eastern emperor conceded that the western empire was finished after the death of this man. Fled after his first spell as emperor to Split in modern day Croatia. He lived there for 5 years and was recognised as the legitimate western roman emperor. He was murdered in 480, when the eastern emperor formally dissolved the western half.

364-378. The younger brother of the western emperor.

365-366. Captured and executed by the legitimate emperor.

379-395. His two children each ruled half the empire on his death.

395-408. The oldest son of the previous emperor.

408-450. Dominated by his mother and governmental officials.

450-457. This emperor and his wife are recognised as a saints by the orthodox church.

457-474. This emperor sent a fleet to destroy the Vandals which ended in disaster, almost bankrupting the empire.

474. Son of the next emperor, and grandson of the previous emperor. Was sole emperor for 11 days, at the age of 6!

474-475. Two periods of rule. Father of the previous emperor.

475-476. Usurper. His son ruled with him.

476-491. Regained the throne. His reign was plagued by internal revolts.

491-518. Oldest emperor at the time of his death (88). Left the empire's finances in a good state, which would help later in regaining Italy, north Africa and Iberia.

518-527. This emperor started life as a peasant. He was elected as emperor (by paying his 'supporters')

527-565. The Eastern Roman Empire reached its greatest extent under this emperor, with the reconquest of Italy, North Africa and much of Iberia. He built many Christian churches including the Hagia Sophia. He also streamlined Roman law into the 'Corpus Juris Civilis'.

565-578. Nephew of the previous emperor.

578-582. This emperor was known for his generosity.

582-602. This emperor was also seen as able and tolerant at the start of his reign. Fiscal policies turned the populace against him. From 590 his son Theodosius was co-emperor.

602-610. Was a centurion in the army and not part of the Justinian dynasty. Initially a spokesmen for dissatisfied soldiers he led the revolt against the sitting emperor.

610-641. Overthrew the previous unpopular emperor.

641. Was crowned co-emperor at the age of 8 months! By the time he became sole emperor he was critically ill.

641. Another deposed emperor. Tiberius-David was his brother and junior emperor.

641-668. Was 11 when proclaimed emperor. Under his stewardship the eastern Romans withdrew from Egypt.

668-685. Defeated the first Arab siege of Constantinople.

685-695. More vindictive that his famous same named predecessor. Although deposed by a coup, he would serve a second term from 705.

695-698. Was imprisoned in 692 and on release led a rebellion against the emperor who had imprisoned him.

698-705. Evidence suggests this emperor was a 'conscientious and effective ruler' and may have become one of the greats had he ruled longer. He was executed with the previous emperor who had been deposed in 695.

705-711. Second term. More infamous than his namesake. He made his son co-emperor. He was only one at the time.

711-713. He took power in a coup against the unpopular emperor before him, and was deposed in a similarly violent manner nineteen months later.

713-715. This emperor dedicated his efforts to fortifying the Empire and fostering a period of stability.

715-717. A tax collector before becoming emperor.

717-741. This emperor stabilised the empire after 22 years of odd emperors belonging to no dynasty.

741-775. Was the fifth emperor too bear this name.

741-743. Rival to the previous emperor.

775-780. Died from tuberculosis leaving his nine year son as the next emperor.

780-797. Was blinded by his mother and later died of his injuries. His mother would be empress following this unfortunate man.

797-802. The first of the Empresses. 'of Athens.'

802-811. A short lived dynasty. This emperor died in an ambush by Bulgars led by Khum.

811. This emperor survived the ambush above but was severely wounded. He would only rule for two months before being replaced.

811-813. This emperor was the last to be overthrown by the military.

813-820. Ended the decade old war with the Bulgars.

820-829. General sentenced to execution by the previous emperor; instead he was proclaimed emperor by the assassins sent by that emperor.

829-842. This emperor was the second emperor of the Amorian dynasty and the last emperor to support iconoclasm.

842-867. This emperor was crowned co-emperor by his father when he was just five months old. His father died when he was only two years whence he became sole emperor! During his minority, the empire was governed by a regency headed by his mother Theodora, her uncle Sergios, and the eunuch Theoktistos.

867-886. This emperor was nicknamed "the Macedonian". He died in a hunting accident in 886, and was succeeded by his son.

886-912. This emperor was a prolific writer, and he produced works on many different topics and in many styles, including political orations, liturgical poems, and theological treatises. On many occasions he would personally deliver highly wrought and convoluted sermons in the churches of Constantinople.

912-913. This emperor has been depicted as lazy, lecherous, drunk, and malignant!

913-959. Most of his reign was dominated by co-regents: from 913 until 919 he was under the regency of his mother, while from 920 until 945 he shared the throne with a self-styled 'senior' emperor.

920-944. Was the 'senior' emperor over previous emperor. This emperor was deposed by his two sons, Stephen and Constantine, who in turn were side-lined by the previous emperor.

959-963. In November 959 this emperor succeeded his father on the throne.

963-969. This unfortunate emperor was described as ''...a monstrosity of a man, a pygmy, fat-headed and like a mole as to the smallness of his eyes; disgusting with his short, broad, thick, and half hoary beard; disgraced by a neck an inch long; very bristly through the length and thickness of his hair; in colour an Ethiopian; one whom it would not be pleasant to meet in the middle of the night; with extensive belly, lean of loin, very long of hip considering his short stature, small of shank, proportionate as to his heels and feet; clad in a garment costly but too old, and foul-smelling and faded through age; shod with Sicyonian shoes; bold of tongue, a fox by nature, in perjury, and lying a Ulysses''

969-976. Described as one of the eastern empire's most successful generals. He died suddenly and intrigue suggests he was poisoned.

976-1025. Psellos describes him as a stocky man of shorter-than-average stature who nevertheless was an impressive figure on horseback. He had light-blue eyes, strongly arched eyebrows, luxuriant side whiskers—which he had a habit of rolling between his fingers when deep in thought or angry—and in later life a scant beard.

1025-1028. This emperor displayed a lifelong lack of interest in politics, statecraft and the military, and during his brief sole reign the government of the Byzantine Empire suffered from mismanagement and neglect.

1028-1034. A well meaning but ineffective emperor!

1034-1041. When this emperor ascended the throne, he was suffering from epilepsy, a condition that continually worsened throughout his reign.

1041-1042. Banishing his adoptive mother led to the fall of this emperor.

1042. A brief reign before her husband acceded to the throne.

1042-1055. He was described by Michael Psellos as "a marvel of beauty that Nature brought into being in the person of this man, so justly proportioned, so harmoniously fashioned, that there was no one in our time to compare to him".

1055-1056. Despite fierce opposition ruled in her own right for 16 months. Was the final emperor of the Macedonian dynasty.

1056-1057. The previous empress proclaimed this man to be her successor on her deathbed.

1057-1059. This emperor was a passionate hunter with both the horse and the falcon, spending much time at a hunting lodge outside Constantinople. On a hunt he fell ill. As the fever lasted for several days, he feared he would die soon, and named named the following emperor as his successor on 22 November 1059. He agreed to resign and retire to a monastery, but then was to recover but by this time he had been side-lined.

1059-1067. Founder of the Doukan dynasty, he lost most of the remaining Italian territories.

1067. This female ruler is disputed by historians but she married the next emperor.

1068-1071. Was captured by the Seljuk Empire and later released, by which time he had been deposed.

1071-1078. Military defeats and underfunding led to revolts. He resigned and retired to a monastery.

1078-1081. This emperor spent large amounts of money on donatives for his army and supporters, which severely sapped the imperial treasury, and distributed many titles to them; he also donated generously to charities.

1081-1118. This emperor appealed to Western Europe for help against the Seljuk Turks. This was the catalyst that sparked the First Crusade.

1118-1143.This emperor has been described as ''a pious and dedicated monarch who was determined to undo the damage his empire had suffered following the Battle of Manzikert, half a century earlier''.

1143-1180. This emperor was the last Eastern Roman emperor to attempt reconquests in the western Mediterranean.

1180-1183. Regents held the real power. This poor emperor was strangled at the age of 14.

1183-1185. This emperor was brutally murdered. His son John was also murdered.

1185-1195. Heavily influenced by supporters, this emperor would have two reigns, the second as co-emperor with his son. The once powerful east roman navy had declined to just 30 galleys during his first reign.

1195-1203. A member of the extended imperial family, this emperor came to the throne after deposing, blinding and imprisoning his younger brother. The most significant event of his reign was the attack of the Fourth Crusade on Constantinople in 1203, on behalf of the next emperor.

1203-1204. This emperor is widely regarded as one of the worst Byzantine emperors for calling upon the Fourth Crusade to help him gain power, which ultimately led to the sack of Constantinople.

1203-1204. Co-ruled with his son. This was this emperor's second reign.

1204. The last emperor to rule Constantinople until 1261.

1205-1221. The first emperor to rule outside Constantinople, when the Latins captured the city. He ruled as Emperor of Nicaea.

1221-1254. The second emperor of Nicaea, successor state to the eastern Roman empire.

1254-1258. Died in 1258 to be succeeded by his son.

1258-1261. The last emperor of Nicaea before the recapture of Constantinople by the eastern Romans. He was deposed and blinded by his successor.

1259-1282. Joint rule with the previous emperor until 1261, when he regained Constantinople from the Latin Empire. His reign saw considerable recovery of Byzantine power, including the enlargement of the Byzantine army and navy. It also included the reconstruction of the city of Constantinople, and the increase of its population.

1282-1328. Last years of his reign were fighting his grandson, who would ultimately depose this emperor. Start of the decline and fall of the roman empire.

1294-1320. It is thought that this co-emperor died of grief at the accidental murder of his second son.

1328-1341.Under this emperor, the empire came closest to regaining a position of power in the Balkans and the Greek peninsula after the Fourth Crusade. The loss of a few imperial territories in Anatolia, however, left the Ottoman Turks poised to expand into Europe.

1341-1391. This emperor was eight when came to the throne. He ruled from 1341 to 1391, with interruptions. His long reign was marked by constant civil war, the spread of the Black Death and several military defeats to the Ottoman Turks, who rose as the dominant power of the region. Lost most of the territories outside Constantinople.

1347-1354. During this reign the eastern empire was impoverished, and was assailed by many enemies on all its borders.

1376-1379. Civil war with his father, an earlier emperor, continued to weaken the empire. The Ottomans invaded the Balkans during his reign.

1385-1390. Held the throne for 5 months in 1390. Also governor of Selymbria before his stint on the throne, and emperor of Thessalonica between 1403-1408.

1391-1425. This emperor continued his father's practice of soliciting Western European aid against the Ottomans, and personally visited several foreign courts to plead his cause.

1425-1448. This emperor was the eighth to bear this name and died at Constantinople in 1448, becoming the last reigning Byzantine emperor to die of natural causes.

1449-1453. This emperor died the day Constantinople fell. There were no known surviving eyewitnesses to the death of the emperor and none of his entourage survived to offer any credible account of his death. Later Greek historians accepted Critobulus's account, never doubting that emperor died as a hero and martyr. The last of the emperors, and the eleventh to hold that name. The end of 1500 years of the Roman Empire.