- After 27 BCE, although the Roman Republic continued in name, Roman Emperors concentrated all the power of the Roman State into themselves.
- Between 27 BCE and 476 CE, there were 77 Western Roman Emperors, of which 25 died of natural causes, 29 were executed, 10 were assassinated by the Praetorian Guard, 6 committed suicide, 5 died in battle, 1 was drowned and 1 died in captivity.
Julius Caesar (c.100-44 BCE)
- Julius Caesar is not considered to be one of the Roman Emperors.
- However, he did create the necessary conditions for the Office of Roman Emperor.
Why is the Roman Empire divided into two Periods - the Principate and the Dominate?
The Principate or Early Roman Empire (27 BCE – 284 CE)
Julio-Claudian Dynasty (27 BCE to 68 CE)
Year of the Four Emperors (68-9 CE)
Flavian Dynasty (69-96 CE)
The Five Good Emperors (96-180 CE)
- Nerva (96-98 CE), Trajan (98-117 CE), Hadrian (117-138 CE), Antoninus Pius (138-161 CE) and Marcus Aurelius (161-180 CE).
Nervo-Trajanic Dynasty (96-138 CE)
Antonine Dynasty (138-192 CE)
- Antoninus Pius (138-61 CE)
- Marcus Aurelius (161-80 CE)
- Lucius Verus (161-169 CE)
- Commodus (177-92 CE)
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (165 – 476 CE)
Year of the Five Emperors (193 CE)
- Pertinax (193 CE)
- Didius Julianus (193 CE)
- Pescennius Niger (193 CE)
- Clodius Albinus (193 CE)
- Septimius Severus (193-211 CE)
Severan Dynasty (193-235 CE)
- Septimius Severus (193-211 CE)
- Geta (209-211 CE)
- Caracalla (198-17 CE)
- Macrinus (217-18 CE) the first Equestrian to become Emperor.
- Diadumenianus (218 CE)
- Elagabalus (218-22 CE)
- Severus Alexander (222-235 CE)
The Crisis of the Third Century (235-284 CE)
- Also known as ‘The Military Anarchy’ or ‘The Imperial Crisis’.
- During this period the Praetorian Guard openly nominated or assassinated the Emperors.
- It forms part of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.
The Soldier Emperors (235-84 CE)
Year of the Six Emperors (238 CE)
- Maximinus Thrax (235-38 CE) or Maximinus I
- Gordian I (238 CE)
- Gordian II (his son) (238 CE) Balbinus (238 CE)
- Pupienus (238 CE)
- Gordian III (Grandson) (238-44 CE)
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- Philip the Arab (244-49 CE)
- Decius (249-51 CE) First of the Illyrian Emperors
- with his sons, Herennius Etruscus (251 CE) and Hostilian (251 CE)
- Trebonianus Gallus (251-253 CE) and Hostilian (251 CE)
- Aemilianus (253 CE)
- Valerian (253-260 CE)
- Gallienus 253-268 CE
The Empire breaks up
The Gallic Empire (260-74 CE)
- Postumus (260-69 CE)
- Laelianus (268 CE)
- Marcus Aurelius Marius (268-70 CE)
- Victorinus (268-70 CE)
- Domitianus II (271 CE)
- Tetricus I and Tetricus II (271-74 CE)
The Palmyrene Empire (c. 250-72 CE)
- Odaenathus (250-67 CE)
- Vaballathus (267-72 CE) and Zenobia (267-272 CE)
The Britannic Empire (286-97 CE)
The Empire starts to regroup
The Soldier Emperors (cont.)
- Claudius II Gothicus (268-70 CE)
- Quintillus (270 CE)
- Aurelian (270-75 CE)
- Marcus Claudius Tacitus (275-76 CE)
- Florianus (276 CE)
- Probus (276-82 CE)
- Carus (282-83 CE)
- Numerian (283-84 CE)
- Carinus (283-85 CE)
The Dominate or Late Roman Empire (284 – 476 CE)
The Roman Empire is reunited under Diocletian and then divided into East and West (284 – 324 CE)
- 284 CE This marks the end of The Principate or The Early Roman Empire.
- 284 CE Start of The Dominate, or The Late Roman Empire until 476 CE.
Diocletian, The Tetrarchy (284 – 305 CE)
- Diocletian, the Tetrarchy, the Diocletianic Persecution, the start of the end of the Praetorian Guard.
- Carausian Revolt (286-97 CE)
The Western Roman Empire
- Maximian (287-305 CE)
- Constantius I Chlorus (305-6 CE)
- Severus II (306-7 CE)
- Maxentius (306-12 CE)
- Constantine I (307-37 CE)
The Eastern Roman Empire
- Diocletian (284-305 CE)
- Galerius (305-11 CE)
- Maximinus Daia (309-13 CE)
- Licinius (308-24 CE)
The Empire is Reunited under the Constantine Dynasty (324-364 CE)
Constantine I (324 – 337 CE)
- The First Christian Emperor. The Praetorian Guard is finally disbanded.
Constantine Dynasty (306-63 CE)
- Constantine I (324-37 CE)
- Constantine II (337-40 CE)
- Constans (337-50 CE)
- Constantius II (337-61 CE)
- Magnetius (350-53 CE)
- Julian (361-63 CE)
- Jovian (363-64 CE)
The Empire is again divided into East and West (364-395 CE)
The Western Roman Empire
Valentinian Dynasty (364-395 CE)
- Valentinian I (364-75 CE)
- Gratian (375-83 CE)
- Magnus Maximus (383-388 CE)
- Valentinian II (375-92 CE)
- Eugenius (392-94 CE)
- Theodosius I (394-95 CE)
The Eastern Roman Empire
Theodosian Dynasty (379-457 CE)
- Valens (364-78 CE) (Valentinian Dynasty)
- Procopious (365-366 CE) (Usurper)
- Theodosius I (379-95 CE)
- Arcadius (383-408 CE)
The Permanent Division of the Eastern and Western Roman Empire (395 CE)
- After the death of Theodosius I (395 CE)
The Western Roman Empire (395 CE-476 CE)
- Honorius (393-423 CE)
- Constantine III (407-411 CE)
- Constantius III (421 CE)
- Joannes (423-25 CE)
- Valentinian III (425-55 CE)
- Petronius Maximus (455 CE)
- Avitus (455-56 CE)
- Majorian (457-61 CE)
- Severus III (461-65 CE)
- Anthemius (467-72 CE)
- Olybrius (472 CE)
- Glycerius (473-74 CE)
- Julius Nepos (474-75 CE or June 480 CE)
- Romulus Augustus (475 CE – 4 September 476 CE)
The Eastern Roman Emperors also known as The Byzantine Empire (395-1453 CE)
Theodosian Dynasty- Arcadius (383-408 CE)
- Theodosius II (402-50 CE)
- Marcian (450-57 CE)
- Leo I (457-74 CE)
- Leo II (474-74 CE)
- Basiliscus (475-476 CE)
- Zeno (Emperor) (474-91 CE)
- Anastasius I (491-518 CE)
- Justin I (518-527 CE)
- Justinian I (527-565 CE)
- Justin II (565-578 CE)
- Tiberius II Constantine (578-582 CE)
- Maurice (582-602 CE)
Usurper
- Phocas (23 Nov 602 – 5 Oct 610 CE)
Heraclian Dynasty
- Heraclius (5 Oct 610 – 11 Feb 641 CE)
- Rise of the Rashidun Caliphate (642-661 CE)
- Constantine III (11 Feb 641 – 25 May 641 CE)
- Heraklonas (11 Feb 641 – Sept 641 CE)
- Constans II (Sept 641 – 15 July 668 CE)
- Collapse of the Sassanid Empire to the Rashidun Caliphate in 651 CE.
- Constantine IV (Sep 668 – 10 July 685 CE)
- Justinian II (10 July 685 – 695 and 705 ~ 4 Nov 711 CE)