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(Note that, contrary to popular belief, Julius Caesar was never Emperor ( princeps), although he was named dictator for life in 45 BC (but was not the first Roman to hold that title) and was regarded as such by Roman historians. On the other hand, the name Caesar became the family name of the first dynasty and was effectively treated as a title, a practice which continued throughout the Empire. Similarly, Suetonius wrote of The Twelve Caesars (including the Flavians) so some sense of continuity was evidently felt.)
For the worship of the Roman Emperor as a god, see imperial cult.
For a simplified list see: Concise List of Roman Emperors
italics: claimant who cannot be conisdered to have ruled or held power over part of the empire only
bold italics: nickname by which the individual is commonly known
| Reign | Common name | Personal name & Title at birth/ on eve of accession | Imperial name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
16 January 27 BC to 19 August AD 14Centuries: 1st century BC 1st century 2nd century Decades: 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC 0s BC 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s Years: 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Events First year of tianfeng era of the Chinese Xin Dynasty. Tiberius succeeds his stepfather Augustus
| Augustus
| GAIVS OCTAVIANVS | IMPERATOR CAESAR DIVI FILIVS IMPERATOR CAESAR DIVI FILIVS AVGVSTVS
| 12Centuries: 2nd century BC 1st century BC 1st century Decades: 60s BC 50s BC 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s Years: 17 BC 16 BC 15 BC 14 BC 13 BC 12 BC 11 BC 10 BC 9 BC 8 BC 7 BC Events Comet Halley makes an appearance Births Marcus ValeriusBC: Pontifex Maximus
| |
19 August 14Centuries: 1st century BC 1st century 2nd century Decades: 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC 0s BC 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s Years: 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Events First year of tianfeng era of the Chinese Xin Dynasty. Tiberius succeeds his stepfather Augustus to 16 March 37
| Tiberius
| TIBERIVS CLAVDIVS NERO | TIBERIVS IVLIVS CAESAR TIBERIVS CAESAR AVGVSTVS
| AD 15: Pontifex Maximus
| |
18 March 37 to 24 January 41
| Caligula
| GAIVS IVLIVS CAESAR GERMANICVS | GAIVS CAESAR AVGVSTVS GERMANICVS CALIGVLA GAIVS CAESAR AVGVSTVS GERMANICVS
| Nickname Caligula, (Little-boots); AD37: Pontifex Maximus, Pater Patriae; | Assassinated |
24 January 41 to 13 October 54
| Claudius
| TIBERIVS CLAVDIVS DRVSVS | TIBERIVS CLAVDIVS DRVSVS NERO GERMANICVS TIBERIVS CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVGVSTVS GERMANICVS PONTIFEX MAXIMVS
| AD 42: Pater Patriae; | Assassinated by poisoning |
October 54 to 11 June 68
| Nero
| LVCIVS DOMITIVS AHENOBARBVS
| NERO CLAVDIVS CAESAR DRVSVS GERMANICVS | NERO CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVGVSTVS GERMANICVS AD55: Pontifex Maximus; later Pater Patriae; | Committed suicide |
| Reign | Common name | Personal name & Title at birth/ on eve of accession | Imperial name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
8 June 68 to 15 January 69
| Galba
| SERVIVS SVLPICIVS GALBA
| SERVIVS GALBA IMPERATOR CAESAR AVGVSTVS
| Murdered by Otho; | see: Year of the four emperors |
15 January 69 to 16 April 69
| Otho
| MARCVS SALVIVS OTHO
| IMPERATOR MARCVS OTHO CAESAR AVGVSTVS
| Committed suicide; | see: Year of the four emperors |
2 January 69 to 20 December 69
| Vitellius
| AVLVS VITELLIVS
| AVLVS VITELLIVS GERMANICVS IMPERATOR AVGVSTVS
| Co-emperor; murdered in the Forum; | see: Year of the four emperors |
| Reign | Common name | Personal name & Title at birth/ on eve of accession | Imperial name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 July 69 to 24 June 79
| Vespasian
| TITVS FLAVIVS VESPASIANVS
| IMPERATOR VESPASIANVS CAESAR AVGVSTVS
| AD 70: Pontifex Maximus Pater Patriae | co-emperor; see: Year of the four emperors |
24 June 79 to 13 September 81
| Titus Flavius
| TITVS FLAVIVS VESPASIANVS | TITVS CAESAR VESPASIANVS IMPERATOR TITVS CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVGVSTVS
| AD 70: Pontifex Maximus Pater Patriae
| |
| from August 69 IMPERATOR TITVS CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVGVSTVS | ||||
14 September 81 to 18 September 96
| Domitian
| TITVS FLAVIVS DOMITIANVS | CAESAR DOMITIANVS IMPERATOR CAESAR DOMITIANVS AVGVSTVS, PONTIFEX MAXIMVS PATER PATRIAE
| lateAD 83: Germanicus; | assassinated |
| Reign | Common name | Personal name & Title at birth/ on eve of accession | Imperial name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
26 February 364 to 17 November 375
| Valentinian I
| FLAVIVS VALENTINIANVS
| IMPERATOR CAESAR FLAVIVS VALENTINIANVS AVGVSTVS
|
| |
24 August 367 to 383
| Gratian
| FLAVIVS GRATIANVS
| IMPERATOR CAESAR FLAVIVS GRATIANVS AVGVSTVS
| Assassinated
| |
375 to 385
| Valentinian II
| FLAVIVS VALENTINIANVS
| IMPERATOR CAESAR FLAVIVS VALENTINIANVS AVGVSTVS
| Deposed; died in suspicious circumstances
| |
383 to 388
| Magnus Maximus
| MAGNVS MAXIMVS
|
| Rival in the west; deposed and executed
| |
| c. 386 to 388 | Flavius Victor | FLAVIVS VICTOR
|
| Fate uncertain
| |
392 to 394
| Eugenius
| FLAVIVS EVGENIVS
|
| Usurper in the west; killed in battle
| |
| Reign | Common name | Personal name & Title at birth/ on eve of accession | Imperial name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
388 to 17 January 395
| Theodosius I the Great
| FLAVIVS THEODOSIVS
| IMPERATOR CAESAR FLAVIVS THEODOSIVS AVGVSTVS
| Co-emperor; emperor in the east from 379
| |
23 January 393 to 395
| Flavius Augustus Honorius
| FLAVIVS HONORIVS
|
| Becoming emperor in the west
| |
| Reign | Common name | Personal name & Title at birth/ on eve of accession | Imperial name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
26 February 364 to 17 November 375
| Valentinian I
| FLAVIVS VALENTINIANVS
| IMPERATOR CAESAR FLAVIVS VALENTINIANVS AVGVSTVS
| Co-emperor with Valens 364 to 378
| |
28 March 365 to 9 August 366
| Valens
| FLAVIVS IVLIVS VALENS
| IMPERATOR CAESAR FLAVIVS IVLIVS VALENS AVGVSTVS
| Killed in battle
| |
September 365 to 27 May 366
| Procopius
|
| PROCOPIVS
| Usurper; executed by Valens
| |
24 August 367 to 383
| Gratianus
| FLAVIVS GRATIANVS
| IMPERATOR CAESAR FLAVIVS GRATIANVS
| co-emperor with Valentinian II ( 375 to 392); assassinated
| |
19 January 379 to 17 January 395
| Theodosius I The Great
| FLAVIVS THEODOSIVS
| IMPERATOR CAESAR FLAVIVS THEODOSIVS AVGVSTVS
| Co-emperor in the west from 388
| |
383 to January 395
| Arcadius
| FLAVIVS ARCADIVS
| IMPERATOR CAESAR FLAVIVS ARCADIVS AVGVSTVS
| Becoming Byzantine Emperor January 395
| |
| Reign | Common name | Personal name & Title at birth/ on eve of accession | Imperial name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
260 to 268
| Postumus
| MARCVS CASSIANIVS LATINIVS POSTVMVS
| IMPERATOR CAESAR MARCVS CASSIANVS LATINIVS POSTVMVS PIVS FELIX INVICTVS AVGVSTVS
|
| |
269 to 269
| Laelianus
| VLPIVS CORNELIVS LAELIANVS
| IMPERATOR CAESAR GAIVS VLPIVS CORNELIVS LAELIANVS PIVS FELIX AVGVSTVS
|
| |
269 to 269
| Marius
| MARCVS AVRELIVS MARIVS
| IMPERATOR CAESAR MARCVS AVRELIVS MARIVS PIVS FELIX AVGVSTVS
|
| |
269 to 271
| Victorinus
| MARCVS PIAVONIVS VICTORINVS
| IMPERATOR CAESAR MARCVS PIAVONIVS VICTORINVS PIVS FELIX INVICTVS AVGVSTVS
|
| |
270 to 271
| Domitianus
|
|
| Proclaimed emperor of the Gallic Empire
| |
271 to 274
| Tetricus I
| CAIVS PIVS ESVVIVS TETRICVS
| IMPERATOR CAESAR GAIVS PIVS ESVVIVS TETRICVS FELIX INVICTVS AVGVSTVS
|
| |
| Reign | Common name | Personal name & Title at birth/ on eve of accession | Imperial name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
286 to 293
| Carausius
| MARCVS AVRELIVS MAVSAEVS
|
|
| |
293 to 297
| Allectus
| not known
| not known
|
| |
For continuation, see:- list of Barbarian kings of Italy
continuation: see list of Byzantine Emperors
see also Gallic Empire; Roman usurper
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