Roman Emperors
from Augustus to Justinian
27 BCE—564 CE

RULE	COMMON NAME	FULL FILIATION	LIFE DATES
*Julio-Claudian Dynasty*
27 BCE–14 CE	Augustus	Gaius Octavius (later: Gaius Iulius Caeser)	63 BCE–14 CE
14–37	Tiberius	Tiberius Iulius Caesar Augustus	42 BCE–37 CE
37–41	Caligula	Gaius Iulius Caesar Germanicus	12—41
41–54	Claudius	Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus	10 BCE—54 CE
54–68	Nero	Nero Claudius Caesar	37—68
*Civil Wars*
68–69	Galba	Servius Sulpicius Galba	3—69
69	Otho	Marcus Salvius Otho	32—69
69	Vitellius	Aulus Vitellius	15—69
*Flavian Dynasty*
69–79	Vespasian	Titus Flavius Vespasianus	9—79
79–81	Titus	Titus Flavius Vespasianus	39—81
81–96	Domitian	Titus Flavius Domitianus	51—96
*Antonine Dynasty*
96–98	Nerva	Marcus Cocceius Nerva	30—98
98–117	Trajan	Marcus Ulpius Traianus	53—117
117–138	Hadrian	Publius Aelius Hadrianus	76—138
138–161	Antoninus Pius	Titus Aurelius Fulvus Boionius Antoninus	86—161
161–180	Marcus Aurelius Verus co-regent 161–169	Marcus Annius Verus Lucius Ceionius Commodus	121—180 130—169
180–192	Commodus	Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus	161—192
[193]	[Pertinax] (four contend for power)	Publius Helvius Pertinax	126—193
*Severan Dynasty*
193–211	Septimius Severus	Lucius Septimius Severus	145/6—211
211–212	Geta	Lucius Septimius Geta	?—212
212–217	Caracalla (or Caracallus)	Marcus Aurelius Antoninus	188—217
218–222	Elagabalus	Varius Avitus Bassianus	?—222
222–235	Severus Alexander	Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander	208/9—235
*Later Emperors*
235–238	Maximinus	Gaius Iulius Verus Maximinus	?–238
238 (22 days)	Gordian I son Gordian II "colleague"	Marcus Antonius Gordianus	159—238
238 (3 months)	Co-Rulers: Balbinus & Pupienus	Decius Caelius Calvinus Balbinus Marcus Clodius Pupienus Maximus
238–244	Gordian III	(grandson of Gordian I)	225—244
244–249	Philip	Iulius Verus Philippus	?—249
249–251	Decius	Gaius Messius Quintus Decius	?—251
251–253	Trebonianus Gallus	Gaius Vibius Trebonianus Gallus	?—253
253 (3 months)	Aemilianus	Marcus Aemilius Aemilianus	?—253
253–260	Valerian Gallienus co-regent 253—260	Publius Licinius Valerianus	?—260
260–268	Gallienus	Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus	?—268
268–270	Claudius II (Gothicus)	Marcus Aurelius Claudius (Gothicus)	?—270
270	Quintillus	?	?—270
270–275	Aurelian	Lucius Domitius Aurelianus	?—275
275–276	Tacitus	Marcus Claudius Tacitus	?—276
276–282	Probus	Marcus Aurelius Probus	232—282
282–283	Carus	Marcus Aurelius Carus	?—283
284–305	Diocletian (and the Tetrarchy)	Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus	?—305

*Divided Empire*
306—312	Constantine I (West)	Maxentius [Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maxentius] (Italy)	Licinius [Valerius Licinianus] (East)
312—324	Constantine I (West & Italy)		Licinius (East)

*Unified Empire*
324–337	Constantine I (the Great)	Flavius Valerius Constantinus	285—337

*Divided Empire*
Western Empire		Eastern Empire
337–340 340–350 350–353 355–361	Constantine II Constans Magnentius Julian ("the Apostate")	337–361	Constantius II
361–363 363—364	(Unified Empire) Julian ("the Apostate") Jovian
364–375	Valentinian I	364–378	Valens
375–392	Valentinian II	379–395	Theodosius I ("the Great")
395–423 423–425 425–455	Honorius Iohannes Valentinian III	395–408 408–450	Arcadius Theodosius II
455 455—456	Petronius Maximus Avitus	450–457	Marcian
457–461 461–465 467–472 472 473 473–475	Majorian Libius Severus Anthemius Olybrius Glycerius Nepos	457–474	Leo
475–476 476—493	Romulus Augustulus Odoacer	474–491	Zeno
493–526	Theoderic	491–518 518–527	Anastasius Justin
526–534 534–536 536–540 540–541 541–552 552–553	Athalaric Theodahad Witigis Hildebad Totila Teias	527–564	Justinian

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cornell, Tim and John Matthews. Atlas of the Roman World. New York: Facts On File, 1982.
Ferguson, John. Religions of the Roman Empire. Aspects of Greek and Roman Life. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1970.
Grant, Michael. The Twelve Caesars. New York: Scribner, 1975.
Hornblower, Simon, and Antony Spawforth, eds. Oxford Classical Dictionary. 4th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012.
Jones, A. H. M. The Later Roman Empire 284—602. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1964.
Miller, Fergus. The Emperor in the Roman World (31 B.C.—A.D. 337). Ithaca, NY: Cornell University. Press, 1977.

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Last Modified: 10 August 2015

Roman Emperors from Augustus to Justinian 27 BCE—564 CE

Roman Emperors
from Augustus to Justinian
27 BCE—564 CE