Tiberius - 14-37 A.D.
Mother was Livia (Augustus' second wife), brother
Drusus, first wife was Vipsania, a daughter of Agrippa,
divorced her to marry Julia (Augustus' daughter), went to
Rhodes to escape this marriage, had Agrippa Postumus, who
had been exiled to Planasia, assassinated (supposedly), when
Tiberius assumed power, the legions in Pannonia and on the
Rhine mutinied, Tiberius sends Drusus and Germanicus to
restore order, at this time Arminius and Maroboduus (King of
Bohemia) began fighting, Maroboduus sided with Rome,
defeated Arminius, Piso accused of poisoning Germanicus,
Tiberius' Praetorian Prefect was Sejanus - planned to become
emperor by marrying into the royal family, and then killing
all heirs, convinced Tiberius to retire to Capri, had
Agrippina the Elder exiled to Pandateria, and her sons Nero
and Drusus killed themselves, Caligula, the only heir left,
was protected and Sejanus killed, next Praetorian Prefect
was Macro, Tiberius' astrologer was Thrassyllus, increased
power of the senate, regained the Eagles lost by Crassus at
Carrhae from King Phraates in 19 B.C.
Caligula (Gaius) - 37-41 A.D.
Made his horse Incitatus priest and senator, in 39
A.D., Cn. Cornelius Lentulus Gaeticulus, a commander on the
Rhine, plotted to replace Caligula with M. Aemilius Lepidus,
had then both killed, died January 24, 41 A.D., assassinated
by Cassius Chaerea
Claudius - 41-54 A.D.
Supposedly made emperor when praetorian guards found
him cowering behind a curtain while they assassinated
Caligula, but more likely bribed the praetorian guard,
tutored by Livy as a youth, wrote many volumes on Roman law,
government, Etruscan and Carthaginian history, brother of
Germanicus, uncle of Caligula, returned Macedonia and Achaea
to Senate as senatorial provinces, revived the censorship,
weakened the power of the senate, improved the port at
Ostia, during his reign Furius Camillus Scribonianus,
governor of Dalmatia, persuaded many legions to revolt, but
was quelled in days, annexed Thrace as an Imperial province,
conquered Britain - British resistance led by Cunobelinus,
and then by his son Caratacus who was turned in by
Cartimandua, queen of the Brigantes, Romans led by Aulus
Plautius and Claudius in 43 A.D., first wife Plautia
Urgalanilla, second wife Aelia Paetina, third wife Messalina
(his cousin, 15 years old) produced two children Octavia and
Brittanicus, Messalina, like all of Claudius' wives, was
unfaithful and plotted with the consul Gaius Silius, but
executed, Claudius then married his niece and fourth wife
Agrippina the Younger, Agrippina had a son by a previous
marriage Nero, Agrippina had Afranius Burrus appointed
Praetorian Prefect in 51 A.D., Agrippina supposedly poisoned
Claudius with mushrooms.
Nero - 54-68 A.D.
Tutored by Seneca the Younger, the son of Agrippina the
Younger and Cn.Domitius Ahenobarbus, nephew of Caligula,
grandson of Germanicus, had Brittannicus poisoned by
Locusta, first wife Octavia, exiled her and married Poppaea
Sabina, Burrus dies and Tigellinus becomes Praetorian
Prefect with Faenius Rufus, eventually replaced by
Nymphidius, great fire in 64 A.D., had Rome rebuilt in
extravagance, built his Domus aurea (Golden House)
persecuted many Christians, reformed the currency, Piso
conspiracy in 65 A.D. led by C. Calpurnius Piso, when the
plot failed many prominent figures died - Seneca, Lucan,
Petronius, P. Clodius Paetus Thrasea (Stoic), problem in
Armenia - Vologeses of Parthia placed his brother Tiridates
upon the Armenian throne, Nero sent Cn. Domitius Corbulo to
Armenia and he replaced Tiridates with a Roman ally
Tigranes, Britain - resistance by Prasutagus and his queen
Boudicca, Roman general was Cerialis but later replaces by
the superior Suetonius Paulinus, who defeated her after she
destroyed Camulodonum (Colchester), Londinium (London) and
Verulamium, in Armenia, the new King Tigranes started a war
with Vologeses of Parthia, Corbulo returned and allowed
Tiridates to return to the Armenian throne, Jewish revolt in
66 A.D., repressed by Vespasian, witnessed by the historian
Josephus, in 68 A.D. governor of Gaul C. Julius Vindex
revolted, Vindex had the support of Galba and Otho, Vindex
put down by Verginius Rufus, whose army then revolted, Nero
proclaimed a public enemy, persuaded a freedman to stab him
in the throat, dying words - "Qualis artifex pereo"
[Top]
Galba - 68-69 A.D.
Recalled Verginius Rufus from his post on the Rhine,
replaced him with unpopular Hordeonius Flaccus, the armies
then mutinied and proclaimed one of their commanders, Aulus
Vitellius emperor, Galba then chose L. Calpurnius Piso as
his heir, made Marcus Salvius Otho jealous, had Galba
murdered (and Piso)
Otho - 69 A.D.
Had support of Praetorian guard , but not support of
the armies on the Rhine, who supported Vitellius crushed
Otho at Bedracium or Cremona
Vitellius - 69 A.D.
Really bad emperor, lasted seven months, supposedly
spent 900 million sesterces on dinners alone, could not
afford to pay the troops, so he let them loot and plunder
Italy, the armies in the east and on the Danube supported
Vespasian for emperor, Vespasian defeated Vitellius' forces
near Cremona and Bedracium, killed him in Rome
[Top]
Vespasian - 69-79 A.D.
Born in 9 A.D., in 70 A.D. a German ch (son of
Lucius Verus)
Antonius Pius - 154-161 A.D.
Born in Lanuvius, spent much time at his villa at
Lorium, restricted persecution of Christians and introduced
the idea of "innocent until proven guilty", built the
Antonine Wall in Scotland
Marcus Aurelius - 161-180 A.D.
Born in Rome in 121 A.D., wife Faustina, learned
rhetoric from Fronto, learned law from L. Volusius
Maecianus, learned Greek oratory from Nerodes Atticus,
studied stoicism under Junius Rusticus, wrote Meditations,
his reign saw many crises, Tiber flooded, earthquake in
Cyzicus, famine in Galatia, revolt in Britain, was with
Germany and Parthia, etc., co-ruler was Lucius Verus, who
appointed Statius Priscus to invade Armenia and Avidius
Cassius to defeat the Parthians in Mesopotamia, Lucius Verus
died in 169 A.D. just after defeating the Germans, in 175
A.D. a rumor circulated of Aurelius' death, Avidius Cassius
then proclaims himself emperor, Marcus Aurelius set out to
meet him but before he left a soldier brought Aurelius the
head of Cassius, caught an infection while fighting in
Germany, died in Vienna, March 17, last words _Go to the
rising sun, mu sun is setting"
[Top]
Commodus - 180-193 A.D.
Son of M. Aurelius, expert javelin thrower, his
Praetorian prefect until 185 A.D. was Perennis, who was
executed for treason - Perennis succeeded by Aemilius Laelus
who plotted with Eclectus and Commodus' mistress Marcia to
have him killed - Commodus strangled in a bath by a
wrestling partner
Pertinax - 193 A.D.
Novus homo from Africa, Commodus' assassins had
arranged for Pertinax to become emperor, auction off
political offices to raise money which angered many
politicians and also angered the Praetorian Guard by not
paying them in full, so they killed him, auction the throne
off to Didius Julianus
Didius Julianus - 193 A.D.
Bought Empire at an auction, everyone offended by his
act to buy empire, army of Syria proclaimed Piscennius Niger
as emperor, army of Britain proclaimed Clodius Albinus
emperor, army of the Danube proclaimed Septimius Severus
emperor all three made a dash for Rome, Septimius Severus
got there first and put Didius Julianus to death
[Top]
Septimius Severus - 193-211 A.D.
Born in 146 A.D. at Leptis Magna in Africa, his wife
was the promiscuous Julian Domna, whose sister was Julia
Maesa, realized he had to fight Pescennius Niger and Albinus
so he made Albinus his Caesar and heir so he could go after
Pescennius Niger first, Severus then fought King Voloyeses
IV of Parthis, defeated him only to clash with Albinus, whom
Severus defeated at Lugdumum - Albinus commits suicide,
Praetorian Prefect from 197-205 A.D. was C. Flavius
Plautianus who was assassinated and succeeded by Papinian,
died in 211 A.D. in York (Britain) after defeated the
Britons, succeeded by his sons Geta and Caracalla
Caracalla - 211-217 A.D.
Name means "cloak", co-ruled with brother Geta for one
year, then murdered him at their mother's house, Caracalla
then murdered Papinian and bribed the soldiers to keep
quiet, enacted the Antonine Constitution which gave
citizenship to all free inhabitants of the Empire, stabbed
to death on April 8, 217 A.D. while on his way to Carrhae to
worship at the Temple of the moon, the Praetorian Prefect M.
Opellius Macrinus had him killed
Macrinus - 217-218 A.D.
Born in Mauretania, interrupted the Severan dynasty,
first man to become emperor without having served in the
senate first, son Diadumenianus, killed by troops who
supported Heliogabulus
Heliogabulus - 218-222 A.D.
Real name Varius Avitus, son of Julia Soaemias (Julian
Soaemias was the daughter of Julia Maesa, who was the sister
of Julia Domna, wife of Septimius Severus), Heliogabulas
a.k.a. Elagabulus, Julia Maesa realized Heliogabulus as an
idiot, suggested he adopt Gessius Bassianus Alexianus as
heir (Alexianus was Maesa'a other grandson by Julia Mamaea,
Soaemias' sister), Heliogabulus realized that Maesa and
Mamaea planned for Alexianus (now called Marcus Aurelieus
Severus Alexander) to replace him, so he tried to get rid of
him, but Maesa and Mamaea convinced the Praetorian guard to
kill Heliogabulus and his mother, the soldiers found
Heliogabulus and Julia Soaemias hiding in a latrine,
beheaded them and dragged them to the Aemilian bridge, where
their corpses were tied with weights and hurled into the
Tiber
Severus Alexander - 222-235 A.D.
Real name Gessius Bassianus Alexianus, son of Julian
Mamaea, she actually controlled the Empire, Praetorian
Prefect Domitius Ulpianus, in 228 A.D. Praetorian Guard
mutinies and assassinated Ulpianus, war with Persia - their
commander was Ardashir I, in 235 A.D. Pannonian legions
under Maximinus the Thracian mutinied, killed Severus and
his mommy Julia Mamaea, ending the Severan dynasty
[Top]
Maciminus Thrax (Maximinus the Thracian) - 235-238 A.D.
Proclaimed emperor by his Pannonian Legions, needed to
finance his conquest of Germany, so he sent tax collectors
to plunder the empire - a rebellion arose in North Africa,
declared Antonius Gordianus as emperor, his men mutinied and
killed him in desperation
Gordian I (Antonius Gordianus) - 238 A.D.
Co-ruled with his son of the same name (Gordian II),
committed suicide after losing a battle to Maximinus Thrax
Gordian II - 238 A.D.
Co-ruled with his father Gordian I, killed in battle by
Maximinus Thrax's forces
D. Calvinus Balbinus and M. Pupienus Maximus - (Balbinus and
Pupienus) - 238 A.D.
Co-ruled after the deaths of Gordian I and II, ruled
less than two months and killed by the Praetorian Guard
Gordian III - 238-244 A.D.
Recognized as emperor after Balbinus and Pupienus were
murdered, C. Furius Timesitheus - Gordian's father-in-law,
Praetorian Prefect, right-hand man, in 242 A.D. Gordian and
Timesitheus set out for Syria and just before they captured
the Persian capital Timesitheus died, Gordian then died -
two stories for his death: 1) he fell form his horse in
battle or 2) the new Praetorian Prefect Philip the Arab
mutinied in the midst of a food shortage, killed Gordian
Philip Arabus (the Arab) - 244-249 A.D.
Made peace with King Shapus (Persians), while
celebrating Rome's 1000th birthday, the Goths and Carpi
crossed the Danube, Philip sent C.Secius to counter them,
Decius defeated them and his troops proclaimed him emperor
out of respect, Decius then marched into Italy vs. Philip,
Philip defeated and slain near Verona
Decius - 249-251 A.D.
Defeated Philip, war with Kniva, King of the Goths,
Decius' top commander Trebonianus Gallus provided little
help, Decius trapped by kniva in a bog at Abrittus, Romans
suffered one of their worst defeat ever heard
Trebonianus Gallus - 251-253 A.D.
Decius' top general, ruled briefly, murdered by
mutinous troops
Aemilianus - 253 A.D.
Ruled briefly, murdered by mutinous troops
Valerian - 253-260 A.D.
Names his son Gallienus co-ruler of the West, met the
Persian army in combat in 260 A.D. at Edessa, captured by
Persians under King Shapur, Valerian dies in captivity
Gallienus - 253-268 A.D.
Crushed invading forces near Milan in 258 A.D.,
Valerian's son - associate ruler, in 259 A.D. armies on the
Rhine, Britain, and Spain mutinied and followed under their
general Postumus, when allowed to work, Postumus excelled at
driving back the invaders, in 260 A.D. Valerian's top
general Macrianus and his lieutenant Callistus rallied the
remnants of Valerian's army, drove Shapur out of Asia Minor,
on his retreat Shapur ran into Odenaethus, a Roman ally from
Palmyra, and his army, Odenaethus destroyed Shapur's army
and sent him back to Persia, Gallienus awarded Odenaethus by
giving him command of Roman troops in the near East,
macrianus split from Gallienus, persuaded the army to
declare his two sons Macrianus and Quietus co-emperors,
Macrienus I and II set out for the Danube, defeated and
killed by Aureolus (sent by Gallienus), Odenaethus then
hunted down Quietus and killed him and his Praetorian
Prefect Callistus, in 267 A.D. Odenathus' second campaign
vs. Persians, destroys the temple of Diana at Ephesus,
shortly after Odenaethus stabbed to death by unknown
assailant, Odenaethus' kingdom turned over to his gorgeous,
intelligent wife Zenobia (their son was Vabalathus) who
ruled it wisely for many years, in 268 A.D. Goths begin
largest invasion of the third century (reported 2,000 ships;
320,000 men) intercepted by Gallienus at Nish (Naissus),
bloodiest battle of the third century ensued, Gallienus
broke off pursuit to suppress the revolt of his general
Aureolus, defeat Aureolus near Milan, only to be
assassinated by his own officers
Claudius Gothicus (Claudius II) - 268-270 A.D.
One of Gallienus' murderers, destroyed the Gothic
threat, died of the plague in 270 A.D.
[Top]
Aurelian - 270-275 A.D.
Chosen as Claudius' successor by the army, full name
Lucius Domitius Aurelianus, beror
Diocletian - (Diocles) - 284-305 A.D.
First act was to slay the Praetorian Prefect Arrius
Aper, Maximian was Diocletian's trusted choice for Caesar -
sent to gaul, in 286 A.D. Diocletian promotes Maximian to
Augustus, Maximian placed Mausaeus Carausis in charge of the
Roman fleet, overcame pirates in a matter of weeks, enlarged
his fleet, overcame pirates in a matter of weeks, enlarged
his fleet, proclaimed himself Augustus (of the North) and
stayed that way for seven years because Diocletian and
Maximian were too busy to deal with him, In 290 A.D.
Diocletian placed Tiridates III upon the Armenian throne, in
293 A.D. Diocletian creates tetrarchy (4 man system),
Augustus=highest, Caesar=second highest, East: Augustus is
Diocletian and Caesar is Gaius Galerius, West: Augustus is
Maximian and Caesar is C. Flavius Julius Constantius,
Constantius' nickname is Chlorus (Pale-face), Constantius
moves against Carausis, in 293 A.D. Carausis was
assassinated by a rival, in 296 A.D. Achilleus proclaims
himself Corrector, Lucius Domitius Domitianus proclaims
himself Augustus, Diocletian defeats and executes them
(uprising was in Egypt), in 297 A.D. Galerius suffers huge
defeat at Callinicum by Narses of Persia, a year later
Galerius regroups and rout Narses at Erzerum, then captured
the strategic fortress at Nisibis, Narses surrenders to
Galerius, Diocletian assumes title of Jovius (Jupiter's
earthly representative), and bestows the title of Herculius
upon Maximian, Diocletian reorganized the empire into
smaller provinces (from about 50 to about 100 provinces),
then grouped the provinces into 12 districts called
dioceses, each diocese was supervised by a vicarius, armies
in provinces controlled by duces, the C.O. of a dux was a
comes, in 302 A.D. Diocletian issues the Edict of Maximum
Prices, in 303 A.D. he issues an edict prohibiting
Christianity, on May 1, 305 A.D., Diocletian abdicates the
throne, Maximian resigns the same day, Diocletian nominated
Constantius Chlorus and Galerius as the new Augusti with
Chlorus the higher one, Chlorus nominates Flavius Valerius
Severus as his Caesar, Galerius chooses Maximinus Daia as
his Caesar
Constantius Chlorus and Galerius - 305 A.D.
Constantine - 305-337 A.D.
Named Augustus when his father constantius Chlorus
died, bastard son of Chlorus and Helena, Chlorus left Helena
for Theodora, Maximian's stepdaughter, Maximian's son
Maxentius seized Augustus status from Galerius' henchman
Severus, Maximian then betrothed his daughter Fausta to
Constantine, in 307 A.D. Galerius marches upon Rome,
invasion fails, Galerius calls a meeting of Augusti and
Caesars at Carnuntum, their decisions are: Maximian
reluctantly retired, Licinius assumes Severus'
Augustus-ship, Maxentius declared public enemy, Constantine
and Maximinus Daia made Caesars, Maximian proclaims himself
emperor again and Constantine destroys him ultimately at
Marseilles, Maximian hangs himself in his room, in 311 A.D.
Galerius issues the Edict of Religious Toleration, then died
a few days later, in 312 A.D. Constantine invades Italy,
meets Maxentius in combat at Milvian Bridge near Saxa Rubra
(Red rocks) on night before the battle Constantine had a
vision of a shield that said "in hoc signo vinces" and has
Christ's symbol, Constantine proceeds to destroy Maxentius'
forces (Maxentius himself, like many other soldiers,
drowned), Constantine marches into Rome with Maxentius' head
impaled on a spear, army proclaims Constantine Augustus of
entire empire, order Maximinus Daia to stop persecuting
Christians and then furnished Caecilianus (Carthaginian
bishop) with funds for the church, in 313 A.D. Conference of
Milan, Licinius marries Constantia, Constantine and Licinius
agree to wage war vs. Maximinus Daia, defeat him at
Adrianople, Daia escaped dressed as a slave but got sic and
died, empire divides between Constantine and Licinius,
Bassianus appointed Caesar, Licinius got Bassianus' brother
Senaecio to persuade Bassianus to rebel vs. Constantine,
Constantine finds out about plot and executes Bassianus,
attacks Licinius, Licinius and Constantine make a treaty but
it doesn't last long, Donatus leads a schism in the
Christian Church, Constantine finally defeats Licinius in
324 A.D., Licinius executed for treason, in 325 A.D. Nicene
Creed completed the organization of the Catholic Church,
324-330 A.D. Constantine rebuilds Byzantium as capital of
the Eastern Empire, renamed it Constantinople, in 326 A.D.
Constantine executes his son Crispus for raping his
stepmother, Fausta dies (scalded to death in a bath when
Helena reported that Fausta had an affair with a slave), in
337 A.D. Constantine gets sick and dies
Constantine II - 337-340 A.D.
Received all of the West after his father's death
Constans - 340 A.D.
Killed his brother and received the empire
Constantius - 340-361 A.D.
Julian - 361-363 A.D.
Maintained by Jonathan