History
Roman Emperors
Emperors of the Roman Empire from Augustus to Romulus Augustulus.
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Portrait↕ | Name↕ | Reign↕ | Succession↕ | Life details↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximinus I "Thrax"Gaius Julius Verus Maximinus | c. March 235 – c. June 238(3 years and 3 months) | Proclaimed emperor by Germanic legions after the murder of Severus Alexander, recognized at Rome on 23 March 235 | c. 172–180 – c. June 238(aged approx. 58–66)First commoner to become emperor. Murdered by his men during the siege of Aquileia against the Senatorial forces of Pupienus and Balbinus | |
| Gordian IMarcus Antonius Gordianus Sempronianus Romanus | c. April – c. May 238(22 days) | Proclaimed emperor alongside his son, Gordian II, while serving as governor of Africa, in a revolt against Maximinus, and recognized by the Senate | c. 158 (?) – c. May 238(aged approx. 80)Oldest emperor at the time of his elevation. Committed suicide upon hearing of the death of his son | |
| Gordian IIMarcus Antonius Gordianus Sempronianus Romanus | c. April – c. May 238(22 days) | Proclaimed emperor alongside his father Gordian I, during revolt in Africa against Maximinus | c. 192 – c. May 238(aged approx. 46)The shortest-reigning emperor. Killed outside Carthage in battle against an army loyal to Maximinus I | |
| PupienusMarcus Clodius Pupienus Maximus | c. May – c. August 238(99 days) | Proclaimed emperor jointly with Balbinus by the Senate after death of Gordian I and II, in opposition to Maximinus | c. 164 – c. August 238(aged approx. 74)Tortured and murdered by the Praetorian Guard | |
| BalbinusDecimus Caelius Calvinus Balbinus | c. May – c. August 238(99 days) | Proclaimed emperor jointly with Pupienus by the Senate after death of Gordian I and II, in opposition to Maximinus | c. 178 – c. August 238(aged approx. 60)Tortured and murdered by the Praetorian Guard | |
| Gordian IIIMarcus Antonius Gordianus | c. August 238 – c. February 244(c. 5 years and 6 months) | Grandson of Gordian I, appointed as heir by Pupienus and Balbinus, upon whose deaths he succeeded as emperor | 20 January 225 – c. February 244(aged 19)Died during campaign against Persia, possibly in a murder plot instigated by Philip I | |
| Philip I "the Arab"Marcus Julius Philippus | c. February 244 – September/October 249(c. 5 years and 7/8 months) | Praetorian prefect under Gordian III, seized power after his death | c. 204 – September/October 249(aged approx. 45)Killed at the Battle of Verona, against Decius | |
| Philip II "the Younger" (§)Marcus Julius Severus Philippus | July/August 247 – September/October 249(c. 2 years and 2 months) | Son of Philip I, appointed co-emperor | c. 237 – September/October 249(aged approx. 12)Murdered by the Praetorian Guard | |
| DeciusGaius Messius Quintus Traianus Decius | September/October 249 – June 251(c. 1 year and 8/9 months) | Proclaimed emperor by the troops in Moesia, then defeated and killed Philip I in battle | c. 190/200 – June 251(aged approx. 50/60)Killed at the Battle of Abrittus, against the Goths | |
| Herennius Etruscus (§)Quintus Herennius Etruscus Messius Decius | May/June – June 251(less than a month) | Son of Decius, appointed co-emperor | Unknown – June 251Killed at the Battle of Abrittus alongside his father | |
| Trebonianus GallusGaius Vibius Trebonianus Gallus | June 251 – c. August 253(c. 2 years and 2 months) | Senator and general, proclaimed emperor after the deaths of Decius and Herennius Etruscus | c. 206 – c. August 253(aged 47)Murdered by his own troops in favor of Aemilian | |
| Hostilian (§)Gaius Valens Hostilianus Messius Quintus | c. June – c. July 251(c. 1 month) | Younger son of Decius, named caesar by his father and proclaimed co-emperor by Trebonianus Gallus | Unknown – c. July 251Died of plague or murdered by Trebonianus Gallus | |
| Volusianus (§)Gaius Vibius Afinius Gallus Veldumnianus Volusianus | c. August 251 – c. August 253(2 years) | Son of Gallus, appointed co-emperor | c. 230 – c. August 253(aged approx. 23)Murdered by the soldiers, alongside his father | |
| AemilianusMarcus Aemilius Aemilianus | c. July – c. September 253(2 months?) | Commander in Moesia, proclaimed emperor by his soldiers after defeating barbarians, in opposition to Gallus | c. 207 – c. September 253(aged approx. 46)Murdered by his own troops in favor of Valerian | |
| Silbannacus (#)Mar. Silbannacus | c. September/October 253 (?)(very briefly?) | Obscure figure known only from coinage, may have briefly ruled in Rome between Aemilianus and Valerian | Nothing known | |
| ValerianPublius Licinius Valerianus | c. September 253 – c. June 260(c. 6 years and 9 months) | Army commander in Raetia and Noricum, proclaimed emperor by the legions in opposition to Aemilian | c. 200 – after 262 (?)Captured at Edessa by the Persian king Shapur I, died in captivity possibly forced to swallow molten gold | |
| GallienusPublius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus | c. September 253 – c. September 268(15 years) | Son of Valerian, appointed joint emperor. Sole emperor after Valerian's capture in 260 | 218 – c. September 268(aged 50)Faced multiple revolts and barbarian invasions. Murdered in a conspiracy of army officers, involving Claudius II and Aurelian | |
| Saloninus (§)Publius Licinius Cornelius Saloninus Valerianus | Autumn 260(c. 1 month) | Son of Gallienus, proclaimed caesar by his father and proclaimed emperor by the praetorian prefect Silvanus while besieged by Postumus | Unknown – Late 260Murdered by troops loyal to Postumus | |
| Claudius II "Gothicus"Marcus Aurelius Claudius | c. September 268 – c. August 270(c. 1 year and 11 months) | Army commander in Illyria, proclaimed emperor after Gallienus's death | 10 May 214 – August/September (?) 270(aged approx. 55)Died of plague | |
| QuintillusMarcus Aurelius Claudius Quintillus | c. August – c. September 270(c. 27 days) | Brother of Claudius II, proclaimed emperor after his death | Unknown – 270Committed suicide or killed at the behest of Aurelian | |
| AurelianLucius Domitius Aurelianus | c. August 270 – c. November 275(c. 5 years and 3 months) | Commander of the Roman cavalry, proclaimed emperor by Danube legions after Claudius II's death, in opposition to Quintillus | 9 September 214 – Sept./Dec. 275(aged 61)Reunified the Roman Empire. Murdered by the Praetorian Guard | |
| TacitusMarcus Claudius Tacitus | c. December 275 – c. June 276(c. 7 months) | Alleged princeps senatus, proclaimed emperor by the Senate or, more likely, by his soldiers in Campania after Aurelian's death | c. 200 (?) – c. June 276(aged approx. 76)Died of illness or possibly murdered | |
| FlorianusMarcus Annius Florianus | c. June – September 276(88 days) | Maternal half-brother of Tacitus, proclaimed himself emperor after the death of Tacitus | Unknown – September/October 276Murdered by his own troops in favor of Probus | |
| ProbusMarcus Aurelius Probus | c. June 276 – c. September 282(c. 6 years and 3 months) | General; proclaimed emperor by the eastern legions, in opposition to Florianus | 19 August 232 – c. September 282(aged 50)Murdered by his own troops in favor of Carus | |
| CarusMarcus Aurelius Carus | c. September 282 – c. July/August 283(c. 10 months) | Praetorian prefect under Probus, seized power before or after Probus's murder | c. 224 (?) – c. July/August 283(aged approx. 60)Died in Persia, either of illness, assassination, or by being hit by lightning | |
| CarinusMarcus Aurelius Carinus | Spring 283 – August/September 285(2 years) | Son of Carus, appointed joint emperor shortly before his death. Succeeded jointly with Numerian | c. 250 – August/September 285(aged approx. 35)Probably died in battle against Diocletian, likely betrayed by his own soldiers | |
| NumerianMarcus Aurelius Numerianus | c. July/August 283 – November 284(1 year and 3/4 months) | Son of Carus, succeeded jointly with Carinus | c. 253 – November 284(aged approx. 31)Died while marching to Europe, probably of disease, possibly assassinated |
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