| Full name | Reigned | notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaius Julius Caesar (100-44 BC) |
Not an Emperor, but he put an end to the Republic and the title Caesar was given to every Emperor. Conquered Gaul. Murdered on the Ides of March (14 March) by Republicans. | ||
Julio-Claudians: |
|||
| Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus (63 BC- AD 14) |
Augustus | 27 BC-AD 14 | Julius Caesar's grandnephew and the first Roman Emperor |
| Claudius Nero (42 BC- AD 37) |
Tiberius | AD 14-37 | |
| Gaius Caesar (AD 12-41) |
Caligula | AD 37-41 | Son of Germanicus *, mad (made his horse a consul), killed by the Praetorian Guard |
| Tiberius Claudius Nero (10 BC- AD 54) |
Claudius | AD 41-54 | Successfully invaded Britain in AD 43. His wife Messalina cheated on him with virtually every man in Rome. Eventually he had her killed after she staged a mock wedding to one of her lovers. |
| (AD 37 - 68) | Nero | AD 54-68 | persecuted Christians, perhaps set fire to Rome to rebuild it the way he wanted. committed suicide. |
| Civil War | |||
| Galba | AD 68-69 | ||
| Otho | AD 69 | ||
| Vitellius | AD 69 | ||
Flavians: |
|||
| Titus Flavius Vespasianus (AD 9-79) |
Vespasian | AD 69-79 | |
| Flavius Sabinus Vespasianus (AD 39- 81) |
Titus | AD 79-81 | son of Vespasian. Mt. Vesuvius erupted 24-25 August AD 79 burying Pompeii (which had only just been rebuilt after the last earthquake) and Herculaneum. ** |
| Titus Flavius Domitianus (AD 51-96) |
Domitian | AD 81-96 | son of Vespasian |
| Marcus Cocceius Nerva (AD 35-98) |
Nerva | AD 96-98 | |
| Marcus Ulpius Trajanus (AD 52-117) |
Trajan | AD 98-117 | Trajan's column in Rome commemorates his reign. |
| Publius Aelius Hadrianus (AD 76-138) | Hadrian | AD 117-138 | adopted son of Trajan, built wall to keep the Picts out. |
| Antonines | |||
| (AD 86-161) | Antoninus Pius | AD 138-161 | adopted son of Hadrian |
| Lucius Verus | AD 161-169 | ||
| Despotic Emperors | |||
| Marcus Annius Verus (AD 128-180) |
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus | AD 161-180 | |
| Lucius Aelius Aurelius (AD 161-192) |
Commodus | AD 180-192 | son of Marcus Aurelius, tyrant, murdered |
| Pertinax | AD 193 | ||
| Didius Julianus | AD 193 | ||
| The Severi | |||
| Lucius Septimius Severus | AD 193-211 | ||
| Caracalla | AD 211-217 | ||
| Heliogabalus | AD 218 | ||
| (AD 208-235) | Alexander Severus | 222-235 | noted for wisdom and justice. In the 33 years after his reign, his twelve successors were mostly killed. |
| The Soldier Emperors | |||
| Maximinus | AD 235-238 | ||
| Gordian I | AD 238 | ||
| Gordian II | AD 238 | ||
| Balbinus | AD 238 | ||
| Pupienus | AD 238 | ||
| Gordian III | AD 238-244 | ||
| Philip I | AD 244-249 | ||
| Trajan Decius | AD 249-251 | ||
| Trebonianus Gallus | AD 251-253 | ||
| Volusianus | AD 251-253 | ||
| Valerian | AD 253-260 | ||
| Gallienus | AD 253-268 | ||
| Marcus Aurelius Claudius (AD 214-270) |
Claudius II | AD 268-270 | also called Gothicus (drove back Goths) |
| Quintillus | AD 270 | ||
| Lucius Domitius Aurelianus (AD 212-275) |
Aurelian | AD 270-275 | conquered Palmyra, captured Queen Zenobia |
| Tacitus | AD 275-276 | ||
| Florianus | AD 276 | ||
| Probus | AD 276-282 | ||
| Carus | AD 282-283 | ||
| Carinus | AD 283-285 | ||
| Numerianus | AD 283-284 | ||
| Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus (AD 245-313) |
Diocletian | AD 284-305 | divided Empire into East and West, abdicated. |
| Maximianus | AD 286-305 | ruled Italy and Africa | |
| Constantius I | AD 293-306 | ruled Gaul and Spain | |
| Galerius | AD 293-311 | ruled Thrace | |
| Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus (AD 280-337) |
Constantine | AD 305-337 | first Christian Emperor, moved capital to Byzantium (renamed Constantinople) |
Rome was sacked in AD 410.
* Germanicus Caesar 15 BC - 19 AD: nephew of Tiberius,
general who fought successfully against the Germans 14-16 AD.
** One of the only people to write about the eruption of Vesuvius was Pliny the
Younger, who saw it from across the Bay of Naples.