Roman Emperors

born in Rome; called “Augustus”; (41 year rule is the longest);part of second triumvirate with Mark Antony and Lepidus; began Pax Romana

born in Rome; married Augustus' daughter Julia the elder and spawnedJulio-Claudian dynasty; great general, as seen in brilliant campaigns in Pannonia, Illyria,Germania, and Rhaetia; called "the gloomiest of men" because he was dark, reclusive andsomber; never wanted to be emperor; Christ was crucified during his reign

born in Antium; called "little boots" because of his early travels withhis father Germanicus in military campaigns where he wore a miniature army uniform,including boots; very popular with people, though he had an ill family life where, due tohis endless paranoia; many of his close friends died and his family members werebanished; had an illness during early part of reign; eventually assassinated; wanted tomake his horse Incitatus a consul.

born in Lugdunum (presently Lyon); first Roman emperor bornoutside Italy; unknown disability, perhaps cerebral palsy or polio; able administrator;Britain was conquered during his reign; Thrace, Noricum, Lycia, and Judea were alsoannexed; many public works including 2 aqueducts and the first attempt to drain theFucine lake; eventually poisoned with mushrooms.

born in Antium; last of Julio-Claudian dynasty; killed his mother;considered insane; early persecutor of Christians; ruled during Boudicca fiasco; playedfiddle while Rome burned; unpopular with rich, and popular with the poor; after 64 fire,supposedly opened palace to homeless and arranged food for the recent victims, then hebuilt an enormous palace in area cleared by fire. Speculations of arson are common;made Seneca commit suicide after the failed Pisonian conspiracy against his life

includes Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian

Falacrine, Italy; construction of the Colosseum; began Flaviandynasty; sons were Titus and Domitian; ruled during tumultuous Judean revolt whereMasada fell and temple destroyed; early in career participated in Brittania campaign

Rome; first son of Vespasian; good general, crushed Judean revolt;showed skill in dealing with Vesuvius disaster during his reign; supposedly, Domitianwas involved in his death

Rome; second son of Vespasian; bad for economy; devalued Denarius(roman money); bad general; was stabbed eight times

Chose successor based on capabilities, this led to period of 5 goodemperors; elected by senate to the office

born in Spain; empire reached greatest extent under him; exceptionalgeneral; took Dacia, made famous column because of it; managed to squeeze out moreland around Sinai, then took Mesopotamia and Armenia, and made Parthian ruler apuppet king; died of Edema

stoic and epicurean philosopher, made a wall in northern Scotland; his wife was Pompeia Plotina; was popular

longest reign since Augustus; popular

(shared rule with Marcus Aurelius); not considered one of thefive good emperors

last of the five good emperors; shared power with Verusand Commodus; called the "philosopher emperor" or the "stoic emperor" for his stoicismand writing the work Meditations; fought many campaigns along the Rhine againstGermanic tribes including the long Marcomanni Wars

son of Aurelius, said to have competed in gladiator gamesbecause he enjoyed killing (as depicted in the movie “Gladiator”); conspiracies of 182 were launched against him; he was strangled to death by the wrestler Narcissus.

born in Leptis Magna (in Africa, he was the onlyimportant emperor from Africa); was a good general

granted citizenship to all roman citizens all over the empire (thatwere not slaves; he also built an enormous namesake bath structure.

the empire went through scores of rulers in a very short period of timedue to the disorder within the empire and problems along the borders.

born to a Dalmatian (modern Croatia) family of no distinction;secured throne after the battle of Margus; created the tetrarchy, whereby four emperorswould co-rule; led a namesake persecution of Christians, the empires largest and last.

his rule began after he defeated Maxentius at Milvian Bridge in312, though in 314 he fought another war with Lisinius, so he technically was notundisputed ruler until 324; he “converted” to Christianity after he saw a cross in the skyat Milvian Bridge; with his mother Helena he constructed churches all over the empireand issued the Edict of Milan, which gave religious tolerance; he had his son Crispus andhis wife Fausta put to death

“last great western emperor”; was the brother of Valens, whoruled in the East; was born in Pannonia and was the son of Gratian; successfully defendedthe borders against Allemani and Saxon invasions

son of Gratian, brother of Valentinian; died at the battle ofAdrianople; fought the revolt of Procopius; sometimes called the last true Roman

governed from Milan and Vienna; managed to stay in powerfor a long time; son of Valentinian, he took the throne at age 4

last to rule both halves of the Roman Empire; he madeChristianity the state religion of Rome; had many campaigns against the Goths

decided to abandon Britain; was the son of Theodosius; left theWestern Roman Empire in a state of decay and on the verge of collapse

took the throne at the age of four; was the last WesternRoman Emperor to hold the throne for longer than 2 years; fought the Huns at Chalons

the last western roman emperor; he was deposed by Odoacer