List of Roman emperors

Statue-Augustus

List of Roman Emperors refers to the sovereign rulers of the Roman Empire, starting from the establishment of the empire by Augustus in 27 BC following the end of the Roman Republic through to the final emperor of the Western Roman Empire, Romulus Augustulus, in AD 476. The Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, continued to have emperors until Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1453.

Principate Period (27 BC – AD 284)

The Principate period, initiated by Augustus, marks the early phase of the Roman Empire. This period is characterized by rulers belonging to the Julio-Claudian, Flavian, and the Antonine dynasties among others.

• Augustus (27 BC – AD 14)
• Tiberius (AD 14 – 37)
• Caligula (AD 37 – 41)
• Claudius (AD 41 – 54)
• Nero (AD 54 – 68)
• Vespasian (AD 69 – 79)
• Titus (AD 79 – 81)
• Domitian (AD 81 – 96)
• Nerva (AD 96 – 98)
• Trajan (AD 98 – 117)
• Hadrian (AD 117 – 138)
• Antoninus Pius (AD 138 – 161)
• Marcus Aurelius (AD 161 – 180)
• Lucius Verus (AD 161 – 169, co-emperor)
• Commodus (AD 180 – 192)

Crisis of the Third Century (AD 235–284)

This period was marked by civil war, foreign invasion, and economic collapse, leading to a rapid succession of emperors and usurpers.

• Septimius Severus (AD 193 – 211)
• Caracalla (AD 198 – 217, co-emperor from 198)
• Elagabalus (AD 218 – 222)
• Severus Alexander (AD 222 – 235)
• Maximinus Thrax (AD 235 – 238)
• Gordian III (AD 238 – 244)
• Philip the Arab (AD 244 – 249)
• Decius (AD 249 – 251)
• Valerian (AD 253 – 260)
• Gallienus (AD 253 – 268)
• Claudius Gothicus (AD 268 – 270)
• Aurelian (AD 270 – 275)
• Probus (AD 276 – 282)
• Carus (AD 282 – 285)

Dominate Period (AD 284–476)

The Dominate period, initiated by Diocletian's rise to power in 284, saw the empire being divided into the Western and Eastern Roman Empires. The period is noted for the Tetrarchy, where rule was shared between two senior emperors and two junior emperors.

• Diocletian (AD 284 – 305)
• Constantine the Great (AD 306 – 337)
• Constantius II (AD 337 – 361)
• Julian (AD 361 – 363)
• Jovian (AD 363 – 364)
• Valentinian I (AD 364 – 375)
• Valens (AD 364 – 378)
• Theodosius I (AD 379 – 395)
• Honorius (AD 395 – 423)
• Arcadius (AD 395 – 408, Eastern Roman Emperor)
• Theodosius II (AD 408 – 450, Eastern Roman Emperor)
• Marcian (AD 450 – 457, Eastern Roman Emperor)
• Romulus Augustulus (AD 475 – 476, Western Roman Emperor)

Following the deposition of Romulus Augustulus in 476, the Western Roman Empire is traditionally considered to have fallen, marking the end of ancient Rome and the beginning of the Middle Ages in Western Europe. The Eastern Roman Empire, or Byzantine Empire, continued to exist until it fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453.