Chronology of rulers
editSeveral emperors who rose to power through acclamation of their troops attempted to create stability by appointing their descendants as Caesar, resulting in several brief dynasties. These generally failed to maintain any form of coherence beyond one generation, although there were exceptions.
Roman Empire (235–285)
edit (#) – Usurpers / claimants
(§) – Junior co-emperors
(§) – Heir-apparents
| Portrait | Name | Approximate reign | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Maximinus dynasty (235–238)edit | |||
|
Maximinus I "Thrax" Gaius Julius Verus Maximinus |
March 235 – June 238[a] (3 years and 3 months) |
Born c. 173 in Thracia, hence his nickname. Proclaimed emperor (aged 65) by his troops during a mutiny against Severus Alexander in Mogontiacum, Germania Superior. A man of humble origins, he was hated by the Roman Senate because he never visited Rome. Killed during the Siege of Aquileia against followers of Pupienus and Balbinus.[1] |
| Gaius Petronius Magnus (in Germania) |
late 235 | A patritian ex-consul; said to have been proclaimed emperor after Alexander's murder. Herodian suggests that the accusations against him were actually fabricated.[2][3][4] | |
| Titus Quartinus (in Mesopotamia) |
late 235 / early 236[b] | Ex-consul; reluctantly hailed by troops loyal to Alexander. He was later killed by the same man who proclaimed him emperor.[2][3][4] | |
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Maximus Gaius Julius Verus Maximus |
January/May 236 – June 238 (caesar under Maximinus I) |
Son of Maximinus, born c. 215; incorrectly called "Maximinus" by some sources. Named caesar (heir apparent) by his father, and later killed alongside him.[6] |
Gordian dynasty (238–244)edit | |||
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Gordian I Marcus Antonius Gordianus Sempronianus Romanus Africanus |
c. April – May 238 (22 days) |
Born c. 158 in Phrygia. Proclaimed emperor (aged 80) in Africa during a revolt against Maximinus, later recognized by the Senate. Committed suicide upon hearing of the death of his son Gordian II.[7][8] |
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Gordian II Marcus Antonius Gordianus Sempronianus Romanus Africanus |
c. April – May 238 (22 days) |
Son of Gordian I, born c. 192. Proclaimed emeperor (aged 46) alongside father in opposition to Maximinus by the Senate. Killed during the Battle of Carthage, fighting a pro-Maximinus army. The shortest reigning emperor on record.[7][8] |
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|
Pupienus Marcus Clodius Pupienus Maximus |
c. May – August 238 (99 days) |
Born c. 164. Proclaimed joint emperor (aged 74) with Balbinus in Rome after the death of the Gordians, in opposition to Maximinus. Made regents of the caesar Gordian III. Assassinated by Praetorian Guard one month after Maximinus' death.[7][8] |
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Balbinus Decimus Caelius Calvinus Balbinus |
c. May – August 238 (99 days) |
Born c. 178. Proclaimed joint emperor (aged 60) with Balbinus in Rome after the death of the Gordians, in opposition to Maximinus. Made regents of the caesar Gordian III. Assassinated by Praetorian Guard one month after Maximinus' death.[7][8] |
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|
Gordian III Marcus Antonius Gordianus |
c. August 238 – February 244 (5 years and 6 months) |
Grandson of Gordian I, born in Rome on 20 January 222. Made caesar by Pupienus and Balbinus in May 238, succeeded as augustus at age 13, the youngest sole emperor. Possibly murdered on orders of Philip I. |
| Marcus Asinius Sabinianus (in Africa) |
240 | Revolted in Africa; killed by the governor of Mauretania.[9] | |
Philippus dynasty (235–238)edit | |||
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Philip I "the Arab" Marcus Julius Philippus |
c. February 244 – September 249 (5 years and 7 months) |
|
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Philip II "the Younger" Marcus Julius Severus Philippus |
c. July 247 – September 249 (co-augustus under Philip I) |
|
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Jotapian Marcus Fulvius Jotapianus |
c. 249 | "clearly suggests that this ephemeral emperor rejoiced in a "[10] |
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Pacatian Tiberius Claudius Marinus Pacatianus |
c. 249 | |
|
Silbannacus | c. 249 (?) | |
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Sponsianus | Unknown | |
| Licinian Julius Valens Licinianus |
c. 250 | ||
Decian dynasty (235–238)edit | |||
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Decius Gaius Messius Quintus Traianus Decius |
c. September 249 – June 251 (1 year and 9 months) |
|
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Herennius Etruscus Quintus Herennius Etruscus Messius Decius |
May/June – June 251 (less than a month) |
|
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Hostilian Gaius Valens Hostilianus Messius Quintus |
c. June – c. July 251 (1 month) |
|
Gallan dynasty (251–253)edit | |||
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Trebonianus Gallus Gaius Vibius Trebonianus Gallus |
June 251 – August 253 (3 years and 2 months) |
|
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Volusianus Gaius Vibius Afinius Gallus Veldumnianus Volusianus |
August 251 – August 253 (co-augustus under Philip I) |
|
| Titus Julius Priscus | c. 251 | ||
Non-dynastic (253)edit | |||
|
Aemilianus Marcus Aemilius Aemilianus |
c. July – c. September 253 (c. 2 months) |
|
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|
Silbannacus Mar(ius) Silbannacus |
c. September/October 253 (?) (very briefly) |
|
Valerian dynasty (235–268)edit | |||
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Valerian Publius Licinius Valerianus |
c. September 253 – c. June 260 (c. 6 years and 9 months) |
|
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Gallienus Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus |
c. September 253 – c. September 268 (15 years) |
|
|
Valerian II Publius Licinius Cornelius Valerianus |
256–258 (caesar under Valerian and Gallienus) |
|
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Saloninus Publius Licinius Cornelius Saloninus Valerianus |
Autumn 260 (c. 1 month) |
|
| Ingenuus | c. 260 | ||
| Macrianus Major Titus Fulvius Macrianus |
c. 261 | ||
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Macrianus Minor Titus Fulvius Junius Macrianus |
c. 261 | |
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Quietus Titus Fulvius Junius Quietus |
c. 261 | |
|
Regalianus P(ublius) C(assius) Regalianus |
c. 261 | |
| Valens Thessalonicus | c. 261 | ||
| Lucius Mussius Aemilianus | c. 261 | ||
| Aureolus | c. 268 | ||
Claudian dynasty (268–275)edit | |||
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Claudius II "Gothicus" Marcus Aurelius Claudius |
c. September 268 – c. April 270 (c. 1 year and 7 months) |
|
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|
Quintillus Marcus Aurelius Claudius Quintillus |
c. April – May/June 270 (17–77 days) |
|
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Aurelian "Restitutor" Lucius Domitius Aurelianus |
c. May 270 – c. October 275 (c. 5 years and 5 months) |
|
| Septimius | 271 | ||
Tacitus dynasty (275–276)edit | |||
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Tacitus Marcus Claudius Tacitus |
c. December 275 – c. June 276 (c. 7 months) |
|
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|
Florianus Marcus Annius Florianus |
c. June – September 276 (80–88 days) |
|
Non dynastic (276–282)edit | |||
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Probus Marcus Aurelius Probus |
c. June 276 – c. September 282 (c. 6 years and 3 months) |
|
|
Bonosus | 280 | |
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Procolus | 280 | |
|
Julius Saturninus | 280 | |
Caran dynastic (276–282)edit | |||
|
Carus Marcus Aurelius Carus |
c. September 282 – c. July 283 (c. 10 months) |
|
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Numerian Marcus Aurelius Numerianus |
c. July 283 – November 284 (1 year and 3/4 months) |
|
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Carinus Marcus Aurelius Carinus |
Spring 283 – July 285 (2 years) |
|
Gallic Empire (260–274)
edit| Portrait | Name | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Postumus Marcus Cassianius Latinius Postumus |
||
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Laelian Ulpius Cornelius Laelianus |
||
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Marius Marcus Aurelius Marius |
||
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Victorinus Marcus Piavonius Victorinus |
||
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Domitian II Domitianus |
||
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Tetricus I Gaius Esuvius Tetricus |
||
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Tetricus II Gaius Esuvius Tetricus |
Palmyrene Empire (270–273)
edit| Portrait | Name | ||
|---|---|---|---|
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|
Septimius Vaballathus | ||
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Septimia Zenobia |
Britannic Empire (286–296)
edit| Portrait | Name | ||
|---|---|---|---|
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|
Carausius | ||
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|
Allectus |
- ^ Maximinus' official dies imperii was almost certainly 23 March. He was co-opted into the sodales Antoniniani (the cult of Antoninus Pius) in 25 March, in Rome. However, it is impossible to know exactly how much time it would have taken for news of his proclamation to travel from Mainz to Rome. According to contemporary papyri: Maximinus was still recognized in Egypt by 7 April 238; the two Gordians are first mentioned in 13 June, Pupienus and Balbinus appear in documents dated to 21 July and 8 September, while Gordian III first appears in 21 September. News often took 1 month to travel from Rome to Egypt.
- ^ He reigned six months according to the Historia Augusta, but this must be an exageration.[5] Herodian's narrative suggest he was killed rather quickly.[2]
- Adkins, Lesley; Adkins, Roy A. (2014). "Emperors". Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome. New York: Infobase Publishing. pp. 27–37. ISBN 9780816074822.
- Craven, Maxwell (2019). The Imperial Families of Ancient Rome. Fonthill Media. ISBN 978-1781557389.
- Jones, A. H. M.; Martindale, J. R.; Morris, John, eds. (1971–1992). Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire. Cambridge University Press. (see PLRE)
- Kienast, Dietmar; Werner Eck & Matthäus Heil (2017) [1990]. Römische Kaisertabelle: Grundzüge einer römischen Kaiserchronologie [Roman imperial table: Basics of the Roman imperial chronology] (in German) (6th ed.). Darmstadt: WBG. ISBN 978-3-534-26724-8.
- Feiller, Albert (1976). "Nouvelle note sur la chronologie du règne de Jean Cantacuzène" [New note on the chronology of the reign of John Kantakouzenos]. Études byzantines. 34: 119–124. doi:10.3406/rebyz.1976.2046.
- Peachin, Michael (1990). Roman Imperial Titulature and Chronology, A.D. 235–284. Amsterdam: Gieben. ISBN 90-5063-034-0.
- ^ Adkins 2019, p. 27.
- ^ a b c Herodian (c. 240), History 7.1.
- ^ a b Craven 2019, pp. 291–292.
- ^ a b Kienast 2017, p. 179.
- ^ Historia Augusta, "Thirty Tyrants"
- ^ Kienast 2017, p. 178.
- ^ a b c d Feiller 1976.
- ^ a b c d Peachin 1990.
- ^ Craven 2019, pp. 314.
- ^ Craven 2019, pp. 324.