Kings and Emperors of Rome
Here is a list of the main kings and emperors of Rome from the founding of the city until the fall of the Roman Empire, divided into significant periods.
Period of the Roman Monarchy (753-509 BC).
During this period, Rome was ruled by the so-called “Seven Kings of Rome.”
Romulus (753-716 BC) – Founder and first king of Rome, known for instituting the first laws and dividing the Roman people into patricians and plebeians.
Numa Pompilius (715-673 BC) – King of Sabine origin, famous for founding Roman religious institutions and bringing peace and order.
Tullus Hostilius (673-642 BC) – Warrior and conqueror, led Rome in numerous wars, such as the one against Albalonga.
Anco Martius (642-617 BC) – Grandson of Numa, expanded Roman territory and founded Ostia.
Tarquinius Priscus (616-578 BC) – Of Etruscan origin, he brought great architectural and military innovations.
Servius Tullius (578-534 BC) – Introduced social and military reforms and expanded the city.
Tarquinius the Proud (534-509 BC) – Last king of Rome, known for his tyrannical rule; he was expelled, leading to the establishment of the Republic.
Period of the Roman Republic (509-27 BC).
At this stage, Rome had no kings or emperors, but was ruled by annually elected consuls. However, some military commanders and dictators assumed exceptional power:
Lucius Cornelius Sulla – Dictator with extraordinary powers, ruled from 82 to 79 BC.
Gaius Julius Caesar – He was not emperor, but perpetual dictator from 49 to 44 BC, until his death.
Period of the Roman Empire (27 B.C. - 476 A.D.)
This period includes the rule of numerous emperors, divided into historical eras. Here is a list of the main ones.
Julio-Claudian Dynasty (27 B.C. – 68 A.D.)
Augustus (27 BC – 14 AD) – First emperor of Rome, he initiated the Pax Romana.
Tiberius (14-37 AD) – Successor to Augustus, ruled in an authoritarian manner.
Caligula (37-41 AD) – Famous for his cruelty and extravagance.
Claudius (41-54 AD) – Expanded the empire, conquering Britain.
Nero (54-68 AD) – Famous for his persecution of Christians and the great burning of Rome.
Year of the Four Emperors (69 A.D.)
Galba, Otho, Vitellius and Vespasian – Subsequent internal conflicts brought each briefly to power.
Flavian Dynasty (69-96 AD).
Vespasian (69-79 AD) – Restored order and began construction of the Colosseum.
Titus (79-81 A.D.) – Celebrated for the conquest of Jerusalem.
Domitian (81-96 AD) – Administered the empire well but was assassinated.
Antonine Dynasty (96-192 AD).
Nerva (96-98 AD) – Initiated the adoption system to choose a successor.
Trajan (98-117 A.D.) – Expanded the empire to its maximum borders.
Hadrian (117-138 AD) – Consolidated the borders, building Hadrian’s Wall.
Antoninus Pius (138-161 AD) – Peaceful and prosperous reign.
Marcus Aurelius (161-180 AD) – Philosopher, ruled during the wars against the Parthians.
Commodus (180-192 AD) – Began the decline of the empire with his rule.
Period of Military Anarchy (192-284 CE).
A period of instability with numerous emperors proclaimed and deposed by the legions.
Dominate and Tetrarchy (284-337 CE).
Diocletian (284-305 AD) – Established the tetrarchy, dividing the empire.
Constantine the Great (306-337 CE) – First Christian emperor, founded Constantinople.
Western Roman Empire (395-476 AD).
After the death of Theodosius I (395 AD), the empire was divided:
Honorius (395-423 AD) – Emperor of the West, ruled during Alaric’s invasion.
Valentinian III (425-455 AD) – Weak emperor in a period of crisis.
Romulus Augustus (475-476 AD) – Considered the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, he was deposed by Odoacer.
With the deposition of Romulus Augustus, the Western Roman Empire formally ceased to exist in 476 AD, marking the end of the ancient era and the beginning of the Middle Ages.
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