Ace Roman Emperors

Front 1

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

Back 1

Octavian

Front 2

born in Rome; married Augustus' daughter Julia the elder and spawned
Julio-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 and
somber; never wanted to be emperor; Christ was crucified during his reign

Back 2

Tiberius

Front 3

born in Antium; called "little boots" because of his early travels with
his 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 to
his endless paranoia; many of his close friends died and his family members were
banished; had an illness during early part of reign; eventually assassinated; wanted to
make his horse Incitatus a consul.

Back 3

Caligula

Front 4

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

Back 4

Claudius

Front 5

born in Antium; last of Julio-Claudian dynasty; killed his mother;
considered insane; early persecutor of Christians; ruled during Boudicca fiasco; played
fiddle 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 he
built 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

Back 5

Nero

Front 6

includes Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian

Back 6

Year of the Four Emperors

Front 7

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

Back 7

Vespasian

Front 8

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

Back 8

Titus

Front 9

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

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Domitian

Front 10

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

Back 10

Nerva

Front 11

born in Spain; empire reached greatest extent under him; exceptional
general; took Dacia, made famous column because of it; managed to squeeze out more
land around Sinai, then took Mesopotamia and Armenia, and made Parthian ruler a
puppet king; died of Edema

Back 11

Trajan

Front 12

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

Back 12

Hadrian

Front 13

longest reign since Augustus; popular

Back 13

Antoninus Pius

Front 14

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

Back 14

Lucious Versa

Front 15

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

Back 15

Marcus Aurelius

Front 16

son of Aurelius, said to have competed in gladiator games
because 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.

Back 16

Commodus

Front 17

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

Back 17

Septimius Severus

Front 18

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

Back 18

Caracalla

Front 19

random nobodies; 260-274, Gallic phase; 268-284, Illyrian phase, – the empire went through scores of rulers in a very short period of time
due to the disorder within the empire and problems along the borders.

Back 19

Crisis of the 3rd Century

Front 20

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

Back 20

Diocletian

Front 21

his rule began after he defeated Maxentius at Milvian Bridge in
312, though in 314 he fought another war with Lisinius, so he technically was not
undisputed ruler until 324; he “converted” to Christianity after he saw a cross in the sky
at Milvian Bridge; with his mother Helena he constructed churches all over the empire
and issued the Edict of Milan, which gave religious tolerance; he had his son Crispus and
his wife Fausta put to death

Back 21

Constantin

Front 22

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

Back 22

Valentinian I

Front 23

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

Back 23

Valens

Front 24

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

Back 24

Valentinian II

Front 25

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

Back 25

Theodosius I

Front 26

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

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Honorius

Front 27

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

Back 27

Valentinian III

Front 28

the last western roman emperor; he was deposed by
Odoacer

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Romulus Augustulus

Front 29

Octavian, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero

Back 29

Julio-Claudian Dynasty

Front 30

Vespasian, Titus, Domitian

Back 30

Flavian Dynasty

Front 31

Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antonius Pius, Lucius Versa, Marcus Aurelius, Commodus

Back 31

5 good emperors

Front 32

Septimius Severus, Caracula, Crisis of the 3rd Century

Back 32

Severan Dynasty

Front 33

Diocleatian, Constantine

Back 33

Tetrarchy/Constantine

Front 34

Valentinian I, Valens, Valentinian II, Theodosius I, Honorius, Valentinian III, Romulus Augustulus

Back 34

Valentinean Dynasty