Emperors of Rome

By GavinT28
  • Period: 27 BCE to 476

    The Empire

    From the time the Empire started to the time it ended
  • Period: 27 BCE to 14

    Octavian Caesar (the first emperor)

    Augustus became the first emperor of Rome
    when his adopted father, Julius Caesar, was
    murdered on the Senate floor. His real name
    was Octavian but he was given the name
    'Augustus' by the Senate as an honor for his
    great achievements. He used his rule wisely and
    built roads, aqueducts and buildings. Not only
    was Augustus the first, but he was certainly one
    of the best emperors Rome ever had.
  • Period: 54 to 68

    Nero's reign

    Nero was known to be very friendly to people from all stations of life. As his reign continued, his behavior
    became bizarre. He killed, among others, his
    mother, and it has been said that he sang
    when the Great Fire of Rome ravaged through
    the city. He blamed the fire on Christians and
    had many killed, either by crucifixion,
    beheading. Regardless, he had clearly become insane.
    After unsuccessfully ordering members of the Senate to kill
    themselves, he committed suicide.
  • Period: 98 to 117

    Trajan's reign

    The Roman emperor Trajan was the first non-Italian emperor. Trajan was always on the offensive as he expanded Rome's territory to its farthest limits. He was a former soldier who used his military expertise to win campaigns and acquire many new lands.
  • Period: 117 to 138

    Hadrians reign

    Hadrian became emperor following the death of
    Trajan, and he is perhaps most well known for the
    construction of a defensive wall in Britain which
    is known as Hadrian's Wall; the wall was built to
    protect the Roman Empire from invasions from
    tribes to the north.
    As a ruler, Hadrian turned out to be relatively
    peaceful. He reversed the expansionist policies
    of the previous ruler, Trajan, which meant
    Rome stopped looking to acquire new land
    through warfare.
  • Period: 180 to 192

    Commodus' reign

    Commodus was the son of Marcus Aurelius, one of
    Rome’s greatest rulers. He adored the gladiatorial
    games so much that he personally entered many of
    them and fought alongside the gladiators! Gladiators
    were mostly all criminals and slaves. This severely
    offended the entire Empire, especially the Senate.
    Commodus once ordered all the cripples, hunchbacks,
    and all other “undesirables” in the city to be
    rounded up, thrown into the arena, and forced to
    hack one another to death with meat cleavers.
  • Period: 286 to 305

    Diocletian's reign

    Diocletian came to power at a
    difficult time in the Empire’s
    history. There were civil wars in
    the provinces and the Empire’s
    economy was near collapse. He divided
    the empire in two halves. This is what led toward the
    creation of separate Eastern
    (Byzantine) and Western (Roman)
    Empires. However, he is also
    known for intensifying the
    persecution of Christians, who
    still refused to worship an
    emperor or official Roman gods.