The Course of Empire

Caratacus, a barbarian chieftain who was captured and brought to Rome and later pardoned by Claudius, wandered about the city after his liberation; and after beholding its splendour and its magnitude he exclaimed: “And can you, then, who have got such possessions and so many of them, covet our poor tents?”
-Cassius Dio, Roman History, Book LXI

Julio-Claudians
Augustus
Tiberius
Caligula
Claudius
Nero

Year of the Four Emperors
Galba
Otho
Vitellius

Flavians
Vespasian
Titus
Domitian

Nerva-Antonines
Nerva
Trajan I
Hadrian
Antoninus Pius
Marcus Aurelius
Lucius Verus
Commodus

Year of the Five Emperors
Pertinax
Didius Julianus

Severans
Septimus Severus
Geta
Caracalla
Macrinus
Elagabalus
Severus Alexander

Crisis
Maximinus Thrax
Gordian I
Gordian II
Pupienus
Balbinus
Gordian III
Philip the Arab
Trajan Decius
Hostillian
Trebonianus Gallus
Aemilian
Valerian
Gallienus
Claudius Gothicus
Quintillus
Aurelian I
Tacitus
Florian
Probus
Carus
Numerian
Carinus

Tetrarchy
Diocletian
Maximian
Constantius I Chlorus
Galerius
Severus II
Maxentius
Maximinus II
Licinius I

Constantinians
Constantine I the Great
Constantine II
Constantius II
Constans I
Julian the Apostate

Jovians
Jovian

Valentinians
Valentinian I
Valens
Gratian

Theodosians
Theodosius I the Great
Arcadius
Theodosius II
Aelia Pulcheria
Marcian

Leonids
Leo I the Thracian
Leo II the Little
Zeno
Basiliscus
Anastasius I Dicorus

Justinians
Justin I
Justinian I the Great
Justin II
Tiberius II Constantine
Maurice

Phocas
Phocas

Heraclians
Heraclius
Constantine III
Heraklonas
Constans II
Constantine IV
Justinian II the Slit-nosed

Anarchy
Leontios
Tiberius III Apsimar
Justinian II the Slit-nosed (again)
Philippikos Bardanes
Anastasios II
Theodosios III

Isaurians
Leo III the Isaurian
Constantine V the Dung-named
Artabasdos
Leo IV the Khazar
Constantine VI
Irene I of Athens

Nikephorians
Nikephoros I the Logothete
Staurakios
Michael I Rangabe

Armenians
Leo V the Armenian

Amorians
Michael II the Amorian
Theophilos
Michael III the Drunkard

Macedonians
Basil I the Macedonian
Leo VI the Wise
Alexander
Constantine VII
Romanos I Lekapenos
Romanos II
Nikephoros II Phokas
John I Tzimiskes
Basil II the Bulgar-Slayer
Constantine VIII
Zoe
Romanos III Argyros
Michael IV the Paphlagonian
Michael V the Caulker
Theodora I
Constantine IX Monomachos

Bringas
Michael VI Bringas the Old

Komnenoi
Isaac I Komnenos

Doukids
Constantine X Doukas
Michael VII Doukas
Romanos IV Diogenes
Nikephoros III Botaneiates

Komnenoi (Restored)
Alexios I Komnenos
Meletios Komnenos
Irene II Komnene the Fat
Iouliana I Komnene the Great
Alexios II Komnenos
St. Kaisarios Komnenos
Euphrosyne Komnene
Valeria I Komnene the Apostle
Trajan II Komnenos the Silent
Kyriakos Komnenos
St. Valeria II Komnene
Valeria III Komnene
Gabrielia Komnene the Cruel

Yaroslavoviches
Yaroslav Yaroslavovich
Dobrava Yaroslavovna

Branas
Komitas Branas the Wicked

Yaroslavoviches (restored
Dobrava Yaroslavovna (again)
Rurik Yaroslavovich
Irene III Yaroslavovna
Basillike Yaroslavovna the Apostle

De Mowbrays
Hugh de Mowbray the Englishman
Hypatia I de Mowbray

Radziwiłłs
Theochariste I Radziwiłł
Theodora II Radziwiłł
Iouliana II Radziwiłł
Aurelian II Radziwiłł the Mad
Hypatia II Radziwiłł the Sad

Hypatia III Radziwiłł the Merry
Alexios III Radziwiłł
Alexios IV Radziwiłł
Julia Radziwiłł the Great

Yaroslavoviches (restored)

Yustina I Yaroslavovna

Anna I Yaroslavona
Trajan III Yaroslavovich the Golden
Ariadne Yaroslavovna
Valeria IV Yaroslavovna
Alexios V Yaroslavovich, the Black Emperor

On the day of his death, after asking repeatedly whether there were any disturbances in Rome as a result of his illness, he called for a mirror, and had his hair combed, and his slack lower jaw manipulated into place. Then he called in his friends, and asked them whether they felt he had played his part in life’s farce well, adding the theatrical tag:

‘Please clap your hands, if I have given cause,
And send me from the stage with your applause.’

Then he dismissed them.

-Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars: Augustus

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *