Chaos Emperors
Table of the Chaos Emperors
During the Period of Military Anarchy or Imperial Crises
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Beginning with Maximinus Thrax and ending with Carinus, these are the emperors (and usurpers) between the dynasty of the Severans and the tetrarchy organized by Diocletian, during the period of military anarchy (235-285).
| Name | Dates of Rule | Birth | Accession | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximinus Thrax Imperator Caesar Gaius Iulius Verus Maximinus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus |
Feb. or Mar. 235-Apr. 238 | 172 or 173 in Thrace or Moesia. | Acclaimed by troops near Mainz | Murdered by troops at Aquileia. |
| Gordian I Imperator Caesar Marcus Antonius Gordianus Sempronianus Romanus Africanus |
Early Jan. 238 - late Jan. 238 (20 days) | 158 or 159 | Accesssion in Africa | Suicide in Carthage. |
| Gordian II Imperator Caesar Marcus Antonius Gordianus Sempronianus Romanus Africanus |
Early Jan. 238 - late Jan. 238 (20 days) | c. 192 | Accession in Africa | Killed in Carthage. |
| Pupienus Imperator Caesar Marcus Clodius Pupienus Maximus Augustus |
Early Feb. 238 - early May 238 (99 days) | c. 164 | Proclaimed emperor by the senate | Murdered by praetorians. |
| Balbinus Imperator Caesar Decius Caelius Calvinus Balbinus Pius Felix Augustus |
Early Feb. 238 - early May 238 (99 days) | ? | Proclaimed emperor by the senate | Murdered by praetorians. |
| Gordian III Imperator Caesar Marcus Antonius Gordianus Pius Felix Augustus |
Mar. 238 - Feb. 244 | Jan. 20, 225, in Rome. | Acclaimed emperor by the praetorian | Murdered near Circesium in Mesopotamia. |
| Philip the Arab Imperator Caesar Marcus Iulius Phillipus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus |
Feb. 244 - Sept/Oct. 249 | c. 204, in Trachonitis, Syria. | Killed in battle in Macedonia. | |
| Philip II Imperator Caesar Marcus Iulius Severus Phillipus Augustus |
244 - Sept/Oct. 249 | c. 237. | Murdered by his troops after his father's defeat by Decius. | |
| Uranius Imperator Caesar Lucius Julius Aurelius Sulpicius Uranius Antoninus Augustus |
Feb. 248 - 254 | ? | Proclaimed emperor by his troops. | Probably assassinated. |
| Pacatian Imperator Caesar Tiberius Claudius Marinus Pacatianus Augustus |
Summer 248 (a few weeks) | ? | Proclaimed emperor by Pannonian and Moesian troops. | Assassinated by his soldiers. |
| Jotapian Imperator Caesar Marcus Fulvius Rufus Jotapianus Augustus |
Summer 248 (a few weeks) | ? | Killed by troops. | |
| Decius Imperator Caesar Gaius Messius Quintus Traianus Decius Pius Felix Invictus Augustus |
Sept./Oct. 249-June 251 | c. 190 at Budalia near Sirmium (Balkans) | Killed in battle at Abrittus in Moesia. | |
| Herennius Etruscus Imperator Caesar Quintus Herennius Etruscus Messius Decius Augustus |
250 - June 251 | Killed in battle against the Goths at Abrittus. | ||
| Trebonianus Gallus Imperator Caesar Gaius Vibius Trebonianus Gallus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus |
June 251-Aug. 253 | c. 206 Perugia | Chosen by the Roman army | Murdered by his soldiers at Interamna. |
| Hostilian Imperator Caesar Gaius Valens Hostilianus Messius Quintus Augustus |
Dec. 250 - Nov. 251 | ? | Died of plague. | |
| Volusian Imperator Caesar Gaius Vibius Afinius Gallus Vendumnianus Volusianus Augustus |
Jul. 251 - summer 253 | ? | Killed in battle against Aemilian. | |
| Aemilius Aemilianus Imperator Caesar Marcus Aemilius Aemilianus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus |
Aug. 253-Oct. 253 | at Jerba in Africa | Murdered by his own soldiers near Spoleto. | |
| Valerian Imperator Caesar Publius Licinius Valerianus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus |
Oct. 253 - 260 | c.195 | Had himself proclaimed emperor when he learned of Gallus' murder | The date of Valerian's death is unknown. He was captured by Persians in June 260. |
| Gallienus Imperator Caesar Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus |
Oct. 253 - Sept. 268 | c. 213 | Made Caesar along with his father Valerian | Killed by the commander of his Dalmatian cavalry. |
| Salonius Imperator Caesar Publius Licinius Cornelius Salonius Valerianus Augustus |
258 - Sept. 260 | c. 242 | Made co-emperor with his father Gallienus. | Executed by the Gallic emperor Postumus. |
| Macrianus Imperator Caesar Titus Fulvius Junius Macrianus Augustus |
Sept. 260 - Spring 261 | ? | Proclaimed emperor with his brother Quietus when Valerian was captured by the Persians. | Killed in battle against Gallienus. |
| Quietus Imperator Caesar Titus Fulvius Junius Quietus Augustus |
Sept. 260 - Nov. 261 | ? | Proclaimed emperor with Macrianus | Besieged and killed at Emesa. |
| Regalianus Imperator Caesar Cornelius Publius Regalianus Augustus |
Autumn 260 - 260 | ? | Proclaimed emperor by troops in Upper Pannonia | Probably killed by his troops. |
| Claudius II "Gothicus" Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Claudius Pius Felix Invictus Augustus |
Sept. 268 - Aug. 270 | May 10, 214 in Illyricum | Died of plague in Simium. | |
| Quintillus Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Claudius Quintillus Invictus Pius Felix Augustus |
Aug. 270 - Sept. 270 (perhaps 17 days) | ? | He had been left to defend northern Italy when his brother Claudius fought the Goths and then was made emperor. | Committed suicide in Aquileia when the legions supported Aurelian instead of him. |
| Aurelian Imperator Caesar Lucius Domitius Aurelianus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus |
Aug. 270 - Sept./Oct. 275 | Sept. 9, 214 in Moesia | Murdered by the praetorian guard at Coenofrurium. | |
| Tacitus Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Carinus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus |
Nov./Dec. 275 - July 276 | c. 200 in Danube provinces | Elected by the senate. | Murdered in Cappadocia. |
| Florianus Imperator Caesar Marcus Annius Florianus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus. |
July 276 - Sept. 276 (88 days) | ? | When Tacitus died, power passed to the commander of the praetorian. | Murdered by his soldiers at Tarsus. |
| Probus Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Probus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus |
July 276 - Sept. 282 | Aug. 19, 232 Simium. | Murdered by his soldiers near Simium. | |
| Carus Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Carus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus |
Sept. 282 - July/Aug. 283 | c. 224 at Narbo. | Killed by lightning near Ctesiphon. | |
| Numerian Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Numerianus Pius Felix Augustus |
July/Aug. 283 - Nov. 284 | c. 253 | Became emperor on the death of his father. | Murdered near Nicomedia. |
| Carinus Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Carinus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus |
Spring 283 - summer 285 | c. 250 | Had been made joint Augustus with his father Carus. | Murdered during battle at the River Margus. |
