User:Tintero21/Crisis emperors

Chronology of rulers

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Several emperors who rose to power through acclamation of their troops attempted to create stability by appointing their descendants as Caesar, resulting in several brief dynasties. These generally failed to maintain any form of coherence beyond one generation, although there were exceptions.

Roman Empire (235–285)

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  (#) – Usurpers / claimants
  (§) – Junior co-emperors
  (§) – Heir-apparents
Portrait Name Approximate reign Notes

Maximinus dynasty (235–238)

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  Maximinus I "Thrax"
Gaius Julius Verus Maximinus
March 235 – June 238[a]
(3 years and 3 months)
Born c. 173 in Thracia, hence his nickname. Proclaimed emperor (aged 65) by his troops during a mutiny against Severus Alexander in Mogontiacum, Germania Superior. A man of humble origins, he was hated by the Roman Senate because he never visited Rome. Killed during the Siege of Aquileia against followers of Pupienus and Balbinus.[1]
Gaius Petronius Magnus
(in Germania)
late 235 A patritian ex-consul; said to have been proclaimed emperor after Alexander's murder. Herodian suggests that the accusations against him were actually fabricated.[2][3][4]
Titus Quartinus
(in Mesopotamia)
late 235 / early 236[b] Ex-consul; reluctantly hailed by troops loyal to Alexander. He was later killed by the same man who proclaimed him emperor.[2][3][4]
  Maximus
Gaius Julius Verus Maximus
January/May 236 – June 238
(caesar under Maximinus I)
Son of Maximinus, born c. 215; incorrectly called "Maximinus" by some sources. Named caesar (heir apparent) by his father, and later killed alongside him.[6]
  Gordian I
Marcus Antonius Gordianus Sempronianus Romanus Africanus
c. April – May 238
(22 days)
Born c. 158 in Phrygia. Proclaimed emperor (aged 80) in Africa during a revolt against Maximinus, later recognized by the Senate. Committed suicide upon hearing of the death of his son Gordian II.[7][8]
  Gordian II
Marcus Antonius Gordianus Sempronianus Romanus Africanus
c. April – May 238
(22 days)
Son of Gordian I, born c. 192. Proclaimed emeperor (aged 46) alongside father in opposition to Maximinus by the Senate. Killed during the Battle of Carthage, fighting a pro-Maximinus army. The shortest reigning emperor on record.[7][8]
  Pupienus
Marcus Clodius Pupienus Maximus
c. May – August 238
(99 days)
Born c. 164. Proclaimed joint emperor (aged 74) with Balbinus in Rome after the death of the Gordians, in opposition to Maximinus. Made regents of the caesar Gordian III. Assassinated by Praetorian Guard one month after Maximinus' death.[7][8]
  Balbinus
Decimus Caelius Calvinus Balbinus
c. May – August 238
(99 days)
Born c. 178. Proclaimed joint emperor (aged 60) with Balbinus in Rome after the death of the Gordians, in opposition to Maximinus. Made regents of the caesar Gordian III. Assassinated by Praetorian Guard one month after Maximinus' death.[7][8]
  Gordian III
Marcus Antonius Gordianus
c. August 238 – February 244
(5 years and 6 months)
Grandson of Gordian I, born in Rome on 20 January 222. Made caesar by Pupienus and Balbinus in May 238, succeeded as augustus at age 13, the youngest sole emperor. Possibly murdered on orders of Philip I.
Marcus Asinius Sabinianus
(in Africa)
240 Revolted in Africa; killed by the governor of Mauretania.[9]

Philippus dynasty (235–238)

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  Philip I "the Arab"
Marcus Julius Philippus
c. February 244 – September 249
(5 years and 7 months)
  Philip II "the Younger"
Marcus Julius Severus Philippus
c. July 247 – September 249
(co-augustus under Philip I)
  Jotapian
Marcus Fulvius Jotapianus
c. 249 "clearly suggests that this ephemeral emperor rejoiced in a "[10]
  Pacatian
Tiberius Claudius Marinus Pacatianus
c. 249
  Silbannacus c. 249 (?)
  Sponsianus Unknown
Licinian
Julius Valens Licinianus
c. 250

Decian dynasty (235–238)

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  Decius
Gaius Messius Quintus Traianus Decius
c. September 249 – June 251
(1 year and 9 months)
  Herennius Etruscus
Quintus Herennius Etruscus Messius Decius
May/June – June 251
(less than a month)
  Hostilian
Gaius Valens Hostilianus Messius Quintus
c. June – c. July 251
(1 month)

Gallan dynasty (251–253)

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  Trebonianus Gallus
Gaius Vibius Trebonianus Gallus
June 251 – August 253
(3 years and 2 months)
  Volusianus
Gaius Vibius Afinius Gallus Veldumnianus Volusianus
August 251 – August 253
(co-augustus under Philip I)
Titus Julius Priscus c. 251

Non-dynastic (253)

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  Aemilianus
Marcus Aemilius Aemilianus
c. July – c. September 253
(c. 2 months)
  Silbannacus
Mar(ius) Silbannacus
c. September/October 253 (?)
(very briefly)

Valerian dynasty (235–268)

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  Valerian
Publius Licinius Valerianus
c. September 253 – c. June 260
(c. 6 years and 9 months)
  Gallienus
Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus
c. September 253 – c. September 268
(15 years)
  Valerian II
Publius Licinius Cornelius Valerianus
256–258
(caesar under Valerian and Gallienus)
  Saloninus
Publius Licinius Cornelius Saloninus Valerianus
Autumn 260
(c. 1 month)
Ingenuus c. 260
Macrianus Major
Titus Fulvius Macrianus
c. 261
  Macrianus Minor
Titus Fulvius Junius Macrianus
c. 261
  Quietus
Titus Fulvius Junius Quietus
c. 261
  Regalianus
P(ublius) C(assius) Regalianus
c. 261
Valens Thessalonicus c. 261
Lucius Mussius Aemilianus c. 261
Aureolus c. 268

Claudian dynasty (268–275)

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  Claudius II "Gothicus"
Marcus Aurelius Claudius
c. September 268 – c. April 270
(c. 1 year and 7 months)
  Quintillus
Marcus Aurelius Claudius Quintillus
c. April – May/June 270
(17–77 days)
  Aurelian "Restitutor"
Lucius Domitius Aurelianus
c. May 270 – c. October 275
(c. 5 years and 5 months)
Septimius 271

Tacitus dynasty (275–276)

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  Tacitus
Marcus Claudius Tacitus
c. December 275 – c. June 276
(c. 7 months)
  Florianus
Marcus Annius Florianus
c. June – September 276
(80–88 days)

Non dynastic (276–282)

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  Probus
Marcus Aurelius Probus
c. June 276 – c. September 282
(c. 6 years and 3 months)
  Bonosus 280
  Procolus 280
  Julius Saturninus 280

Caran dynastic (276–282)

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  Carus
Marcus Aurelius Carus
c. September 282 – c. July 283
(c. 10 months)
  Numerian
Marcus Aurelius Numerianus
c. July 283 – November 284
(1 year and 3/4 months)
  Carinus
Marcus Aurelius Carinus
Spring 283 – July 285
(2 years)

Gallic Empire (260–274)

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Portrait Name
  Postumus
Marcus Cassianius Latinius Postumus
  Laelian
Ulpius Cornelius Laelianus
  Marius
Marcus Aurelius Marius
  Victorinus
Marcus Piavonius Victorinus
  Domitian II
Domitianus
  Tetricus I
Gaius Esuvius Tetricus
  Tetricus II
Gaius Esuvius Tetricus

Palmyrene Empire (270–273)

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Portrait Name
  Septimius Vaballathus
  Septimia Zenobia

Britannic Empire (286–296)

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Portrait Name
  Carausius
  Allectus
  1. ^ Maximinus' official dies imperii was almost certainly 23 March. He was co-opted into the sodales Antoniniani (the cult of Antoninus Pius) in 25 March, in Rome. However, it is impossible to know exactly how much time it would have taken for news of his proclamation to travel from Mainz to Rome. According to contemporary papyri: Maximinus was still recognized in Egypt by 7 April 238; the two Gordians are first mentioned in 13 June, Pupienus and Balbinus appear in documents dated to 21 July and 8 September, while Gordian III first appears in 21 September. News often took 1 month to travel from Rome to Egypt.
  2. ^ He reigned six months according to the Historia Augusta, but this must be an exageration.[5] Herodian's narrative suggest he was killed rather quickly.[2]
  • Adkins, Lesley; Adkins, Roy A. (2014). "Emperors". Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome. New York: Infobase Publishing. pp. 27–37. ISBN 9780816074822.
  • Craven, Maxwell (2019). The Imperial Families of Ancient Rome. Fonthill Media. ISBN 978-1781557389.
  • Jones, A. H. M.; Martindale, J. R.; Morris, John, eds. (1971–1992). Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire. Cambridge University Press. (see PLRE)
  • Kienast, Dietmar; Werner Eck & Matthäus Heil (2017) [1990]. Römische Kaisertabelle: Grundzüge einer römischen Kaiserchronologie [Roman imperial table: Basics of the Roman imperial chronology] (in German) (6th ed.). Darmstadt: WBG. ISBN 978-3-534-26724-8.
  • Feiller, Albert (1976). "Nouvelle note sur la chronologie du règne de Jean Cantacuzène" [New note on the chronology of the reign of John Kantakouzenos]. Études byzantines. 34: 119–124. doi:10.3406/rebyz.1976.2046.
  • Peachin, Michael (1990). Roman Imperial Titulature and Chronology, A.D. 235–284. Amsterdam: Gieben. ISBN 90-5063-034-0.