Roman Emperors from Domitian to Diocletian

81-96 Domitian. Son of Vespasian.

96-98 Nerva. Former Senator.

98-117 Trajan. Soldier adopted by Nerva.

117-138 Hadrian. Soldier chosen by Trajan.

138-161 Antoninus Pius. Adopted by Hadrian.

161 Marcus Aurelius. Adopted by Antoninus Pius.

161-69 Lucius Verus. Co-emperor. Adopted by Antoninus Pius. Dies in 169.

180-192 Commodus. Son of Aurelius. Assassinated in 192.

193 Pertinax. Urban Prefect.

193 Didius Julianus. Senator.

193-211 Septimius Severus. Soldier.

211-17 Caracalla. Son of Severus.

217-18 Macrinus. Prefect of the Praetorian Guard.

218-22 Elagabalus. Grandson of Caracalla's maternal aunt.

222-35 Severus Alexander. Cousin of Elagabalus.

235-38 Maximinus Thrax. Soldier. Assassinated in 238.

235-38 Maximinus Thrax. Soldier. Assassinated by troops.

238 Gordian I. Soldier. Dies by suicide.

238 Gordian II Soldier. Killed in battle.

238 Pupienus Maximus. Senator-soldier. Assassinated by Praetorians.

238 Balbinus co-emperor with Pupienus. Senator-soldier assassinated by Praetorians.

238-244 Gordian III. Grandson of Gordian I. Assassinated at the age of nineteen.

244-49 Philip the Arab. Soldier. Killed in battle. Son and heir murdered.

249-51 Decius. Soldier. killed in battle against "barbarians."

251-53 Gallus. Soldier. Assassinated by own troops.

251 Hostilian. Co-emperor. Dies of the plague in 251.

251 Volusianus. Co-emperor. Son of Gallus. Assassinated by own troops.

253 Aemilian. Soldier. Assassinated by own troops.

253-60 Valerian. Soldier. Taken prisoner by the Persians in 260.

253-68 Gallienus. Co-emperor. Son of Valerian. Assassinated in 268.

260-68 Postumus. Soldier-emperor for Gaul, Spain, Germany and Britain. Killed by his troops in 268.

268-69 Claudius II. Soldier. Died of plague.

269 Marius. Soldier. Assassinated?

269-70 Victorinus. Soldier. Assassinated by subordinate.

270-75 Aurelian. Soldier. Assassinated in 275.

275-73 Tetricus. Soldier. Assassinated.

276 Florianus. Soldier. Assassinated.

276-82 Probus. Soldier. Assassinated by own troops.

282-83 Carus. Soldier. Died of unknown causes during military campaign.

283-85 Carinus. Senator-soldier. Assassinated in 285.

283-84 Numerian. Co-emperor. Soldier. Son of Carus. Dies in 284.

284-305 Diocletian, soldier, abdicates in 305.