Roman Emperors and Major Political Events (Foundation to 500 AD)

Ruler or Figure	Years of Reign	Method of Accession	Major Wars and Conquests	Key Domestic Acts or Policies	Fate or Cause of Death	Character Summary	Source
Romulus	37 years	Founder of the city	Conquered the Caeninenses, Antemnates, Crustumini, Sabines, Fidenates, and Vejentes.	Chose a hundred older men to name as senators; seized young women from neighboring tribes for wives.	Deified (believed translated to the gods) after disappearing in a tempest.	Regarded as the first founder of Rome and son of Mars.	1
Numa Pompilius	43 years	Elected king	Engaged in no wars.	Established laws and customs; divided the year into ten months; founded sacred rites and temples.	Died a natural death.	Of no less service to the state than Romulus; transformed the Romans from robbers to a civilized state.	1
Tullus Hostilius	32 years	Succeeded to the throne	Conquered the Albans; overcame the Vejentes and Fidenates.	Increased city dimensions by adding the Coelian hill.	Struck by lightning and consumed together with his house.	Re-commenced war following Numa's peaceful reign.	1
Ancus Martius	24 years	Succeeded (grandson of Numa)	Fought against the Latins.	Added Aventine and Janiculan hills; founded Ostia on the sea-coast.	Died a natural death.	Grandson of Numa who expanded the city's infrastructure.	1
Priscus Tarquinius	38 years	Invested with government	Conquered the Sabines; first to enter the city in triumph.	Doubled senators; built the Circus and commenced the Capitol; built walls and sewers.	Killed by the sons of Ancus.	A builder king who expanded the Senate and territorial land.	1
Servius Tullius	45 years	Placed on the throne	Defeated the Sabines.	Instituted the census; annexed the Quirinal, Viminal, and Esquiline hills; formed trenches around walls.	Cut off by the machinations of his son-in-law Tarquin the Proud.	First to record the citizen count (84,000); son of a captive woman.	1
Lucius Tarquinius Superbus	25 years	Seized power through criminal machinations	Overcame the Volsci; reduced Gabii and Suessa Pometia; built Jupiter's temple in the Capitol.	Tyrannical rule ending in expulsion after his son offered violence to Lucretia.	Forced into flight; died in private station at Tusculum 14 years later.	The seventh and last king, whose pride led to the end of the monarchy.	1
Diocletian	20 years	Conferred by the army	Subdued Achilleus in Egypt; various wars in conjunction with Maximian against Carpi and Sarmatians.	Divided the empire into four; introduced royal ceremonies/adoration; heavy taxation and price limiting ordinance.	Voluntarily abdicated; died of grief and illness in retirement.	A crafty and sagacious author of misery who introduced the tetrarchy.	1, 2
Galerius	18 years	Appointed Caesar by Diocletian; became Emperor upon Diocletian's abdication.	Victory over Narseus and the Persians in Armenia.	Instigated the Great Persecution of Christians; imposed severe capitation taxes; reduced Pretorian Guards.	Died of a horrible malignant ulcer and putrefaction.	A man of native barbarity and unbounded arrogance, known as a persecutor.	1, 2
Constantine	31 years	Proclaimed Emperor in Britain by the soldiers.	Defeated Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge; overthrew Licinius; conquered Goths and Franks.	Restored Christian worship; founded Constantinople; enacted many laws.	Died a natural death at Nicomedia; deified.	A man of great energy and military success who transformed the state into a Christian empire.	1, 2

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