Timeline of Roman Emperors

Each Roman emperor made his own coins, and sent them all around the empire. This hoard contains coins made by a lot of different emperors, but who are they all, and when did they rule? There are also a number of coins from the end of the Republican period of Rome, which you can read more about here.

Below is a brief timeline of each of the Roman emperors, and a few facts about each of them, alongside one of their coins from the hoard:

Augustus (27 BCE-14 CE)

• Augustus was the first emperor of Rome. He came to power through the conclusion of a civil war started by his adoptive father, Julius Caesar, and gained more power throughout his life. He transformed Rome from a Republic, where power was meant to be held by the Senate, into one where he was the most important figure. His birth sign, the Capricorn, often appeared on his coins, like this example. Augustus' coin designs varied a lot, and if you want to read more about them, click here.

Tiberius (14-37)

• The second emperor, Tiberius, was not Augustus' first choice of successor, and never really wanted the job. He often allowed his key allies, like the military commander Sejanus, to act as his regents and gain a lot of power. By the end of his life, Tiberius became very paranoid of his enemies, and left Rome for the island of Capri. The events of his death are still mysterious, as it was rumoured that he was killed by his successor, who wanted to take over as Emperor.

Caligula (37-41)

• Caligula is one of the most famous Roman emperors, for all the wrong reasons. His real name was Gaius, but he was nicknamed Caligula (Little Boot) for dressing as a soldier as a young child. There are all sorts of stories about the crazy things he did, but many of them may have been exaggerated by historians. Unfortunately for him, Caligula’s strange policies and erratic behaviour were very unpopular with the Senate, and he was murdered by the Praetorian Guard - his own bodyguards!

Claudius (41-54)

• Claudius was actually the uncle of Caligula, and was made emperor by the Praetorian Guard. Claudius was the first emperor to conquer Britain, which he did in 43 CE. Julius Caesar had invaded the island around 100 years before but had not succeeded in conquering it. He was mocked during and after his lifetime for his stammer and difficulty walking, which may have been caused by cerebral palsy. However, many later historians believe he was very intelligent, and his negative reputation mostly comes from Roman historians who disliked him and the Imperial family. The reverse of coin here has a dedication thanking him for saving Rome.

Nero (54-68)

• The last of the first group of emperors, the Julio-Claudians, Nero was not particularly popular with the Senate. Nero loved Greek culture, and competed in all the major Greek festivals - including the Olympics. During his reign, a large fire burned down a lot of Rome. Nero used this as an opportunity to build himself a massive golden palace. This was not a popular move, especially with the people who had lost their houses in the fire. Nero was declared an enemy of the Senate after revolts in the west of the Empire. He chose to end his own life rather than fight a civil war, as he lacked support.

Galba (68-69), Otho (69) and Vitellius (69)

• The death of Nero led to a period called the ‘Year of the Four Emperors’, in which a number of emperors claimed the throne, only to be defeated or killed by the next. Galba, a senator from Rome, was initially selected by the Senate, but was murdered by Otho, who had hoped to be adopted as his successor. At the same time, the general Vitellius, commander of the Roman armies in Germany, declared himself as emperor, leading to a short but bloody civil war that was only ended by the arrival of a fourth candidate from the middle east.
• The Second South Warwickshire Denarii Hoard is unusual as it contains coins from all four of the emperors in this year. This is quite rare, as they ruled for such a short time! Interestingly, several of their coins have quite similar imagery, as can be seen here. Galba's coins are also similar to Nero's in design, indicating that he may have reused some of the same stamps.

Vespasian (69-79)

• The final emperor whose coins are found in the hoard, Vespasian was the leader of the Roman army in Judea and Egypt before claiming the throne. He defeated Vitellius in battle and stabilised the Empire. He founded the Flavian dynasty, the second family line to rule Rome, as his two sons, Titus and Domitian, ruled after him. Titus and Domitian appear on the reverse of his coin below, reminding its viewers of Rome's new dynasty. Vespasian built the Colosseum, then called the ‘Flavian Amphitheatre,’ which is probably the most famous of all Roman buildings.