Since the creation of the world, households, communities, cities, countries, and organizations have at all time been presided and guided by an individual. The leader may be elected or chosen to lead his people.

The position occupied by each leader is given a unique name that explains the office occupied by the individual. Many a time, the kind of leader elected or chosen in a city or country determines the extent of the growth and development of his people. The Ancient Roman empire is not left out in the scheme of leadership. In Ancient Rome, many leaders have ascended the throne to lead and guide the Roman aright. They also take the responsibility of attracting extraordinary developments to the city. The ruler of the Roman empire is called the Roman emperor.

Summary of Top Greatest Emperors of Ancient Rome

The table below summarizes the vital information about the greatest emperors in ancient Rome.

List of Top Greatest Emperors of Ancient Rome

From history, the Roman empire has always had emperors that have brought law, order, and tremendous development to its people. When an emperor is chosen, he is highly recognized by the senate. He also has full control of the Roman army. An emperor of the Roman emperor is likened to a king in Rome. With that said, today, I will be telling you the top greatest emperors that ruled ancient Rome.

1. Augustus

Born on the 23rd of September 63 BC in Palatine Hill in the city of Rome, Italy, Augustus was an amazing emperor that had a huge number of achievements during his reign in Rome. Also known as Augustus Caesar, the original name of the great Roman emperor was Gaius Octavius. However, he adopted the name called Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus. Augustus decided to accompany Caesar the dictator to his triumphant procession after he had conquered his opponents of the civil war in Africa. As the day go by, Caesar became ill. Hence, Augustus joined him in Spain. He also completed his military and academic studies in Apollonia now called Albania. As soon as he came back to Rome, he got the news of the death of Julius Caesar. Augustus teamed up with Mark Antony to take revenge on the killers of Julius Caesar. Mark Antony later fell out of favor with Augustus. Augustus ascended the throne as the first Roman emperor and ruled for 41 years before he died. During his reign as the Roman emperor, he fought and defeated Mark Antony. He also defeated the great Egyptian queen called Cleopatra. Augustus also worked with the Roman senate to create a new constitution that could lead the great empire to greatness.

During the tenure of Augustus as Roman emperor, he maintained relative peace in the empire. The peace enjoyed by the Romans during his reign was called the Roman Peace or Pax Romana. While Augustus promoted relative peace among his people, he also fought several wars under the guise of expanding their territories. He also partook in the civil war. Soon after the reign of Augustus, the Roman world became free of fierce warfare. This lasted for over two centuries. Part of the achievements of Augustus in terms of infrastructures includes the construction of roads, buildings, and aqueducts. History has it that Augustus was ranked as the best of all the emperors that ruled in Rome. However, death is inevitable for all men. Hence, Augustus had his last breath on earth on the 19th of August 14 AD in the city of Nola, Italy.

2. Trajan

Born on the 18th of September 53 AD in the city of Italica, Spain, Trajan was an intelligent emperor of the roman empire that ruled ancient Rome between the year 98 AD till he died in 117 AD. It was recorded in history that Trajan was one of the best performers the Roman empire had as emperor. During his reign as a Roman emperor, Trajan uplifted Rome and enacted progressive laws, and also upheld the integrity of the position of emperor. As an emperor in Rome, Trajan is best remembered as an outstanding soldier-emperor who led the greatest military composition of Romans. Trajan led the military forces of the Roman empire till the time he took his last breath on earth. Emperor Trajan was famous and widely respected by the Romans, the military, and the Senate. His reign was philanthropic in that he constructed and supervised various building projects. He also instituted and supervised diverse welfare policies.

While in office as the Roman emperor, Trajan focused more on building trust in his people and also protecting his reputation. As a result of his actions and legacies, Trajan is among the few rulers of the Roman empire that has maintained their reputation for 19 centuries. By the 18th century, a historian called Edward Gibbon released the list of Five Good Emperors. Trajan was second on the list. Due to the results achieved by Trajan, all other emperors that ruled after him were conferred with the honor of Wish Felicior Augusto, Melior Traiano meaning be luckier than Augustus and better than Trajan.

3. Marcus Aurelius

Born on the 26th of April 121 AD in the city of Rome, Marcus Aurelius was one of the most philosophical emperors that ever ruled in Rome. Marcus Aurelius ascended the throne as Roman emperor at the age of 40 years meaning that he became the Roman emperor in 161 AD and ruled till he died in 180 AD. During his reign as emperor, the Roman Empire defeated the re-energized Parthian Empire of eastern and central Europe. He also became victorious over the Quadi, Samaritans, Marcomanni during the Marcomanni wars. Marcus Aurelius suppressed all possible revolt that would have gained momentum in the east through Avidius Cassius.

As an intelligent writer and philosopher, Marcus Aurelius wrote a stoic tome called Meditations. The book was written in Greek when Marcus Aurelius was on the campaign from 170 AD to 180 AD. To date, the great emperor is regarded as an exemplary personality on a literary monument in terms of his philosophy of duty and service. He also describes how people can find composure when there is conflict or disagreement between two parties. During his lifetime, he was regarded as the philosopher-king. The title remained till his death. To date, Marcus Aurelius is still referred to as the Philosopher.

4. Tiberius

Born on the 16th of November 42 BC, Tiberius was one of the most intelligent emperors that ruled in Rome. The real name of emperor Tiberius is Tiberius Claudius Nero. The name of his mother was Livia Drusilla. After the birth of Tiberius, Livia Drusilla got married to Augustus in 39 BC. Hence, Tiberius is regarded as a stepson to Augustus. As soon as Augustus ascended the throne as Roman emperor, he adopted Tiberius as the heir apparent to the throne. Therefore, Tiberius decided to change his name to Tiberius Julius Caesar. It is on record that Tiberius was a great general who conquered Dalmatia, Pannonia, Raetia, and some parts of Germania. However, Tiberius was remembered by the Romans for his reclusiveness and reluctance in becoming the emperor because of the responsibilities attached to the office.

During his reign as an emperor in Rome, Tiberius adopted different innovative techniques to solve complex problems. The exemplary emperor also prioritizes building a strong financial base for the government of Rome. Tiberius left about three billion sesterces in the imperial treasury of the Roman empire. On conflict resolution tactics of Tiberius, he adopted the use of diplomacy throughout his reign as Roman emperor. The innovative tactics employed by Tiberius was profitable because it helped subsequent rulers consolidate on a solid foundation. Emperor Tiberius died on the 16th of March 37 AD.

5. Claudius

Born on the 1st of August 10 BC in the city of Lugdunum, Claudius was a brilliant leader who was among the few Roman emperors born outside Italy. The name of his parents is Antonia Minor and Nero Claudius Drusus. After his birth, Claudius was afflicted with a serious hearing impairment. This slight deafness kept him away from public office until he was tipped for the consulship. As soon as he was selected as the new emperor, the hearing infirmity saved him from some conflict and warfare - because their enemies never recognize him to be a serious threat.

During the process of selection, the candidature of Claudius was vehemently opposed by the senate and nobles in Rome. However, he was strongly supported by the military. Hence, the support of the military was enough to see him ascending the throne as the emperor. Throughout his reign as the emperor of Rome, Claudius exhibited conflicting characteristics such as his muddled, determined, intuitive, cruel, and absent-mindedness. Claudius's tenure was also controlled chiefly by his wife and some of his staff. Despite these deficiencies, Claudius exhibited the quality of a visionary leader. He was an ambitious builder who constructed various important roads, canals, and aqueducts throughout the whole Roman empire. Claudius also appeared and presided over many of the public trials - giving out about 20 edicts daily. The reign of Claudius eventually came to an end on the 13th of October 54 AD in the city of Rome.

6. Hadrian

Born on the 24th of January 76 AD, Hadrian was an excellent emperor that ruled his people with his intelligence. Hadrian was born into an Italo-Hispanic family that relocated to Spain. The father of Hadrian was a high-ranking senator and also has emperor Trajan as his first cousin. Hadrian succeeded emperor Trajan when he died. However, he was never announced by Trajan as the official heir apparent. After the death of emperor Trajan, Hadrian was announced as the new emperor by Trajan's wife. During his reign as the emperor, Hadrian expressed his deep love for his people by visiting all the provinces under his authority. As a Roman emperor, Hadrian never hides his love for the Greeks. He worked tirelessly to return the greek architecture to its rightful position. Hadrian constructed various monuments like the Temple of Venus, Roma, and Pantheon. The emperor also built the great Hadrian wall to place a limit of people classified as Roman Britons.

Since he was supported during the selection process, Hadrian spent some precious moments of his reign with the Roman military. He wore military attire, sleeping, and dining with the soldiers. He couldn't maintain the alertness and responsiveness of his military forces. Hence, Hadrian seldomly raises a false alarm to test the training, drill, and alertness to an emergency. While Hadrian was an emperor in Rome, his reign witnessed no major conflict. Therefore, there was little or no avenue to test the alertness, efficiency, and intelligence of the Roman military on battlegrounds. The 21 years of the reign of Hadrian ended when he died on the 10th of July 138 AD.

7. Vespasian

Vespasian was a popular Roman emperor who reigned from 69 AD to 79 AD. The famous Roman emperor was born on the 17th of November 9 AD. Vespasian founded the well known Flavian dynasty that led the Roman empire for 27 years uninterrupted. Emperor Vespasian began his reign during the turbulent times experienced by the Romans. At this time, the Romans were still recovering from a civil war that led to them having four emperors within a year. Vespasian was a strong warlord and intelligent general who has led many battlefields. During the civil war, Vespasian was mandated to bring balance to the city of Rome. His ability to accomplish these missions earned Vespasian as a great Roman emperor.

During his reign as an emperor, Vespasian invested more money and time in restoration and beautifying the city of Rome. He also spent a huge amount of money on various developmental projects. Some of the monuments he initiated include the Temple of Peace, magnificent edifices like the Colosseum, and many public baths. However, some of the edifices were yet to be completed before he died in 79 AD. One of these magnificent structures is the Colosseum. After his death, his eldest son called Titus was announced as the next emperor. Hence, Vespasian was the first emperor to be succeeded directly by his biological son. This helped him establish his Flavian dynasty in the city of Rome.

8. Antoninus Pius

Antoninus Pius succeeded Emperor Hadrian in the Roman Empire. He was the adopted son of Hadrian. Antoninus Pius was born on the 19th of September 86 AD in the city of Italy. As soon as he was confirmed as the Emperor in 138 AD, Antoninus Pius took vital actions aimed at giving honor to Emperor Hadrian who was his adoptive father. He also adopted Marcus Aurelius as a future emperor. The reign of Antoninus Pius in Rome was absolutely peaceful with no record of military activities during his time as the Roman emperor.

During his time as the emperor in Rome, Antoninus Pius built vital monuments with a view to promoting the heritage of his people. He also undertook different developmental projects. He constructed theaters, mausoleums, and temples for the use of his people. Antoninus Pius also promoted science and the Roman arts among his people. He encourages teachers of philosophy and rhetoric with financial rewards and awards of excellence. Emperor Antoninus was unique among other emperors that ruled before him in that he solved all crises amicably without stepping out of Italy. His exemplary style of leadership was widely praised by younger generations in Italy. Death ended the fantastic reign of Emperor Antoninus on the 7th of March 161 AD.

9. Constantine the Great

Born on the 27th of February 272 AD, Constantine was seen as the emperor that Rome needed at his time. His full name was Flavius Aurelius Valerius Constantinus Augustus. He was famously known as the first Christain to become a Roman emperor. Constantine the great's rulership was historic. He worked assiduously to ensure he fostered unity among the divided empire which he inherited from his predecessor. Constantine the great scored vital wins against bitter enemies like the Alemanni, the Samaritans, the Franks, and the Goths. The Christain emperor also re-occupied some provinces that have been lost by the Romans. His predecessors tried but could not achieve this during their reign. Emperor Constantine created a capital for himself and named it Constantinople. Constantinople later developed to become the capital of Byzantium. The emperor of Byzantine ruled from Constantinople. Due to this action of Constantine the Great, he was referred to as the creator of Byzantine.

During his reign as the emperor in Rome, Constantine the great had a vivid understanding about supporting Christianity so that it could become a widespread religion in Italy. Hence, he promoted Christianity to become the major religion practiced in his empire. He ordered the construction of Holy Sepulchre, a church built at the site allocated to be used as Jesus's tomb in the city of Jerusalem. The church constructed was regarded as the holiest place to visit as a Christian. The reign of Constantine was dominated by religious preferences and tremendous achievements. Constantine the great slept in the Lord on the 22nd of May 337 AD.

10. Justinian

Born on the 11th of May 482, Justinian was an emperor regarded as the last Roman in his days. Before he was born, the barbarians had already conquered the western Roman empire. Hence, Justinian ruled the Eastern part of the Roman Empire known as the Byzantine Empire. He reigned in the Byzantine empire for 39 years. During his reign as an emperor, he devises workable strategies to reconquer the western part that was lost to the barbarians. He also made the unity of his empire his utmost priority. Justinian together with his military generals like Narses and Belisarius fought hard to conquer different parts of the Roman empire. He also reconquered Rome itself. The restorative program of Justinian made him an exemplary ruler in the Roman empire.

As part of his commitment to unify the Roman Empire, Justinian created the Justinian Code also known as the unified code of law. The law focused on collecting all used Roman laws. After the reign of Justinian, the code was adopted as a system of law for the civilized world. In terms of developmental projects, Justinian was referred to as an achiever. He supervised the construction of magnificent edifices in the capital of Byzantine. An example is the beautiful church of Hagia Sophia built in Constantinople. The church built by emperor Justinian later became the headquarters of Eastern Orthodox Christianity for centuries. However, his reign was bewitched with the bubonic plague in the 540s. The reign of Justinian ended when he died on the 14th of November 565 AD.

Conclusion

Discussed here is the vital information you need about the greatest emperors in ancient Rome. Please read through and get the necessary information about them.