The 5 Worst Roman Emperors

The history of Ancient Rome was characterized by the struggle for power and the rule of many Roman emperors, some very controversial. Although many of them were considered heroes and men ahead of their time, some, such as Nero and Caligula, stood out for their cruelty, perversion, and bloody practices.

Emperors in Ancient Rome

In Ancient Rome, the highest authority was called in different ways, including princeps , depending on the different stages of the empire. Early Roman generals avoided calling themselves emperors, instead calling themselves Primus inter pares , meaning “first among equals.” The title of imperator or “emperor” began to be used during the rule of Julius Caesar (100-44 BC), and was strengthened when the first true Roman emperor arose in the sense that he exercised a unique power from which did not give real account to anyone. That was Augustus (63-14 BC), Juli César’s nephew and godson.

These rulers differed from kings in that they were chosen by the army, the senate, or both. Although the transfer of power between the emperors could be hereditary, the heir also had to have the approval of the military and members of the Senate.

Emperors were also commonly referred to by titles like “Caesar” or “Augustus,” which gave them different powers. For example, they could preside over and end the session of the Senate, lead religious celebrations, pardon or condemn death, propose or veto laws, rule in other provinces of the empire, and convene assemblies.

5 of the worst Roman emperors

Throughout the history of Rome, there were several controversial emperors, who abused their power and carried out all kinds of vile acts, murder and even genocide. Some of them not only distinguished themselves and went down in history for it, but their life even became an inspiration for all kinds of movies, TV series, documentaries, and plays.

Below is a list of the worst Roman emperors, in our opinion, both for their excesses and for their cruelty and madness; They are, in chronological order, as follows:

• Caligula.
• Nero .
• Domitian.
• Comfortable.
• Heliogabalus.

caligula

Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (12-41 AD), better known as “Caligula”, or simply “Gaius”, was the third Roman emperor, after Augustus and Tiberius.

His father was Germanicus, adoptive son of Emperor Tiberius and his grandfather, Nero Claudius Drusus. Germanicus distinguished himself as one of the best generals in Rome. His mother was a noble lady named Agrippina.

As a boy, he accompanied his father on his military expeditions in Germany, and was nicknamed Caligula by legionaries, meaning “little boots”, referring to the caligas, the boot-shaped sandals worn by Roman legions.

Caligula ruled Rome for four years, from AD 37 to AD 41. C. Apparently, at the beginning of his administration, he performed well and managed resources well. But after suffering from a serious illness or being poisoned, he became cruel and depraved and began a life plagued with excess. He began to display some eccentricities, such as wandering around the palace in the middle of the night, ordering his troops to collect sea shells, and asking the plebs for money to pay off the empire’s debts. He even made his horse Senator De he Incitato .

In addition, he acted as a megalomaniac and insane tyrant: he was the first Roman emperor to present himself as a god and demand that he be venerated as such. For this, he ordered the construction of three temples for the people to worship him. He even signed with the name of Jupiter, the supreme Roman god.

Likewise, he began to carry out all kinds of sexual and violent practices, such as incest with his sisters. Also, she opened a brothel in the palace.

He was also married at least four times, to Junia Claudila, Cornelia Orestila, Lolia Paulina, and Milonia Cesonia. With the latter he had his only daughter, Julia Drusila.

During Caligula’s government there were many deaths in his immediate environment, of which he is believed to be the culprit. It is suspected that he had several of his relatives killed or forced to commit suicide, including his adoptive father Tiberio (although the circumstances are not clear), his cousin Tiberio Gemelo, his grandmother Antonia, his father-in-law Marco Silano and his brother-in-law. Marcus Lepidus. He also murdered other important people in Rome and common citizens. He even carried out countless executions without trial.

Finally, after constant macabre and cruel acts, the Praetorian Guard murdered him, along with his wife and daughter, as part of a conspiracy with the Senate to overthrow him. After his death, his uncle Claudius became the new emperor.

heliogabalus

(203-222 AD), whose name was Vario Avito Basiano, received the name of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus when he became Roman emperor and ruled from 218 to 222 AD. C. He was the son of Sexto Vario Marcelo and Julia Soemia Basiana. His father belonged to the equestrian order of Rome, not to the nobility, and was later a senator.

Heliogábalo was born in the Roman territories that today belong to Syria. In fact, the name Heliogabalus, which derives from the Latin Elagabalus , is a nickname he got after his death, due to his great devotion to the Syrian sun god El-gabal and because of some of his religious practices. For example, he replaced the god Jupiter with the Undefeated Sun god and forced members of his court to worship him. Furthermore, he became a priest of this new cult.

Heliogábalo ascended to the throne with only 14 years. She gained access to him through a conspiracy by his grandmother, Julia Mesa, aunt of the late Emperor Caracalla. On the death of Caracalla, Macrinus ascended the throne. Julia Mesa and her allies overthrew him and offered Heliogábalo as legitimate heir, who was not actually the son of Caracalla, but a distant relative.

Heliogábalo’s short life was marked by his five marriages and a large number of homosexual conquests. Some historians accused him of not behaving and discharging his duties as emperor, and instead, cross-dressing, prostitution, raping children, and setting up a brothel in the palace. At some point he even wanted to castrate himself to become a woman.

Although Heliogábalo granted some rights to Roman women, allowing them to attend sessions of the Senate, he did not take great beneficial measures for Rome. In fact, he was accused of corruption, since it was believed that he granted special favors or positions to his male lovers. He also ordered many of his detractors to be imprisoned or executed.

His depraved and negligent behavior caused his popularity to begin to decline. His grandmother, the same one who helped him become emperor, conspired again so that the heir is another of his grandchildren, Alejandro Severo.

Finally, the Praetorian Guard assassinated Heliogabalus and his mother in AD 222, and crowned his cousin Alexander as emperor.

Nero

Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (AD 37-68), known simply as Nero, is considered the worst and cruelest of the Roman emperors. He ruled from the year 54 to 68 AD. C. and was the successor of Emperor Claudius, who was his uncle and named him as his heir, instead of his own British son, who was a minor.

Nero was the son of Gnaeus Domicius Enobarbus and Agrippina, one of the sisters of Emperor Caligula. He ascended the throne at age 16, and had the support of his mother and her tutor Seneca.

Although he distinguished himself by improving trade, diplomatic relations between Rome and its neighbors and fostering art and cultural activities with the creation of theaters, Nero’s reign was characterized by his tyranny and attitudes devoid of all emotion and empathy, typical of a psychopath.

Nero went down in history for his cold blood, since he practically murdered his entire family and carried out all kinds of crimes. He not only poisoned his British stepbrother before he turned 14, but also his own mother and his wives. He even murdered one of them when she was pregnant.

He was also accused of perverse sexual practices and murdering many Roman citizens. To build his own house, the Domus Aurea , he demanded higher taxes from the population.

Nero also defined himself as an artist and was noted for playing the lyre. According to the historians Suetonius and Cassius Dio, when Rome burned in a fire apparently caused by himself, he was playing the lyre and singing, without flinching, while the fire consumed the city. Later, he blamed the Christians for starting the fire and had many of them killed.

In the year 65 AD. C., an unsuccessful conspiracy to assassinate Nero was carried out. Because of this, he went on a tour of Greece. When he returned, the Praetorian Guard staged a coup and declared Nero an enemy of the people. He tried to flee, but ended up committing suicide in the year 68 d. c.

domitian

Titus Flavius ​​Domitian (51-96 AD), better known as Domitian, was Roman Emperor from AD 81 to AD 96. C., and the last of the Flavian dynasty. He was the son of the Emperor Vespasian and the younger brother of the Emperor Titus. Both were his predecessors.

Domitian grew up in the care of his uncle Tito Flavio Sabino and spent much of his childhood and adolescence away from close relatives, as his sister and mother died and his father and brother led armies. He received a privileged education from the best teachers and the historian Suetonius describes him as a tall, attractive and intelligent young man.

Domitian ascended the throne when his brother Titus died, after suffering a fatal illness while traveling. Some historians believe that Domitian may have murdered his brother.

Like other emperors on this list, early in his rule Domitian had a period of stability and peace. He was in charge of restoring the cult of the gods and supervising the administration of Roman resources. But after a while, he became paranoid, cruel, and increasingly fearful of the conspiracies against him. Because of this, he took some measures that contributed to his downfall, such as restricting the Senate, expelling its members, executing opposition officials, and confiscating property, among others.

He also defined himself as a benevolent despot, a necessary evil to successfully lead Rome.

Domitian married Domitia Longina, daughter of one of the most renowned soldiers. He with her had only one son, who died when he was a child.

To punish his alleged enemies, he developed new methods of torture and persecuted dissidents, Christians, and Jews. He also ordered the execution of the vestal virgins who had been accused of immorality. It was even believed that he had an affair with his niece.

Domitian was assassinated in AD 96. C. his murder was the result of a conspiracy led by Partenio, one of his chamberlains, and others of his close aides. Domitian had killed his secretary, Epaproditus, and the people around him feared they would be the next victims. To kill him, they sent Esteban, a butler, and a freedman named Máximo. Stephen first stabbed Domitian in the groin. Later, Máximo and other people stabbed him several times to death.

Comfortable

Lucius Aurelius Commodus (161-192), better known as Commodus, was another of the Roman emperors famous for his eccentricity and cruelty, and the last of the Antonine dynasty. He was the 11th child of Emperor Marcus Aurelius and Faustina the Younger, and the only surviving son of the 13 children this couple had.

During his childhood, Commodus was educated with the best teachers and intellectuals of his time. It is believed that he also received military training and played an important role in the battles before his coronation.

Comfortable received the name of Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Comfortable Antoninus Augustus, and first ruled as co-regent with his father, from the year 177 to the year 180 AD. C. This period passed without major events or problems. After the death of Marcus Aurelius, Commodus ruled as a unit from 180 to 192 AD. C. This second phase revealed some of the darkest characteristics of Commodus, paranoia, debauchery, megalomania and tyranny of him.

His government was characterized by being the opposite of his father’s. He comfortable he did not listen to his advisers nor did he have an austere lifestyle, quite the opposite. Curiously, Marcus Aurelius is considered one of the best emperors in the history of Rome.

Like Caligula, Commodus defined himself as a god, more precisely, as the son of the god Jupiter. He even had statues built where he appeared dressed as the Roman god Hercules, the counterpart of the Greek god Heracles.

In addition, he led an idle and lustful life, relinquishing control of the palace to his servants and guards. In the absence of measures to improve the economy of the empire, the Roman currency was devalued, reaching the lowest levels since the government of Nero.

Throughout his reign, Commodus suffered several assassination attempts. To sow terror in the population and prevent plots, he had many people executed.

Commodus is also called “the gladiator emperor”, because he had a great fondness for gladiator shows. He himself fought several times in the arena of the coliseum, dressed as one of them. But as opponents he always chose mutilated or weak beasts and dying men. In addition to his abuse of authority and cruelty, his participation in the arena was frowned upon, as it was considered an activity for slaves and criminals, and therefore unworthy of an emperor.

At the end of 192 AD. C., the situation in Rome was increasingly decadent. Added to this, the obsession with gladiators and Commodus’s announcement to celebrate the rebirth of Rome by fighting in the coliseum on January 1, 193, sparked a new conspiracy against him. One of his prefects, Leto, and one of his concubines, Marcia, tried to poison him without success. Fearing reprisals, they sent the freedman Narciso to kill him. This had been Commodus’ trainer and strangled him the day before the event.

Bibliography

• Tacitus, C.; Suetonius, C. The Wickedest Man in the Roman Empire: Life of Nero . (2019). Spain. Arpa Publishers.
• Potter, D. The Emperors of Rome. (2017). Spain. Past and Present SL
• National Geographic. The Roman Empire. (2019). Spain. National Geographic.