The Roman Empire stands as one of the most impressive civilizations ever to arise, stretching over a millennium and dominating the ancient Mediterranean world. Its legal codes, architectural marvels, and cultural achievements still echo in modern societies. While the early Caesars often steal the spotlight, a cast of later rulers—sometimes overlooked, sometimes downright bizarre—shaped the empire’s final chapters. In this top 10 little list we’ll plunge into the lives of ten obscure yet captivating emperors, revealing sibling murders, throne auctions, teenage monarchs, and even a retired emperor who turned to cabbage farming.
Why These Top 10 Little Emperors Matter
10 Caracalla
Caracalla and his brother Geta serve up a classic tale of fraternal rivalry that could rival any modern soap opera. Both were sons of Septimius Severus, the founder of the Severan dynasty, and were supposed to co‑rule under their father’s guidance. Instead, the two despised each other so intensely that they reportedly split the imperial palace down the middle, each occupying a separate wing.
In a particularly gruesome episode, Caracalla feigned a truce with Geta, inviting their mother to mediate the dispute. When Geta arrived, Caracalla ordered his assassins to strike, killing his brother right before their mother’s eyes. The official story claimed that the assassins intended to eliminate both siblings, but word on the streets of Rome was clear: Caracalla had orchestrated his brother’s murder to secure sole power.
Given this blood‑stained start, Caracalla proved to be a harsh ruler. He lived by his dying father’s advice: “Enrich the soldiers, and scorn all other men.” He lavished the army with generous pay, while crushing any dissent with ruthless vengeance. Though he is remembered for extending Roman citizenship to all free inhabitants—a move that may have been motivated by the desire to increase tax revenue for the troops—historians like Edward Gibbon have dubbed him “The Common Enemy of Mankind.” His notorious reputation eventually led to his own assassination, ending his tumultuous reign.
9 Macrinus
Macrinus broke tradition by becoming the first Roman emperor who had never served as a senator. In an era when the Senate still supplied the empire’s elite, his rise was nothing short of revolutionary. As a Praetorian prefect, he was responsible for handling the emperor’s correspondence, a job that placed him directly in Caracalla’s volatile orbit.
The turning point arrived when Macrinus read a prophetic letter warning that the emperor would be murdered by his own prefect. Realizing that Caracalla would likely have him eliminated to prevent the prophecy’s fulfillment, Macrinus plotted his own survival. He hired a gladiator to ambush Caracalla while the latter was relieving himself by the roadside—a grisly but effective coup that thrust Macrinus onto the throne.
Although he swiftly secured the army’s loyalty and gained Senate approval, Macrinus’ reign was fleeting. The surviving members of Caracalla’s family plotted against him, and the young heir Elagabalus soon emerged as a rival. Within a year, Macrinus was hunted down, executed, and his severed head dispatched to the new emperor, sealing his brief and dramatic tenure.
8 Alexander Severus
Ascending the throne at the tender age of thirteen, Alexander Severus faced a monumental challenge: governing an empire while still a teenager. Much of his early success can be attributed to his mother, Julia Mamaea, who effectively ruled behind the scenes, guiding policy and court affairs throughout his reign.
Alexander’s domestic reforms were notable. He lowered taxes, championed literature, and fostered the arts and sciences. Although Rome remained a pagan stronghold, he displayed remarkable religious tolerance, allowing a synagogue to be built within the city and even contemplating the construction of a Christian church—an unprecedented move for a Roman emperor of his era.
Despite these progressive steps, Alexander struggled to win the army’s favor. Soldiers resented being commanded by a teenager and a mother’s influence, preferring a more martial leader. This dissatisfaction culminated in his assassination, orchestrated by his successor, who would later appear on this very list.
7 Maximinus Thrax
Following Macrinus’ precedent, Maximinus Thrax shattered another long‑standing taboo: he was a commoner who rose to the imperial throne, shocking the senatorial aristocracy who viewed him as a barbarian. Legend has it that he was discovered by Emperor Alexander Severus, who noticed his extraordinary strength and promoted him through the ranks until he commanded a legion.
Ancient sources, though perhaps exaggerated, claim Maximinus stood a staggering 244 cm tall—roughly eight feet. His ascent was facilitated by the murder of Alexander Severus and his mother, after which the army proclaimed Maximinus emperor. The Senate, initially powerless, watched in dismay as a non‑senatorial, “barbarian” ruler took command.
Maximinus’ reign was tumultuous. Lacking a legitimate claim, he faced numerous revolts across the empire, with various provinces putting forward their own claimants. The Senate backed some of these uprisings, but when Maximinus moved to crush them, his own soldiers, weary of his harsh discipline and prolonged siege of Aquileia, turned on him and assassinated the emperor, ending his brief but violent rule.
6 Julian
Julian, often dubbed “the Apostate,” holds the distinction of being Rome’s last pagan emperor. By the time he seized power, the empire had been officially Christian for three decades, following Constantine’s conversion and the subsequent reigns of his sons. Julian’s mission was to revive Rome’s ancient religious traditions, a bold and controversial endeavor.
He was the surviving heir of Constantius II, Constantine’s last son, who had waged civil wars against his own brothers to secure the throne. Though Constantius never fully trusted Julian—suspecting his religious leanings—he had little choice but to name him as successor to preserve the dynasty. When Julian controlled the troops in Gaul, Constantius attempted to reassign half of his army to the Eastern front, prompting the Gallic legions to refuse and proclaim Julian emperor. Constantius died en route, sparing Rome another civil war.
Once in power, Julian sought to diminish Christianity’s privileges, reviving pagan cults and instituting legal reforms. However, he still needed the Eastern army’s support, which he hoped to secure through a decisive victory against the Persians. In a fateful battle, Julian rode into combat without his breastplate and suffered a mortal spear wound, dying shortly thereafter. Historians still debate whether his reign could have restored paganism had he survived.
5 Majorian
Majorian rose to power in the waning days of the Western Roman Empire, a period historians usually date as ending in 476 AD. By his accession, the Western half had been reduced to a sliver of its former glory—mainly Italy, pockets of Gaul, and a narrow Balkan corridor—while the Eastern Empire, centered in Constantinople, pursued its own agenda.
Undeterred, Majorian launched an ambitious campaign to restore Roman prestige. He reclaimed large portions of Spain and Gaul from barbarian hands and prepared a massive fleet to retake Africa from the Vandals. Unfortunately, the Vandal navy deployed fire ships, and treachery within his own ranks led to the fleet’s destruction, crushing his hopes of a full revival.
Majorian’s downfall came at the hands of his own ally, the powerful Germanic general Ricimer. After the naval disaster, Ricimer turned against Majorian, stripping him of his imperial regalia, subjecting him to torture, and ultimately executing him. Despite his tragic end, Majorian remains the last competent Western emperor who genuinely attempted to reverse Rome’s decline.
4 Didius Julianus
Didius Julianus ruled for a fleeting nine weeks, yet his story earns him a spot on this list because of its sheer audacity. His ascent occurred during the chaotic Year of the Five Emperors (193 AD), when Emperor Pertinax’s decision to underpay the Praetorian Guard sparked outrage. The Guard stormed the palace, murdered Pertinax, and faced the dilemma of choosing a new ruler.
In a moment that reads like a scene from a modern reality show, the Guard announced an open auction for the throne, promising the highest bidder a lifetime salary. Reluctant at first, Didius was persuaded by his wife to enter the bidding war against the rival claimant Sulpicianus. He ultimately outbid his opponent and was proclaimed emperor, much to the Guard’s delight.
However, the broader Roman world rejected his legitimacy. Provincial generals rose in revolt, and it soon became evident that the Praetorian Guard could not match the strength of the legions. Facing overwhelming opposition, Didius was assassinated, paving the way for Septimius Severus to claim the throne.
3 Elagabalus
Elagabalus, a member of the Severan dynasty, seized power at the tender age of fourteen after the overthrow of Macrinus. His reign is remembered for its religious eccentricities and scandalous personal life, which shocked contemporary Roman sensibilities. Ancient writers claim he dressed in women’s clothing, married five times, maintained numerous male lovers, and even prostituted himself within the imperial palace—behaviors that, by today’s standards, might be interpreted as transgender.
One lurid anecdote, immortalized in a famous painting, tells of Elagabalus crushing his lovers beneath a cascade of rose petals once he grew bored. As high priest of the sun god El‑Gabal, he forced the Roman Senate to partake in elaborate ceremonies venerating his deity, effectively imposing his personal religious agenda on the state.
Although initially manipulated by his grandmother, who intended him as a puppet to restore the Severan line, Elagabalus quickly became a liability. She arranged for the Praetorian Guard to assassinate him, replacing him with the more controllable Alexander Severus. Elagabalus met his end at eighteen, leaving a legacy of controversy and intrigue.
2 Aurelian
Aurelian assumed power amid the dire Crisis of the Third Century, a period when the empire teetered on the brink of collapse. By his accession, Rome had fractured into three separate entities: the Gallic Empire in the West, the Palmyrene Empire under Queen Zenobia in the East, and the remaining core territories besieged by Germanic tribes such as the Goths and Alemanni.
In a remarkable five‑year reign, Aurelian delivered a series of decisive victories. He repelled invading Germanic forces, reorganized provincial defenses, and marched east to reconquer Palmyra, demonstrating both military prowess and political clemency by sparing many defeated provinces. The Gallic Empire, recognizing his strength, re‑joined the Roman fold without conflict. For his achievements, he earned the title restitutor orbis, or “restorer of the world.”
Despite his successes, Aurelian’s rule ended abruptly when a conspiratorial imperial secretary forged a list of alleged enemies slated for execution. The forged document incited those named to plot his murder, which they carried out. Some accounts suggest that his widow briefly exercised authority before a new emperor was installed.
1 Diocletian
Diocletian stands out as perhaps the most successful Roman emperor in terms of systemic reform. Upon taking the throne, he ended the chaotic Crisis of the Third Century by overhauling the empire’s administrative structure. He introduced the Dominate, a new governmental model in which the emperor’s word became law and was treated almost as a divine decree.
Understanding that governing such a vast realm was beyond the capacity of a single individual, Diocletian instituted the Tetrarchy—a division of the empire into four regions, each ruled by its own emperor. This arrangement allowed for more focused governance and more effective responses to military threats along the empire’s extensive borders. He also reformed the currency and reorganized the army to stabilize the state after years of turmoil.
One of Diocletian’s most remarkable personal achievements was his voluntary retirement. Unlike any other emperor, he chose to abdicate and retreat to his palace in what is now Split, Croatia, where he cultivated cabbages. When later emperors begged him to return to power, he reportedly replied that the sheer size of his cabbage patch would convince anyone to abandon imperial duties. This unique exit underscores his lasting legacy as the only Roman ruler to die of natural causes.
Thomas, a physics student at the University of Oxford, produces the podcast Physical Attraction, which explains physics concepts one chat‑up line at a time. Find him on Twitter @physicspod.