Pillars of the Roman Empire

Augustus (27 bce–14 ce)

Trajan (98–117 ce)

Marcus Aurelius (161–180 ce)

senate's pride

Hadrian (117–138 ce)

Vespasian (69–79 ce)

Antoninus Pius (138–161 ce)

Claudius (41–54 ce)

Praetorian approved

Domitian (81–96 ce)

Titus (79–81 ce)

Galba (68–69 ce)

Aulus Vitellius (July–December 69 ce)

Luke-warm caesers

Tiberius (14–37 ce)

Otho (January–April 69 ce)

Nerva (96–98 ce)

Barbarian level blunders

Caligula (37–41 ce)

Commodus (177–192 ce)

enemy of rome

Nero (54–68 ce)

Created Apr 14, 2026

The definitive best roman emperors tier list - rank, compare, and debate the best and worst best roman emperors. Place each item from S (GOATed) to D (bottom tier) and share your best roman emperors rankings. Made for fans who love ranking best roman emperors, this tier list maker is free, easy to use, and perfect for settling debates on TierBuddy. Popular categories include history, roman-empire, ancient-history, roman-emperors.

Macrinus (217–218 ce)

Elagabalus (218–222 ce)

Publius Septimius Geta (209–211 ce)

Severus Alexander (222–235 ce)

Maximinus (235–238 ce)

Gordian I (March–April 238 ce)

Philip (244–249 ce)

Decius (249–251 ce)

Hostilian (251 ce)

Gallus (251–253 ce)

Aemilian (253 ce)

Valerian (253–260 ce)

Gallienus (253–268 ce)

Claudius II Gothicus (268–270 ce)

Quintillus (270 ce)

Jovian (363–364 ce)

Valentinian I (west, 364–375 ce)

Valens (east, 364–378 ce)

Gratian (west, 367–383 ce ( co-emperor with Valentinian I)

Valentinian II (375–392 ce; crowned as child)

Theodosius I (east, 379–392 ce; east and west, 392–395 ce)

Arcadius (east, 383–395 ce, co-emperor; 395–402 ce, sole emperor)

Magnus Maximus (west, 383–388 ce)

Honorius (west, 393–395 ce, co-emperor; 395–423 ce, sole emperor)

Constantius III (west, 421 ce, coemperor)

Valentinian III (west, 425–455 ce)

Petronius Maximus (west, March 17–May 31, 455 ce)

Avitus (west, 455–456 ce)

Majorian (west, 457–461 ce)

Libius Severus (west, 461–465 ce)

Diocletian (east, 284–305 ce; divided the empire into east and west)

Maximian (west, 286–305 ce)

Constantius I (west, 305–306 ce)

Galerius (east, 305–311 ce)

Severus (west, 306–307 ce)

Maxentius (west, 306–312 ce)

Constantine I (306–337 ce; reunified the empire)

Galerius Valerius Maximinus (310–313 ce)

Licinius (308–324 ce)

Constantine II (337–340 ce)

Constantius II (337–361 ce)

Constans I (337–350 ce)

Gallus Caesar (351–354 ce)

Julian (361–363 ce)

Olybrius (west, April–November 472 ce)

Glycerius (west, 473–474 ce)

Julius Nepos (west, 474–475 ce)

Romulus Augustulus (west, 475–476 ce)

Anthemius (west, 467–472 ce)

Macrinus (217–218 ce)

Valentinian III (west, 425–455 ce)

Petronius Maximus (west, March 17–May 31, 455 ce)

Avitus (west, 455–456 ce)

Majorian (west, 457–461 ce)

Marcian (east, 450–457 ce)

Libius Severus (west, 461–465 ce)

Anthemius (west, 467–472 ce)

Severus Alexander (222–235 ce)

Elagabalus (218–222 ce)

Publius Septimius Geta (209–211 ce)

Maximian (west, 286–305 ce)

Gordian III (238–244 ce)

Aurelian (270–275 ce)

Tacitus (275–276 ce)

Florian (June–September 276 ce)

Probus (276–282 ce)

Carus (282–283 ce)

Numerian (283–284 ce)

Carinus (283–285 ce)

Gordian II (March–April 238 ce)

Pupienus Maximus (April 22–July 29, 238 ce)

Balbinus (April 22–July 29, 238 ce)

Lucius Verus (161–169 ce)

Publius Helvius Pertinax (January–March 193 ce)

Marcus Didius Severus Julianus (March–June 193 ce)

Septimius Severus (193–211 ce)

Caracalla (198–217 ce)

Diocletian (east, 284–305 ce; divided the empire into east and west)

Augustus (27 bce–14 ce)

Constantius I (west, 305–306 ce)

Galerius (east, 305–311 ce)

Severus (west, 306–307 ce)

Maxentius (west, 306–312 ce)

Constantine I (306–337 ce; reunified the empire)

Galerius Valerius Maximinus (310–313 ce)

Licinius (308–324 ce)

Constantine II (337–340 ce)

Constantius II (337–361 ce)

Constans I (337–350 ce)

Gallus Caesar (351–354 ce)

Julian (361–363 ce)

Jovian (363–364 ce)

Valentinian I (west, 364–375 ce)

Olybrius (west, April–November 472 ce)

Glycerius (west, 473–474 ce)

Julius Nepos (west, 474–475 ce)

Romulus Augustulus (west, 475–476 ce)

Valerian (253–260 ce)

Gallienus (253–268 ce)

Claudius II Gothicus (268–270 ce)

Quintillus (270 ce)

Aurelian (270–275 ce)

Tacitus (275–276 ce)

Florian (June–September 276 ce)

Probus (276–282 ce)

Carus (282–283 ce)

Valentinian II (375–392 ce; crowned as child)

Theodosius I (east, 379–392 ce; east and west, 392–395 ce)

Arcadius (east, 383–395 ce, coemperor; 395–402 ce, sole emperor)

Magnus Maximus (west, 383–388 ce)

Honorius (west, 393–395 ce, coemperor; 395–423 ce, sole emperor)

Theodosius II (east, 408–450 ce)

Constantius III (west, 421 ce, coemperor)

Pupienus Maximus (April 22–July 29, 238 ce)

Balbinus (April 22–July 29, 238 ce)

Gordian III (238–244 ce)

Philip (244–249 ce)

Maximinus (235–238 ce)

Gordian I (March–April 238 ce)

Gordian II (March–April 238 ce)

Decius (249–251 ce)

Hostilian (251 ce)

Gallus (251–253 ce)

Aemilian (253 ce)

Valens (east, 364–378 ce)

Gratian (west, 367–383 ce; coemperor with Valentinian I)

Numerian (283–284 ce)

Carinus (283–285 ce)

Tiberius (14–37 ce)

Caligula (37–41 ce)

Claudius (41–54 ce)

Nero (54–68 ce)

Galba (68–69 ce)

Otho (January–April 69 ce)

Aulus Vitellius (July–December 69 ce)

Vespasian (69–79 ce)

Titus (79–81 ce)

Domitian (81–96 ce)

Nerva (96–98 ce)

Trajan (98–117 ce)

Hadrian (117–138 ce)

Antoninus Pius (138–161 ce)

Marcus Aurelius (161–180 ce)

Lucius Verus (161–169 ce)

Publius Helvius Pertinax (January–March 193 ce)

Marcus Didius Severus Julianus (March–June 193 ce)

Septimius Severus (193–211 ce)

Caracalla (198–217 ce)

Roman Emperors Ranked Tier List

Pillars of the Roman Empire Tier

senate's pride Tier

Praetorian approved Tier

Luke-warm caesers Tier

Barbarian level blunders Tier

enemy of rome Tier