Roman Emperors by Place of Birth

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Where Roman Emperors were born

Birthplaces of Roman Emperors from Augustus (27 BC) to Theodosius (395 AD)

This list considers Roman emperors from the beginning of the empire until the fall of the Western Roman Empire.

Most of the emperors were born in Italy, especially during the early dynasties. It may be surprising to see the massive presence of emperors from Serbia. Sirmium, today Sremska Mitrovica, was one of the four capitals of the Tetrarchy, and for several centuries was the center of the defenses along the eastern border on the Danube. The empire had sent its best generals and soldiers to the region to defend the border. During the countless civil wars of the third and fourth centuries, taking advantage of its proximity to Rome, the region’s generals often appointed themselves emperors.

Related: cities built by the Romans

List of Roman Emperors in chronological order

NameReignBirthplacePresent-day country
27 BC–68 AD: Julio-Claudian dynasty
Augustus16 January 27 BC – 19 August AD 14Rome, ItalyItaly
Tiberius17 September 14 – 16 March 37Rome, ItalyItaly
Caligula18 March 37 – 24 January 41Antium, ItalyItaly
Claudius24 January 41 – 13 October 54Lugdunum, GaulFrance
Nero13 October 54 – 9 June 68Antium, ItalyItaly

68–96: Year of the Four Emperors and Flavian dynasty
Galba8 June 68 – 15 January 69Terracina, ItalyItaly
Otho15 January – 16 April 69Ferentium, ItalyItaly
Vitellius19 April – 20 December 69Rome, ItalyItaly
Vespasian1 July 69 – 23 June 79Falacrinum, ItalyItaly
Titus24 June 79 – 13 September 81Rome, ItalyItaly
Domitian14 September 81 – 18 September 96Rome, ItalyItaly

96–192: Nerva–Antonine dynasty
Nerva18 September 96 – 28 January 98Narni, ItalyItaly
Trajan28 January 98 – 11 August 117Italica, Hispania BaeticaSpain
Hadrian11 August 117 – 10 July 138Italica, Hispania (most likely) or Rome, ItalySpain
Antoninus Pius10 July 138 – 7 March 161Lanuvium, ItalyItaly
Marcus Aurelius7 March 161 – 17 March 180Rome, ItalyItaly
Lucius Verus7 March 161 – 23 January 169Altinum, ItalyItaly
Commodus17 March 180 – 31 December 192Lanuvium, near Rome, ItalyItaly

193–235: Year of the Five Emperors and Severan dynasty
Pertinax31 December 192 – 28 March 193Alba Pompeia, ItalyItaly
Didius Julianus28 March – 2 June 193Mediolanum, ItalyItaly
Septimius Severus9 April 193 – 4 February 211Leptis Magna, AfricaLibya
Geta4 February 211 – 26 December 211Rome, ItalyItaly
Caracalla4 February 211 – 8 April 217Lugdunum, GaulFrance
Macrinus11 April 217 – 8 June 218Caesarea, Mauretania CaesariensisAlgeria
DiadumenianLate May – June 218? ?
Elagabalus (Heliogabalus)16 May 218 – 11 March 222Emesa, Syria or Rome, ItalySyria
Severus Alexander13 March 222 – 22 March 235Arca Caesarea, Phoenicia (modern Akkar, Lebanon)Lebanon

235–285: Crisis of the Third Century
Maximinus Thraxc. 22 March 235 – c. 24 June 238ThraciaBulgaria
Gordian Ic. March – April 238possibly PhrygiaTurkey
Gordian IIc. March – April 238Rome, ItalyItaly
Pupienusc. 22 April – c. 29 July 238? ?
Balbinusc. 22 April – c. 29 July 238? ?
Gordian IIIc. 29 July 238 – c. February 244Rome, ItalyItaly
Philip the Arabc. February 244 – c. September 249Aurantis (Hauran), Philippopolis, Arabia PetraeaSyria
Philip IISummer 247 – c. September 249? ?
Deciusc. September 249 – June 251Budalia (present day Martinci, Serbia)Serbia
Herennius Etruscusc. June 251Abritus (Razgrad, Bulgaria)Bulgaria
HostilianJune – c. November 251Sirmium (present-day Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia)Serbia
Trebonianus GallusJune 251 – c. August 253ItalyItaly
Volusianusc. August 251 – c. August 253Possibly EtruriaItaly
Aemilianusc. July – September 253Girba, AfricaTunisia
ValerianSeptember 253 – c. June 260? ?
GallienusSeptember 253 – c. September 268EtruriaItaly
SaloninusJanuary 260 – fall 260? ?
Claudius GothicusSeptember 268 – c. April 270Sirmium, Pannonia Inferior (modern-day Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia)Serbia
Quintillusc. April–May 270Sirmium, Pannonia Inferior (Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia)Serbia
Aurelianc. May 270 – c. October 275Sirmium (present-day Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia)Serbia
TacitusDecember 275 – c. June 276Interamna, ItalyItaly
Florianusc. June–September 276Terni, Umbria, ItalyItaly
Probusc. June 276 – c. September 282Sirmium, Pannonia Inferior
(Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia)
Serbia
CarusNarbo, Gallia NarbonensisFrance
Numerianc. September 282 – c. July 283? ?
Carinus283–285? ?

284–363: Tetrarchy and Constantinian dynasty
Diocletian20 November 284 – 1 May 305Salona (Solin, Croatia)Croatia
Maximian1 April 286 – 1 May 305Sirmium (present-day Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia)Serbia
Galerius1 May 305 – May 311Serdica (Sofia, Bulgaria)Bulgaria
Constantius I1 May 305 – 25 July 306Dacia RipensisBulgaria
Constantine the Great25 July 306 – 22 May 337Naissus, MoesiaSerbia
Severus II25 July 306 – April 307 (in the West)Illyria?
Maxentius28 October 306 – 28 October 312? ?
Licinius11 November 308 – 19 September 324Moesia SuperiorSerbia
Maximinus Daza310 – c. July 313Zaza near Felix Romuliana (Gamzigrad, Serbia)Serbia
Valerius Valenslate 316 – 317 (co-emperor with Licinius)? ?
MartinianJuly – 19 September 324? ?
Constantine II9 September 337 – April 340Arelate, ViennensisFrance
Constantius II9 September 337 – 3 November 361Sirmium (present-day Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia)Serbia
Constans I9 September 337 – 18 January 350? ?
Vetranio1 March – 25 December 350Moesia SuperiorSerbia
Julian3 November 361 – 26 June 363ConstantinopleTurkey

363–395: from Jovian to Theodosiu
Jovian27 June 363 – 17 February 364Singidunum (Belgrade, Serbia)Serbia
Valentinian I26 February 364 – 17 November 375Cibalae (Vinkovci, Croatia)Croatia
Valens28 March 364 – 9 August 378Cibalae (Vinkovci, Croatia)Croatia
Gratian24 August 367 – 25 August 383Sirmium (present-day Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia)Serbia
Valentinian II22 November 375 – 15 May 392Augusta Treverorum (present-day Trier), BelgicaGermany
Theodosius I19 January 379 – 17 January 395Cauca (Coca, Spain)Spain
Magnus Maximus383 – 28 August 388HispaniaSpain
Victor384 or 387 – August 388? ?
Eugenius22 August 392 – 6 September 394? ?

395–455: Theodosian dynasty
Honorius17 January 395 – 15 August 423ConstantinopleTurkey
Constantine III407 – c. September 411? ?
Constantius III8 February – 2 September 421Naissus, Moesia, (present-day Niš, Serbia)Serbia
Joannes27 August 423 – May 425? ?
Valentinian III23 October 425 – 16 March 455RavennaItaly

455–480: Last western emperors
Petronius Maximus17 March – 31 May 455Rome, ItalyItaly
Avitus9 July 455 – 17 October 456ClermontFrance
Majorian28 December 457 – 2 August 461? ?
Libius Severus19 November 461 – 14 November 465LucaniaItaly
Anthemius12 April 467 – 11 July 472ConstantinopleTurkey
Olybrius11 July – 2 November 472? ?
Glycerius3/5 March 473 – 24 June 474DalmatiaCroatia
Julius NeposJune 474 – 480. Driven out of Italy on 28 August 475 by the master of soldiers, OrestesDalmatiaCroatia
Romulus31 October 475 – 4 September 476RavennaItaly
395–457: Theodosian dynasty (Theodosius I divided the empire between his sons Arcadius and Honorius on his death.)
Arcadius17 January 395 – 1 May 408SpainSpain

Sources: Wikipedia, web

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