Table Of ContentThe Roman Imperial
Succession
John D Grainger
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The Roman Imperial
Succession
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First published in Great Britain in 2020 by
Pen & Sword Military
An imprint of
Pen & Sword Books Ltd
Yorkshire – Philadelphia
Copyright © John D Grainger 2020
ISBN 978 1 52676 604 5
The right of John D Grainger to be identified as Author of this work
has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs
and Patents Act 1988.
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available from the British Library.
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Contents
List of Illustrations vii
List of Genealogical Tables x
List of Tables (Emperors) xi
Introduction xii
Part I: Augustus Defines the System 1
Chapter 1 Augustus 3
Part II: The Augustan Process 23
Chapter 2 The First Imperial Family 26
Chapter 3 The Crisis of 68–69 50
Chapter 4 The Consequence of Civil War: The Flavian Dynasty 66
Chapter 5 The Crisis of 96–97 74
Chapter 6 The Consequences of Trajan: The Antonine ‘Dynasty’ 88
Chapter 7 The Crisis of 193 107
Chapter 8 The Consequences of Septimius 123
Part III: The Senate’s Revival 139
Chapter 9 The Crisis of 238 142
Chapter 10 The Consequences of Gordian (1): Successful
Emperors 158
Chapter 11 The Consequences of Gordian (2): Unsuccessful
Emperors 178
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vi The Roman Imperial Succession
Part IV: Heredity and Absolutism 195
Chapter 12 The Tetrarchy 198
Chapter 13 The Crises of 306–312 209
Chapter 14 The Consequences of Constantine 218
Chapter 15 The Crises of 375–379 240
Chapter 16 The Consequences of Theodosius 248
Part V: Breakdown 265
Chapter 17 The Crises of 455–457 268
Chapter 18 The Consequences of Ricimer and Aspar 279
Chapter 19 The Crisis of 474–476 288
Conclusion 294
List of Emperors 302
Notes 307
Bibliography 317
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List of Illustrations
Julius Caesar (Dictator 48–44 bc) 24
Augustus (30 bc–ad 14). (Adobe Stock) 24
Tiberius (14–37). (Adobe Stock) 24
Gaius (Caligula, 37–41) 25
Claudius (41–54) 25
Nero (54–68) 25
Galba (October 68–January 69) 64
Otho (January–April 69) 64
Vitellius (April–December 69). (© Marie-Lan Nguyen/Wikimedia Commons) 64
Vespasian (69–79) 65
Titus (79–81) 65
Domitian (81–96) 65
Nerva (96–98) 86
Trajan (98–117) 86
Hadrian (117–138) 86
Antoninus Pius (138–161) 87
Marcus Aurelius (161–180) 87
Lucius Verus (161–169) 87
Commodus (180–192) 105
Pertinax (January–March 193) 105
Didius Julianus (March–June 193) 105
Septimius Severus (193–211) (Adobe Stock) 106
Pescennius Niger (193–194) 106
Clodius Albinus (193–197). (Sailko via Wikimedia Commons) 106
Julia Domna, wife of Septimius 121
Caracalla (211–217). (Marie-Lan Nguyen/Wikimedia Commons) 121
Geta (211–212) 121
The Berlin Tondo 121
Macrinus (217–218) 122
Elagabalus (218–222) 122
Alexander Severus (222–235) 122
Maximinus Thrax (235–238) 140
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viii The Roman Imperial Succession
Balbinus (238). (Adobe Stock) 140
Pupienus (238) 140
Gordian II (238) 140
Gordian III (238–244) 141
Philip the Arab (244–249). (Rabax63 via Wikimedia Commons) 141
Decius (249–251) 141
Trebonianus Gallus (251–253) (Sailko via Wikimedia Commons) 156
Aemilianus (253) 156
Valerian (253–260) 156
Gallienus (253–268) 156
Postumus (260–269) 157
Victorinus (269–271) 157
Tetricus II (271–274). (CNG via Wikimedia Commons) 157
Odainathos (250) 174
Zenobia (270–272) 174
Vaballathus (270–272) 174
Balista (c.260) 174
Claudius Gothicus (268–270) 175
Quintillus (270) 175
Aurelian (270–275) 175
Tacitus (275–276) 176
Florian (276) 176
Probus (276–282) 176
Carus (282–283). (Met Museum of Art/Public Domain) 177
Carinus (282–285) 177
Numerian (282–284) 177
The Tetrarchs hang together 196
Diocletian (285–305) 196
Maximian (286–311) 196
Carausius (286–293) 197
Allectus (293–296) 197
Constantius I Chlorus (305–306) 197
Galerius (305–311). (Shinjirod via Wikimedia Commons) 216
Severus (306–307) 216
Maxentius (306–312). (Jean-Christophe Benoist via Wikimedia Commons) 216
Constantine ‘the Great’ (306–337). (Shakko via Wikimedia Commons) 217
Licinius (308–324). (Adobe Stock) 217
Maximinus Daia (311–313) 217
Constantine II (337–340) 224
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List of Illustrations ix
Constans I (337–350) 224
Constantius II (337–361) 224
Magnentius (350–353) 225
Julian (361–363) 225
Jovian (363–364) 225
Valentinian I (364–375) 238
Valens (364–378) 238
Gratian (375–383). (Sjuergen via Wikimedia Commons) 238
Valentinian II (375–392) 238
Theodosius I (379–395). (Marie-Lan Nguyen/Wikimedia Commons) 239
Arcadius (395–408). (Gryffindor via Wikimedia Commons) 239
Honorius (395–423) 239
Magnus Maximus (in the West 383–388) 246
Eugenius (in Italy 392–394) 246
Johannes (in Italy 423–425) 246
Constantine III (407–411) 247
Theodosius II (408–450) 247
Constantius III (421) 247
Galla Placidia. (CNG Coins via Wikimedia Commons) 247
Valentinian III (425–455) 266
Petronius Maximus (455). (CNG Coins via Wikimedia Commons) 266
Avitus (455–456). (NAC via Wikimedia Commons) 266
Majorian (457–261). (Sailko via Wikimedia Commons) 266
Marcian (450–457) 267
Leo I (457–474). (Marie-Lan Nguyen/Wikimedia Commons) 267
Zeno (474–475, 476–491). (CNG Coins via Wikimedia Commons) 267
Basiliscus (475–476). (CNG Coins via Wikimedia Commons) 267
Libius Severus (461–465). (CNG Coins via Wikimedia Commons) 286
Anthemius (467–472). (CNG Coins via Wikimedia Commons) 286
Olybrius (472). (NAC via Wikimedia Commons) 286
Glycerius (473). (Auktionshaus H. D. Rauch GmbH via Wikimedia
Commons) 287
Julius Nepos (473–480). (CNG Coins via Wikimedia Commons) 287
Romulus ‘Augustulus’ (475–476). (CNG Coins via Wikimedia Commons) 287
Unless otherwise stated, all images were sourced from Wikimedia Commons,
with grateful thanks.
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