Caesar, whose birth name was Gaius Octavius Thurinus,1 (commonly referred to as simply Octavius) and later, Gaius Iulius Caesar, rose to power after the death (on Idus Martias) of his adoptive father Iulius Caesar. On 1 Jan 42 BC, the Senate recognized him as a Roman deity — divi filius (Son of God). Caesar added the praenomen Imperator (Emperor) some time between 38—31 BC, and on 16 Jan 27 BC the Senate conferred the honorary title Augustus (majestic, venerable, etc.), So at the beginning of his reign he was known as Imperator Caesar Divi Filius.2 Beginning with his successor, Tiberius, the names Imperator, Caesar and Augustus became part of the titular name. Later emperors added the phrase Pius Felix Invictus (dutiful, fortunate, unconquered).
Roman titular naming conventions are something of a moving target and different sources give different “official” names. This is but one (albeit, very good) list:
IMPERIUM ROMANUM
Julio-Claudian
Imperator Caesar Divi Filius Augustus
Tiberius Caesar Augustus
Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus
Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus
Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus
Seruius Galba Imperator Caesar Augustus
Imperator Marcus Otho Caesar Augustus
Aulus Vitellius Germanicus Imperator Augustus
Flavian
Imperator Vespasianus Caesar Augustus
Imperator Titus Caesar Vespasianus Augustus
Imperator Titus Caesar Domitianus Augustus
Nervan
Imperator Nerva Caesar Augustus
Imperator Caesar Divi Nervae Filius Nerva Traianus
Imperator Caesar Traianus Hadrianus Augustus
Antonian
Imperator Titus Aelius Caesar Hadrianus Antoninus Augustus Pius
Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus
Imperator Caesar Caesar Lucius Aurelius Verus Augustus
Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Augustus
Imperator Caesar Publius Helvius Pertinax Augustus
Imperator Caesar Marcus Didius Severus Iulianus Augustus
Severan
Imperator Caesar Lucius Septimius Severus Pertinax Augustus
Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus Pius Augustus
Imperator Caesar Publius Septimius Geta Augustus
Marcus Opellius Severus Macrinus Augustus Pius Felixa
Imperator Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Pius Felix Augustus
Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander Pius Felix Augustus
Imperator Caesar Gaius Julius Verus Maximinus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus
Imperator Caesar Marcus Antonius Gordianus Sempronianus Romanus Africanus
Imperator Caesar Marcus Antonius Gordianus Sempronianus Romanus Africanus
Imperator Caesar Marcus Clodius Pupienus Maximus Augustus
Imperator Caesar Decimus Caelius Calvinus Balbinus Pius Felix Augustus
Imperator Caesar Marcus Antonius Gordianus Pius Fekix Augustus
Imperator Caesar Marcus Iulius Phillipus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus
Imperator Caesar Gaius Messius Quintus Traianus Decius Pius Felix Invictus Augustusb
Imperator Caesar Caius Valens Hostilianus Messius Quintus Augustus
Imperator Caesar Gaius Vibius Trebonianus Gallus Pius Felix Invictus Augustusc
Imperator Caesar Marcus Aemilius Aemilianus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus
Imperator Caesar Publius Licinius Valerianus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus
Imperator Caesar Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus
Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Claudius Pius Felix Invictus Augustus
Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Claudius Quintillus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus
Imperator Caesar Lucius Domitius Aurelianus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus
Imperator Caesar Marcus Claudius Tacitus Pius Felix Augustus
Imperator Caesar Marcus Annius Florianus Pius Felix Augustus
Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Probus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus
Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Carus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus
Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Carinus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus
Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Numerius Numerianus Pius Felix Augustus
PARS OCCIDENTIS
Imperator Caesar Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus
Imperator Caesar Gaius Aurelius Valerius Maximianus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus
Constantinian
Imperator Caesar Gaius Flavius Valerius Constantius Augustus
Imperator Caesar Galerius Valerius Maximianus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus
Imperator Severus Pius Felix Augustus
Imperator Caesar Flavius Constantinus Valerius Augustus
Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maxentius Pius Felix Invictus Augustus
Caesar Galerius Valerius Maximinus Augustus
Imperator Caesar Gaius Valerius Licinius Pius Felix Invictus Augustusd
Imperator Caesar Flavius Valerius Constantinus Augustus
Imperator Caesar Flavius Iulius Constantius Augustus
Imperator Caesar Flavius Iulius Constans Augustus
Imperator Caesar Flavius Claudius Iulianus Augustus
Imperator Caesar Flavius Iovianus Augustus
Valentinian
Imperator Caesar Flavius Valentinianus Augustus
Imperator Caesar Flavius Iulius Valens Augustus
Imperator Caesar Flavius Gratianus Augustus
Imperator Caesar Flavius Valentinianus Junior Augustus
Theodosian
Imperator Caesar Flavius Theodosius Augustuse
Flavius Honorius Augustus
Flavius Constantius Augustus
Ioannese
Flavius Placidius Valentinianus Augustus
Flavius Anicius Petronius Maximus Augustus
Eparchius Avitus Augustus
Iulius Valerius Maiorianus Augustus
Libius Severus Augustus
Procopius Anthemius Augustus
Flavius Anicius Olybrius Augustus
Flavius Glycerius
Flavius Julius Nepos
Romulus Augustus
PARS ORIENTIS
Valentinian
Imperator Caesar Flavius Julius Valens Augustus
Theodosian
Imperator Caesar Flavius Theodosius Augustusf
Imperator Flavius Arcadius Augustus
Imperator Flavius Theodosius Augustus
Imperator Flavius Marcianius Augustus
Leonid
Imperator Caesar Flavius Valerius Leo Augustus
Imperator Caesar Flavius Leo Iunior Augustus
Imperator Caesar Flavius Zeno Perpetuus Augustus
Imperator Flavius Basiliscus Augustus
Imperator Flavius Anastasius Augustus
BYZANTIUM
Justinian
Flavius Iustinus Augustus
Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus Augustus
Flauius Iustinius Iunior Augustus
et al
n = 93
Died of natural causes: n = 34
a. with Marcus Opellius Antoninus Diadumenianus.
b. with Quintus Herennius Etruscus Messius Decius.
c. with Gaius Vibius Volusianus.
d. with Aurelius Valerius Valens and Sextus Marcius Martinianus.
e. Yeah, just Ioannes.
f. Theodosius was emperor of both the Western and Eastern empires.
1. By the time of the Empire, aristocratic Roman males had three names (tria nonina), a personal name (praenomen), a clan name (nomen) and a name from the family line of the clan (cognomen), e.g.: Gaius Julius Caesar. Women, freedmen and slaves had progressively less complex names.
2. At the time of his death in 14 AD his full official name, including all titles, was Imperator Caesar Divi filius Augustus, Pontifex Maximus, Consul XIII, Imperator XXI, Tribuniciae potestatis XXXVII, Pater patriae. Or: Imperator Caesar Divi filius Augustus, Chief Highpriest, 13 times Consul, 21 times Commander, 37 times holder of the Tribunate, Father of the Fatherland.
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This post is a list – one of a series – presenting data essential for modern living.
7 Mar 2009 ‧ Lists & Tables