Curated playlist
3rd-century Roman consuls
- Cassius DioCassius Dio's Roman History is one of only three written Roman sources on Boudica's revolt.
- Constantius ChlorusThe Roman emperor Constantius Chlorus never heard the name Chlorus. Byzantine-era historians coined it after he died.
- GallienusRoman emperor Gallienus was stabbed outside Milan after a false report of an enemy breakout.
- CaracallaRoman emperor Caracalla was stabbed by a soldier while stopping to urinate on a road. He had turned 29 that very day.
- BalbinusBalbinus, a Roman emperor in 238 AD, is shown in armor on his own coffin. Written sources call him the civilian partner.
- Septimius SeverusIn 193, soldiers at Carnuntum acclaimed Septimius Severus emperor after Rome's guard killed Pertinax.
- Claudius GothicusAn ancient legend says Emperor Claudius Gothicus once knocked out a horse's teeth with one punch.
- GaleriusGalerius, a cattle-herder's son, became a Roman emperor. In 311 he ended the persecution of Christians he had pushed.
- DiocletianRetired emperor Diocletian answered a plea to return in 308 by talking about his cabbages.
- MaximianRoman emperor Maximian retired when ordered to, then came back twice. His last try in 310 began with a false claim.
- Maximinus ThraxRoman emperor Maximinus Thrax never once visited Rome during his entire reign. His own soldiers killed him in 238.
- AurelianA forged list of officials marked for execution got Roman emperor Aurelian killed by his own officers.
- Valerian (emperor)Emperor Valerian became the first Roman emperor captured alive in battle. Persia's Shapur I took him at Edessa in 260.
- ElagabalusElagabalus became Roman emperor at fourteen and was dead before nineteen. His own grandmother arranged his murder.
- Gordian IIIGordian III became Roman emperor at just thirteen years old.
- MacrinusMacrinus became Roman emperor without ever entering the Senate. He then ruled from Antioch and never visited Rome.
- Severus AlexanderSeverus Alexander was ruling the Roman Empire alone by age thirteen.