What Happens to Emperors?

Well, here’s an interesting data set:

Augustus: BC 27–AD 14. Died of natural causes.

Tiberus: AD 14–37. Murdered (by his successor).

Caligula: AD 37–41. Murdered (by his own soldiers and politicians).

Claudius: AD 41–54. Murdered (poisoned by his wife).

Nero: AD 54–68. Suicide (after the Senate ordered his death).

Galba: AD 68–69. Murdered (by his own guards).

Otho: AD 69–69. Suicide (after losing an internal civil war).

Vitellius: AD 69–69. Murdered (by his own soldiers).

Vespasian: AD 69–79. Died of natural causes.

Titus: AD 79–81. Died of natural causes.

Domitian: AD81–96. Murdered (assassinated by his own political staff).

Nerva: AD 96–98. Died of natural causes.

Trajan: AD 98–117. Died of natural causes.

Hadrian: AD117–138. Died of natural causes.

Antonius Pius: AD 138–161. Died of natural causes.

Marcus Aurelius: AD 161–180. Died of natural causes.

Lucius Verus: AD 161–169. Died of natural causes.

Commodus: AD 180–192. Murdered (by his own bodyguard).

Pescennius Niger: AD 193–194. Murdered (by a political rival).

Clodius Albinus: AD 193–197. Killed (in civil war against his own countrymen).

Pertinax: AD 193–193.Murdered (by his own soldiers).

Didius Julianus: AD 193–193. Murdered (by his own government and successor).

Septimus Severus: AD 193–211. Died of natural causes.

Caracalla: AD 211–217. Murdered (by his own soldier).

Geta: AD 211–211. Murdered (by his brother).

Macrinus: AD 217–218. Murdered (in a revolt by his own soldiers).

Diadumenian: AD 218–218. Murdered (executed by his own countrymen).

Elagabalus: AD 218–222. Murdered (by his own soldiers at the request of his mother).

Severus Alexander: AD 222–235. Murdered (by his own soldiers in collaboration with his mother).

Maximinus I: AD 235–238. Murdered (by his own soldiers).

Gordian I: AD 238–238. Suicide (after losing his son in an internal civil war).

Gordian II: AD 238–238. Killed (in battle against his own countrymen).

Pipienus. AD 238–238. Murdered (tortured to death by his own guards).

Balbinus: AD 238–238. Murdered (tortured to death by his own guards).

Gordian III: AD238–244. Murdered (in a plot by his successor).

Philip I: AD 244–249. Killed (in battle against his successor Decius).

Phillip II: AD 247–249. Murdered (by his own guards).

Decius: AD 249–251. Killed (in battle. The first Roman Emperor to be killed by non–Romans!).

Herennius Etruscus: AD 251–251. Killed (in battle against non–Romans).

Trebonianus Gallus: AD 251–253. Murdered (by his own soldiers).

Hostilian: AD 251–251. Murdered (by his own countrymen).

Volusianus: AD 251–253. Murdered (by his own soldiers in collaboration with his father).

Aemilianus: AD 253–253. Murdered (by his own soldiers).

Silbannacus: AD 253–253. Unknown fate (very, very short reign).

Valerian: AD 253–260. Executed (captured by Persians and killed in prison).

Gallienus: AD 253–268. Murdered (by his own soldiers).

Salonius: AD 260–260. Murdered (by the soldiers of his rival countryman).

Claudius II: AD 268–270. Died of natural causes (Plague).

Quintillus: AD 270–270. Suicide (or murdered by his successor).

Aurelian: AD 270–275. Murdered (by his own guards).

Tacitus: AD 275–276. Possibly murdered.

Florianus: AD 276–276. Murdered (by his own soldiers).

Probus: AD 276–282. Murdered (by his own soldiers).

Carus: AD 282–283. Died of natural causes (or assassination).

Carinus: AD 283–285. Killed (in battle against his own countrymen, betrayed by his own soldiers).

Numerian: AD 283–284. Died on campaign (by either illness or assassination).

Diocletian: AD 284–305. Suicide (after abdication).

Maximian: AD 286–305. Murdered (by his own countrymen).

Galerius: AD 305–311. Died of natural causes.

Constantinus I: AD 305–306. Died of natural causes.

Severus II: AD 306–307. Murdered (forced suicide, after surrender to his successor).

Maxentius: AD 306–312. Killed (in battle against his countrymen).

Licinius: AD 308–324. Executed (after battle against his own countrymen).

Overlapping dates explained by the Eastern Roman Empire and Western Roman Empire

Maximinus II: AD 310–313. Died (after defeat in a civil war).

Valerius Valens: AD 316–317. Executed (by his own side, as the price of peace).

Martinian: AD 324–324. Executed (by his own countrymen, after being deposed and ostracised).

Constantine I: AD 306–337. Died of natural causes.

Constantine II: AD 337–340. Killed (ambushed by his brother).

Constans I: AD 337–350. Murdered (deposed and killed by his political rival).

Constantius II: AD 337–361. Died of natural causes (whilst plotting civil war).

Magnentius: AD 350–353. Suicide (after losing an internal civil war).

Vetranio: AD 350–350. Died of natural causes (after abdication).

Nepotianus: AD 350–350. Executed (by supporters of his political rival).

Julian: AD 361–363. Killed (in battle against Persians).

Jovian: AD 363–364. Died (perhaps accidentally, of toxic shock).

Valentinian I: AD 364–375. Died (of heart failure whilst shouting at his own employees).

Valens: AD 364–378. Killed (in battle against internal rebels).

Procopius: AD 365–366. Executed (by his own countrymen).

Gratian: AD 375–383. Murdered (by his own soldier).

Magnus Maximus: AD383–388. Executed (by his own countrymen, after surrendering).

Valentinian II: AD 388–392. Suicide or murdered.

Eugenius: AD 392–394. Executed (after defeat by his successor).

Theodosius I: AD 379–395. Died of natural causes.

Arcadius: AD 395–408. Died of natural causes.

Honorius: AD 395–423. Died of natural causes.

Constantine III: AD 407–411. Murdered (by his own countrymen, after abdication).

Theodosius II: AD 408–450. Died of natural causes (fell off a horse).

Priscus Attalus: AD 409–410. Exiled (by his own countrymen).

Constantius III: AD 421–421. Died of natural causes.

Johannes: AD 423–425. Executed (by his own countrymen).

Valentinian III: AD 425–455. Murdered (by supporters of a political rival).

Marcian: AD 450–457. Died of natural causes.

Petronius Maximus: AD 455–455. Murdered (by his own countrymen during the sack of Rome).

Avitus: AD 444–456. Murdered (deposed, claimed church protection and then starved to death).

Majorian: AD 457–461. Executed (after being deposed by his own countrymen).

Libius Severus: AD 461–465. Died if natural causes.

Anthemius: AD 467–472. Murdered (in a civil war).

Olybrius: AD 472–472. Died of natural causes.

Glycerius: AD 473–474. Fate unknown (deposed and vanished).

Julius Nepos: AD 474–475. Murdered (by his own employees after beginning exile).

Romulus: AD 475–476. Fate unknown (after being deposed).

Leo I: AD 457–474. Died of natural causes.

Leo II: AD 474–474. Died of natural causes.

Zeno: AD 474–475, then 476–491. Fate unknown (deposed in a revolt led by his own mother and exiled).

Basiliscus: AD 475–476. Murdered (deposed, imprisoned and starved to death).

Anastasius I: AD 491–518. Died of natural causes.

Justin I: AD 518–527. Died of natural causes.

Justinian I: AD 527–565. Died of natural causes.

Justin II: AD 565–578. Died of natural causes.

Tiberius: AD 578–582. Died of natural causes (possibly murdered — food poisoning).

Maurice: AD 582–602. Executed (after being captured by a rival).

Phocas: AD 602–610. Executed (after being deposed by a rival).

Heraclitus: AD 610–641. Died of natural causes.

Heraclitus (aka Constantine III): AD 641–641. Died of natural causes.

Heraclonas: AD 641–641. Executed (after being deposed and tortured).

Constans II: AD 641–668. Murdered (by a rival).

Constantine IV: AD 668–685. Died of natural causes.

Justinian II: AD 685–695 and 706–711. Murdered (deposed, mutilated, regained the throne, killed by a successor).

Leontius: 695–698. Executed (by Justinian II).

Tiberius III: AD 698–705. Executed (by Justinian).

Philippicus: AD 711–713. Died of natural causes (after being deposed and blinded by a rival).

Anastasius II: AD 713–715. Executed (by a successor).

Theodosius III: AD 715–717. Fate unknown (deposed and exiled).

Leo III: AD 717–741. Died of natural causes.

Constantine V: AD 741–775. Died of natural causes, as the last emperor to rule Rome.