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.