I decided to find out the fate of Roman/Byzantine Emperors. There is a signficant number of Emperors who died in mysterious circumstances or whos fate is not known, so its entirely possible this list is not complete or totally accurate.



I. Roman Emperor who died of natural causes/disease etc

Emperor and Year of Death

Cause of Death

Augustus AD 14

Natural Causes Tiberius AD 37

Natural Causes Vespasian AD 79

Natural Causes Titus AD 81

Fever

Nerva AD 98

Natural Causes / Age Trajan AD 117

Dropsy Hadrian AD 138

Natural Causes Antoninus Pius AD1 61

Fever Lucius Verus AD 169

Food Poisoning Marcus Aurelius AD 180

Died on campaign Septimius Severus AD 211

Natural Causes

Claudius II Gothicus AD 270

Plague

Constantius I Chlorus AD 306

Natural Causes Galerius AD 311

Natural Causes Diocletian AD 313

Natural Causes in retirement

Constantine I the great AD 337

Natural Causes Valentinian I AD 375

Burst Blood Vessel Theodosius I the great AD 395

Natural Causes Arcadius AD 408

Natural Causes Constantius III AD 421

Natural Causes Honorius AD 423

Natural Causes Marcian AD 457

Possibly Gangrene

Anicius Olybrius AD 472

Natural Causes Leo I AD 474

Dysentery

Leo II AD 474 Unknown Disease

Zeno AD 491

Natural Causes Anastasius AD 518

Natural Causes Justin I AD 527 Natural Causes Justinian I the great AD 565

Natural Causes Justin II AD 578

Natural Causes Tiberius II Constantinus AD 582

Unkonwn Illness

Constantine III AD 641 Tuberculosis

Constantine IV AD 685 Dysentery

Leo III the Isaurian AD 741 Naural Causes Constantine V AD 775 Died on Campaign

Leo IV AD 780 Natural Causes Theophilus AD 842 Natural Causes Leo VI AD 912

Natural Causes Alexander III AD 913

Natural Causes Constantine VII Porphyrogenitos "The Purple-born" AD 959

Natural Causes John I Tzimisces AD 976

Natural Causes Basil II Bulgaroktonus “The Bulgar slayer” AD 1025

Natural Causes Constantine VIII AD 1028

Natural Causes Michael IV AD 1041

Natural Causes Constantine IX AD 1055

Natural Causes Michael VI Stratioticus AD 1057

Natural Causes Constantine X Ducas AD 1067

Natural Causes Alexius I Comnenus AD 1118

Natural Causes Manual I Comnenus Megas AD 1180

Fever

Michael VIII Palaeologus AD 1282

Natural Causes Andronicus III AD 1341 Natural Causes John V Palaeologus AD 1391

Natural Causes Manual II Palaeologus AD 1425

Natural Causes John VIII Palaeologus AD 1448 Natural Causes TOTAL: 55 Roman/Byzantine Emperors died of Natural cause/Diseases







II. Emperors who died by Assassination/murder/execution

Emperor and Year of Death

Cause of Death

Gaius Caligula AD 41 Conspiracy led by Praetorian guard officers Claudius AD 54

Poisoned, probably by Agrippina

Galba AD 69

Murdered by Otho

Vitellius AD 69

Murdered by troops of Vespasian

Domitian AD 96

Stabbed to death by a steward

Commodus AD 192

Strangled by a wrestler

Didius Julianus AD 193

Decapitated on the orders of Septimius Severus

Geta AD 211

Murdered y Caracalla

Caracalla AD 217

Assassinated by an attendant

Macrinus AD 218

Executed

Diadumenian AD 218

Executed by decapitation

Elagabulus AD 222

Assassinated

Alexander Severus AD 235

Murdered in a legionary mutiny

Maximinius Thrax AD 238

Murdered by the Praetorians

Pupienus Maximus AD 238

Murdered by the Praetorians

Balbinus AD 238

Murdered by the Praetorians

Phillip the Arab AD 249

Murdered by Decius

Gallus AD 253

Murdered in a Legionary Mutiny

Volusianus AD 253

Murdered in a Legionary Mutiny

Aemilianus AD 253

Murdered in a Legionary Mutiny

Gallienus AD 268

Murdered at some point during the battle of Naissus

Aurelian AD 272

Murdered by the Praetorians

Tacitus AD 276

Assassinated, probably by his own soldiers

Florianus AD 276

Assasinated by his own soldiers

Probus AD 282

Murdered by his own soldiers

Carinus AD 285

Assassinated by a tribune

Constans I AD 350

Murdered by Magnentius

Gratians AD 383

Murdered by rebellious generals

Valentinan III AD 455

Assassinated by followers of Flavius Aetius

Petronius Maximus AD 455

Kiled either by rioters or a roman soldier

Anthemius AD 472

Executed by Ricimir

Julius Nepos AD 480

Murdered by his own soldiers

Maurice I AD 602

Murdered during a mutiny by mercenaries

Phocas "the Tyrant" AD 610

Executed by Heraclius personally and beheaded

Constans II AD 668

Assassinated by his chamberlain

Leontis AD 705

Executed by Justinian II

Tiberius III AD 05

Executed by orders of Justinian II

Justinian II "Rhinotmetus" AD 711

Executed during a rebellion

Leo V "the Armenian" AD 820

Assassinated

Michael III AD 867

Assassinated by Basil the Macedonian

Nicephoros II Phocas AD 969

Assassinated by John Tzimisces

Romanus III AD 1034

Assassinated, possibly by his wife via poison

Alexius II Comnenus AD 1183

Murdered or strangled with a bow string on the orders of Andronicus comnenos

TOTAL: 43 Emperors died from Assassination/murder/execution

I was actually quite stunned that fewer Emperors were murdered than died naturally. However there were also emperors who were...



III. Deposed/blinded/exiled/mutilated/imprisoned/tortured or abdicated

Emperor and Year of Event

Event Diocletian AD 305

Voluntary abdication

Maximian AD 305-308

Forced Abdication (two times)

Licinius AD 324

Abdicated and later executed by order of Constantine

Majorian AD 461

Forced abdication by Ricimir

Glyerius AD 474

Forced Abdication by Julius Nepos

Romulus Augustulus AD 476

Deposed by Odoacer

Heracleonas AD 641

Deposed and murtilated

Justinian II Rhinotmetus AD 695

Deposed, mutilated, and exiled

Leontius AD 696

Deposed, Imprisoned and mutilated by Tiberius III

Tiberius III AD 705

Deposed by Justinian II

Philippicus Bardanes AD 713

Deposed and blinded by two of his generals

Anastasius II AD 715

Deposed by Theodosius III

Theodosius III AD 717

Deposed Abdicated

Constantine VI AD 797

Deposed nad blinded dying from his wounds

Stauracius AD 811

Deposed by Michael Rhangabes

Michael I Rhangabes AD 813

Deposed

Romanus I AD 944

Deposed by his sons

Michael V Calaphates AD 1042

Deposed in a revolt and blinded

Michael VI Stratioticus AD 1057

Deposed by rebels

Isaac I Comnenus AD 1059

Abdicated due to illness

Romanus IV Diogenes AD 1071

Deposed and blinded

Michael VII Ducas AD 1078

Abdicated during a revolt

Nicephorus III AD 1081

Deposed by Alexius Comnenos

Andronicus I Comennus AD 1185

Deposed and tortured

Isaac II Angelus AD 1195

Deposed, blinded and imprisoned by Alexius Angelus

Alexius III AD 1203

Deposed

Alexius IV Angelus AD 1024

Deposed by Alexius Murtzouphlos

Alexius Murtzouphlos AD 1024

Fled (deposed) and later blinded

Andronicus II Palaeologus AD 1328

Abdicated

John VI Cantacuzenus AD 1353

Abdicated

John V Palaelogus AD 1376-90

Deposed by Andronicus and then John

Andronicus IV Palaeologus AD 1379

Partially blinded by John V and later deposed and totally blinded

Total: 33 Emperors





I didn't include claimants to the throne or wannabe Emperors. The list does not include accidental death and other less important fates. Again, any Emperor who died under circumstances that arent entirely clear has been excluded. Also its gets very confusing on who to include in these lists when it comes to joint Emperorship and temporary Emperors etc.