This is a list of the Emperors of the Eastern Roman Empire, commonly known as the Byzantine Empire by modern historians. This list does not include numerous co-emperors who never attained sole or senior status as rulers.

This list begins with Constantine I the Great, the first Christian emperor reigning from Constantinople. Diocletian before him had ruled from Nicomedia and replaced the republican trappings of the office with a straightforward autocracy. All Byzantine Emperors regarded themselves as Roman Emperors.^[1]

The Emperor Heraclius (610?41) replaced Latin with Greek as the language of the army and began the administrative restructuring of the Empire into themata. Although Greek had long been the dominant language in the Eastern Roman Empire this change represented a formal rejection of the Latin language and many aspects of traditional Roman culture. Indeed after 800 AD the Pope and later the Franks would reject the Roman Imperial authority of Constantinople partially on this basis.

The title of all Emperors listed preceding Heraclius was officially Augustus, although various other titles such as Dominus were used as well. For official purposes, their names were preceded by Imperator Caesar and followed by Augustus. Following Heraclius, the title commonly became the Greek Basileus (Gr. ????????), which had formerly meant generally "king", "sovereign" but now was used in place of Imperator. Kings were now titled by the neologism Regas (Gr. ?????, from the Lat. "Rex") or by another generic term Archon (Gr. ?????, "ruler"). Autokrator (Gr. ??????????) was also frequently used, along with a plethora of more hyperbolic titles including Kosmokrator (Gr. ???????????) ("Master of the World") and "Chronokrator" (Gr. ???????????) ("Master of Time"). In the later centuries of the Empire, the emperor could be often referred to by Western Christians as the "Emperor of the Greeks", though they still considered themselves "Roman" Emperors.

Constantinian dynasty (306?363)

Picture	Name	Status	Birth	Emperor from	Emperor until	Death
	Constantine I "the Great" (Gaius Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus)	son of the Augustus Constantius Chlorus	27 February c.280	25 July 306 Proclaimed "Augustus" upon the death of Constantius Chlorus	22 May 337
	Constantius II (Flavius Iulius Constantius)	second son of Constantine I	7 August 317	22 May 337 Inherited Eastern third of Roman Empire upon his father's death
	Julian "the Apostate" (Flavius Claudius Iulianus)	grandson of Constantius Chlorus, cousin of Constantius II	May 332	5 October 361 Proclaimed by his army in Gaul, became legitimate Emperor upon the death of Constantius	28 June 363 Mortally wounded in battle

Non-dynastic (363?364)

Picture	Name	Status	Birth	Emperor from	Emperor until	Death
	Jovian ( Flavius Claudius Iovianus )	Guards' Captain amongst Julian's Eastern forces	c.332	28 June 363 Elected by the army upon Julian's death	17 February 364 Died on journey back to Constantinople

Valentinian-Theodosian dynasty (364?457)

Picture	Name	Status	Birth	Emperor from	Emperor until	Death
	Valentinian I (Flavius Valentinianus)	Officer under Julian and Jovian	321	26 February 364 Elected by the army upon Jovian's death	align="center" colspan=2?17 November 375 Died of cerebral haemorrhage
	Valens ( Flavius Iulius Valens )	Minor soldier of the Roman army, brother of Valentinian I	328	28 March 364 Appointed by his brother	align="center" colspan=2?9 August 378 Killed at the Battle of Adrianople
	Gratian ( Flavius Gratianus )	Son of Valentinian I, nephew of Valens	18 April/23 May 359	9 August 378 Inherited rule of the East upon the death of Valens
	Theodosius I ( Flavius Theodosius )	Aristocrat and military leader, brother-in-law of Gratian	11 January 347	19 January 379 Appointed by Gratian	align="center" colspan=2?17 January 395 old age
	Arcadius ( Flavius Arcadius )	Son of Theodosius I	377/378	17 January 395 Upon the death of Theodosius I	align="center" colspan=2?1 May 408
	Theodosius II ( Flavius Theodosius )	Son of Arcadius	10 April 401	1 May 408 Upon the death of Arcadius	align="center" colspan=2?28 July 450 Riding accident
	Pulcheria ( Aelia Pulcheria )	Daughter of Arcadius, sister of Theodosius II	19 January 399	28 July 450 Upon the death of Theodosius II	July 453
	Marcian ( Flavius Marcianus )	Soldier, politician, husband of Pulcheria	396	450 Upon his marriage to Pulcheria	January 457 Gangrene contracted on a journey

Leonid dynasty (457?518)

Picture	Name	Status	Birth	Emperor from	Emperor until	Death
	Leo I "the Thracian" (Flavius Valerius Leo )	Soldier	401	7 February 457 Chosen by Aspar, commander-in-chief of the army	18 January 474 Died of dysentery
	Leo II ( Flavius Leo )	Grandson of Leo I	467	18 January 474 Succeeded his grandfather Leo I	17 November 474 Died of an unknown disease, possibly poisoned
	Zeno ( Flavius Zeno ) (Born Tarasicodissa)	Roman general of Isaurian origins; son-in-law of Leo I, father of Leo II	c.425	Co-emperor: 9 February 474 Appointed by his son Leo II Sole Emperor: 17 November 474 Succeeded upon the death of Leo II	9 January 475 Deposed by Basiliscus, brother-in-law of Leo I	9 April 491
	Basiliscus ( Flavius Basiliscus )	Army General; brother-in-law of Leo I		9 January 475 Seized power from Zeno	August 476 Deposed by Zeno	476/477
	Zeno, restored ( Flavius Zeno ) (Born Tarasicodissa)	Roman general of Isaurian origins; son-in-law of Leo I, father of Leo II	c.425	restored August 476 Having deposed Basiliscus	9 April 491
	Anastasius I ( Flavius Anastasius )	Palace official ("Silentiarius"); son-in-law of Leo I	c.430	11 April 491 Chosen by Ariadne, widow of Zeno	9 July 518

Justinian dynasty (518?602)

Picture	Name	Status	Birth	Emperor from	Emperor until	Death
	Justin I (Flavius Iustinus )	General, commander of the City Guards under Anastasius I	c.450	July 518 Elected by army and people upon the death of Anastasius I	1 August 527
	Justinian I (Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus)	Nephew and heir of Justin I	482/483	1 August 527 Inherited the throne on the death of Justin I	13/14 November 565
	Justin II (Flavius Iustinus Iunior)	Nephew and heir of Justinian I	c.520	14 November 565 Inherited the throne on the death of Justinian I	5 October 578
	Tiberius II Constantine (Flavius Tiberius Constantinus)	"Comes" of the Excubitors, friend and adoptive son of Justin II	c.520	5 October 578 Became full Emperor on the death of Justin II	14 August 582 possibly poisoned by Maurice
	Maurice (Flavius Mauricius Tiberius)	Commander-in-chief of Cappadocian origins; son-in-law of Tiberius II	539	14 August 582 Succeeded upon the death of his father-in-law Tiberius II	November 602 Forced to abdicate by Phocas	27 November 602 Executed by Phocas

Non-dynastic (602?610)

Picture	Name	Status	Birth	Emperor from	Emperor until	Death
	Phocas (Flavius Phocas )	sub-altern in the Balkan army, leader of rebellion; deposed Maurice	?	November 602 Seized power in a rebellion against Maurice	610 Executed by Heraclius

Heraclian dynasty (610?711)

Picture	Name	Status	Birth	Emperor from	Emperor until	Death
	Herakleios (?????????, H?rakleios) Heraclius (Flavius Heraclius)	son of Exarch Heraclius the Elder; deposed Phocas	c.575	5 October 610 Seized power in a rebellion against Phocas	11 February 641
	Constantine III (????????? (????) ????????????, Herakleios Novos K?nstantinos) Constantine III ( Heraclius Novus Constantinus )	eldest son of Herakleios	3 May 612	11 February 641 Succeeded to throne with Heraklonas following death of Herakleios	24?26 May 641 Tuberculosis, allegedly poisoned by Martina
	Heraklonas (???????????? ?????????, K?nstantinos Herakleios) Heraclianus (Constantinus Heraclius)	younger son of Herakleios	626	11 February 641 Succeeded to throne with Constantine III following death of Herakleios	September 641 Deposed by Senate	c.641 Presumed to have died in exile
	Constans II (??????? ?', K?nstas II); born Herakleios Constantine (????????? ????????????, Herakleios K?nstantinos ); called "Constantine the Bearded" (???????????? ?????????, K?nstantinos Pogonatos) Constans II (Constantus II); born Heraclius Constantine ( Heraclius Constantinus ); called "Constantine the Bearded"	son of Constantine III
	Mezezius	Usurper Emperor	Unknown	668	669
	Constantine IV (????????????, K?nstantinos) Constantine (Constantinos)	son of Constans II	652	15 September 668 succeeded following murder of Constans II	September 685 Died of dysentery
	Justinian II	son of Constantine IV	669	Co-emperor in 681, sole emperor in 685.	695 Deposed by military revolt	December 711
	Leontios	Usurper Emperor	Unknown	695	698 Deposed by military revolt	705
	Tiberios III	Usurper Emperor	Unknown	698	705 Deposed by a Bulgarian-supported revolt	705
	Justinian II	son of Constantine IV	669	705	711 Deposed by military revolt	December 711

Non-dynastic (711?717)

Picture	Name	Status	Birth	Emperor from	Emperor until	Death
	Philippikos	A general of Armenian origins; deposed Justinian II	Unknown	December, 711	3 June, 713 Deposed by a military revolt	Later in the 8th century
	Anastasios II	a burecraut, imperial secretary for Philippikos	Unknown	June, 713	November, 715 Deposed by a military revolt	718
	Theodosios III	a financial officer, tax collector in the Opsikian Theme	Unknown	May, 715	25 March, 717 Deposed by a military revolt	Later in the 8th century

Isaurian dynasty (717?802)

Picture	Name	Status	Birth	Emperor from	Emperor until	Death
	Leo III the Isaurian	a general from Germanikeia, Commagene	c. 685	25 March, 717	18 June, 741	18 June, 741
	Constantine V	Son of Leo III	July, 718	Co-ruler in 720, senior ruler in 741	14 September, 775	14 September, 775
	Artabasdos	Son-in-law of Leo III, brother-in-law of Constantine V	Unknown	Rival emperor from June 741/2	2 November, 743	Later in the 8th century
	Leo IV the Khazar	Son of Constantine V	25 January, 750	Co-ruler in 751, senior ruler in 775	8 September, 780	8 September, 780
	Constantine VI	Son of Leo IV and Irene	771	Co-ruler in 776, sole emperor in 780	August, 797	c. 797, though sources are contradictory on the subject
	Irene of Athens	Wife of Leo IV, mother of Constantine VI	c. 752	August, 797	31 October, 802	9 August, 803

Nikephoros? dynasty (802?813)

Picture	Name	Status	Birth	Emperor from	Emperor until	Death
	Nikephoros I	logothet?s tou genikou (finance minister)	Unknown	31 October, 802	26 July, 811	26 July, 811
	Staurakios	Son of Nikephoros I	Unknown	Co-ruler in 803, senior ruler in 811	2 October, 811	11 January, 812
	Michael I Rangabe	Son-in-law of Nikephoros I, brother-in-law of Staurakios	Unknown	2 October, 811	11 July, 813	11 January, 844

Non-dynastic (813?820)

Picture	Name	Status	Birth	Emperor from	Emperor until	Death
	Leo V the Armenian	Strategos of the Anatolic theme	c. 775	11 July, 813	25 December, 820	25 December, 820

Phrygian dynasty (820?867)

Picture	Name	Status	Birth	Emperor from	Emperor until	Death
	Michael II the Stammerer or the Amorian (?????? ?' ? ??????? ? ??????)	Strategos, son-in-law of Constantine VI	770	25 December 820	2 October 829
	Theophilus (????????)	son of Michael II	813	2 October 829	20 January 842
	Theodora (???????)	wife of Theophilus	c. 815	842	855	867
	Michael III the Drunkard (?????? ?' ? ???????)	son of Theophilos	19 January 840	842	23 September 867

Macedonian dynasty (867?1056)

Picture	Name	Status	Birth	Emperor from	Emperor until	Death
	Basil I the Macedonian (????????? ?')	married Michael III's widow	c. 811	867	2 August 886
	Leo VI (???? ??' ? ?????)	likely either son of Basil I or Michael III	19 September 866	886	11 May 912
	Alexander III (?????????? ?' ??? ?????????)	son of Basil I; regent for nephew	870	912	913
	Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos (???????????? ?' ? ???????????????)	son of Leo VI	9 September 905	15 May 908	9 November 959
	Romanos I Lekapenos (??????? ?' ? ?????????)	father-in-law of Constantine VII	c. 870	17 December 920	16 December 944	15 June 948
	Romanos II (??????? ?' ? ???????????????)	son of Constantine VII	15 March 938	November 959	15 March 963
	Nikephoros II Phokas (????????? ?' ?????)	married Theophano, Romanos II's widow, regent for Basil II	c. 912	16 August 963	969
	John I Tzimiskes (??????? ?' ????????? ? ?????????)	brother-in-law of Romanus II	c. 925	11 December 969	10 January 976
	Basil II the Bulgar-Slayer (????????? ?' ? ??????????????)	son of Romanos II	958	10 January 976	15 December 1025
	Constantine VIII (???????????? ?')	son of Romanos II	960	15 December 1025	15 November 1028
	Zoe (???)	daughter of Constantine VIII	c. 978	15 November 1028	June 1050
	Romanos III Argyros (??????? ?' ? ???????)	Zoe's first husband	968	15 November 1028	11 April 1034
	Michael IV (?????? ?' ? ????????)	Zoe's second husband	1010	11 April 1034	10 December 1041
	Michael V (?????? ?' ? ?????????)	Michael IV's nephew	1015	10 December 1041	20 April 1042	24 August 1042
	Theodora (???????)	daughter of Constantine VIII	984	20 April 1042	1042	after 31 August 1056
	Constantine IX (???????????? ?' ? ?????????)	Zoe's third husband	c. 1000	11 June 1042	11 January 1055
	Theodora (???????)	daughter of Constantine VIII	984	11 January 1055	after 31 August 1056

Non-dynastic (1056?1057)

Komnenid dynasty (1057?1059)

Picture	Name	Status	Birth	Emperor from	Emperor until	Death
	Isaac I Komnenos	commander of the field army in Anatolia	c. 1005	5 June, 1057 as rival emperor, sole emperor since 31 August, 1057	22 November, 1059	c. 1061

Doukid dynasty (1059?1081)

Picture	Name	Status	Birth	Emperor from	Emperor until	Death
	Constantine X Doukas (???????????? ?' ? ??????)		1006	24 November 1059	22 May 1067 |-			Michael VII Doukas Quarter-short (?????? ?' ?????? ???????????)	son of Constantine X	1050	22 May 1067	24 March 1078	1090
	Romanos IV Diogenes (??????? ?' ????????)	married Eudokia Makrembolitissa, Constantine X's widow	1032	1067	1071	1072
	Nikephoros III Botaneiates (????????? ?' ???????????)	Strategos claiming descent from the Fabii	1001	31 March 1078	10 December 1081

Komnenid dynasty (1081?1185)

Picture	Name	Status	Birth	Emperor from	Emperor until	Death
	Alexios I Komnenos (??????? ?' ????????)	Nephew of Isaac I, military commander	1048	4 April 1081	15 August 1118
	John II Komnenos (??????? ?' ???????? o ?????)	son of Alexios I	13 September 1087	1118	8 April 1143
	Alexios Komnenos (??????? ????????)	son of John II	February, 1106	co-emperor in 1122	2 August 1142
	Manuel I Komnenos (??????? ?' ???????? ? ?????)	son of John II	28 November 1118	1143	24 September 1180
	Alexios II Komnenos (??????? B' ????????)	son of Manuel I	14 September 1169	1180	October 1183
	Andronikos I Komnenos (?????????? ?' ????????)	nephew of John II	c. 1118	1183	2 September 1185

Angelid dynasty (1185?1204)

Picture	Name	Status	Birth	Emperor from	Emperor until	Death
	Isaac II Angelos (???????? ?' ???????)	great-grandson of Alexios I	September 1156	1185	1195	January 1205
	Alexios III Angelos (??????? ?' ???????)	brother of Isaac II	1153	1195	1203	1211
	Isaac II Angelos (???????? ?' ???????)	great-grandson of Alexios I	September 1156	1203	1204	January 1205
	Alexios IV Angelos (??????? ?' ???????)	son of Isaac II	1182	1203	1204
	Nikolaos Kanabos			25 January 1204	5 February 1205
	Alexios V Doukas (??????? ?' ??????)	son-in-law of Alexios III	1140	5 February 1204	12 April 1204	December 1205

Laskarid dynasty (Empire of Nicaea, 1204?1261)

Picture	Name	Status	Birth	Emperor from	Emperor until	Death
	Constantine Laskaris	Defender of Constantinople	Unknown	Claimant emperor in 1204	c. 1205	c. 1205
	Theodore I Laskaris	Brother of Constantine Laskaris, son-in-law of Alexios III	c. 1174	proclaimed 1205, crowned 1208	1221	1221
	John III Doukas Vatatzes	son-in-law of Theodore I	c. 1192	December, 1221	3 November, 1254	3 November, 1254
	Theodore II Laskaris	son of John III, grandson of Theodore I	1221/1222	proclaimed 4 November, 1254, crowned 1255	18 August, 1258	18 August, 1258
	John IV Laskaris	son of Theodore II	25 December, 1250	18 August, 1258	25 December, 1261	c. 1305

Palaiologan Dynasty (restored to Constantinople, 1259?1453)

Picture	Name	Status	Birth	Emperor from	Emperor until	Death
	Michael VIII Palaiologos	Great-grandson of Alexios III, grandnephew of John III by marriage	1223	1 January, 1259 as co-emperor, senior emperor since 25 December, 1261	11 December, 1282	11 December, 1282
	Andronikos II Palaiologos	Son of Michael VIII	25 March, 1259	nominal co-emperor in September, 1261, crowned in 1272. Senior emperor on 11 December, 1282	24 May, 1328	13 February, 1332
	Michael IX Palaiologos	Son of Andronikos II	17 April, 1277	co-emperor in 1281, crowned in 1294/1295.	12 October, 1320	12 October, 1320
	Andronikos III Palaiologos	Son of Michael IX	25 March, 1297	co-emperor in 1316, rival emperor since July, 1321. Senior emperor on 24 May, 1328.	15 June, 1341	15 June, 1341
	John V Palaiologos	Son of Andronikos III	18 June, 1332	Emperor in 15 June, 1341	8 February, 1347	16 February, 1391
	John VI Kantakouzenos	A maternal relative of the Palaiologoi	c. 1292	rival emperor on 26 October, 1341, senior emperor on 8 February, 1347.	4 December, 1354	15 June, 1383
	Matthew Kantakouzenos	Son of John V, brother-in-law of John V	c. 1325	co-emperor on 15 April, 1353, rival emperor since 4 December, 1354.	December, 1357	between 1383 and 1391
	John V Palaiologos	Son of Andronikos III, son-in-law of John VI	18 June, 1332	co-emperor in 1347, rival emperor in 1352. Senior Emperor on 4 December, 1354	12 August, 1376	16 February, 1391
	Andronikos IV Palaiologos	Son of John V, grandson of John VI	2 April, 1348	co-emperor c. 1352, Senior Emperor on 12 August, 1376	1 July, 1379	28 June, 1385
	John V Palaiologos	Son of Andronikos III, son-in-law of John VI	18 June, 1332	Senior Emperor on 1 July, 1379	14 April, 1390	16 February, 1391
	John VII Palaiologos	Son of Andronikos IV	1370	Co-emperor from 1376 to 1379, senior emperor on 14 April, 1390.	17 September, 1390	22 September, 1408
	John V Palaiologos	Son of Andronikos III, son-in-law of John VI	18 June, 1332	Senior Emperor on 17 September, 1390	16 February, 1391	16 February, 1391
	Manuel II Palaiologos	Son of John V, grandson of John VI, brother of Andronikos IV	27 June, 1350	Co-emperor in 1373, Senior Emperor on 16 February, 1391	21 July, 1425	21 July, 1425
	Andronikos V Palaiologos	Son of John VII	c. 1400	co-emperor c. 1403	c. 1407	c. 1407
	John VIII Palaiologos	Son of Manuel II	18 December, 1392	Co-emperor c. 1416, sole emperor on 21 July, 1425	31 October, 1448	31 October, 1448
	Constantine XI	Son of Manuel II, brother of John VIII	8 February, 1405	6 January, 1449	29 May, 1453	29 May, 1453

Palaiologan Dynasty (claimants in exile)

See also

• List of Roman Emperors
• List of Byzantine Empire-related topics
• Latin Empire

References

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