Famous Ancient Roman Leaders
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For those who have a fascination for history, nothing can be more invigorating than a trip to Rome – the seat of historical highs and lows. Rome is the hub of everything antiquity – ancient culture, prehistoric civilization, primeval traditions, antediluvian art and so on. Just a walk down the lanes of Rome would give travellers a feel of primordial culture getting past them. However, much of that wouldn’t have been possible had it not been for the ancient Roman leaders who ruled the Roman Empire. While talking of roman leaders, the first name that strikes the mind is that of Augustus, the first emperor of Rome. Although christened Octavian, he was named Augustus by his senate to honor his greatest achievements. It was under his premiership that Rome prospered and propelled – he created a new constitution for Rome, build roman infrastructure and conquered new territories. Constantine the Great was the first Christian emperor of the Roman Empire. His main achievement was the unification of the divided territory. Justinian was the last emperor. During his rule, he revived the greatness of the Roman Empire and also conducted restoration activities for which he gained the title ‘Last Roman’. To know more astounding facts about ancient roman leaders, their life and their deeds, briefly study the segment below.
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Birthdate: 0100
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Rome, Italy
Died: March 15, 0044
Julius Caesar is considered one of the greatest military commanders in history and played an important role in the events that led to the downfall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. He assumed control of the government after a civil war. He was assassinated by rebel senators on the Ides of March, 44 BC.
Birthdate: February 27, 0272
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Naissus, Moesia, Roman Empire
Died: May 22, 0337
Constantine the Great served as the Roman emperor between 306 and 337. During his reign, he enacted financial, administrative, military, and social reforms to strengthen the empire. Constantine the Great is also credited with introducing the solidus, a gold coin which became the standard for European and Byzantine currencies for over a thousand years.
Birthdate: January 14, 0083
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Rome
Died: August 1, 0030
Mark Antony was a Roman politician who played a key role in transforming the Roman Republic into the autocratic Roman Empire. Marc Antony is best remembered as one of Julius Caesar's generals during Caesar's Civil War. One of the most important figures in the history of Rome, Mark Antony has been the subject of several artistic portrayals since his death.
4
Cicero(One of Rome's Greatest Orators of Politics and Prose Stylists)
Birthdate: January 3, 0106
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Arpino, Italy
Died: December 7, 0043
Roman statesman, lawyer, and scholar Cicero was one of the greatest 1st-century BC prose writers and orators. He influenced Latin literature immensely and introduced Greek philosophy to the Romans. He was declared an enemy of the state, following his opposition to Mark Antony after Julius Caesar’s death, and was executed.
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Scipio Africanus(One of the Best Military Commanders and Strategists of All Time)
Birthdate: 0236 BC
Birthplace: Rome, Italy
Died: 0183 BC
Roman general and consul Scipio Africanus is remembered for his exploits during the Second Punic War. He gained the title Africanus by defeating Hannibal at the Battle of Zama. He was later dragged into a trial for accepting bribes and eventually left Rome to live in his villa in Liternum.
Birthplace: Roman Empire
Pontius Pilate was a Roman governor of Judaea, who served under Emperor Tiberius. The Bible mentions him as the one who presided over Jesus’s trial and ordered his crucifixion. The Gospels describe him as someone who was reluctant to kill Jesus, and the Ethiopian Church venerates him as a saint.
Birthdate: September 18, 0053
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Hispania Baetica
Died: August 8, 0117
Trajan was the Roman emperor from 98 to 117 CE. Remembered as a successful soldier-emperor, he presided over a great military expansion, leading the Roman Empire to attain its maximum territorial extent by the time of his death. He was the second of the Five Good Emperors and focused on implementing social welfare policies for the benefit of his citizens.
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Pompey(Roman General and Statesman)
Birthdate: September 29, 0106
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Picenum
Died: September 28, 0048
Considered ruthless by his opponents, Pompey was an ancient Roman general who was a veteran of many wars and played a key role in changing Rome from a republic to an empire. Pompey was first an ally of his more illustrious compatriot Julius Caesar whose daughter he married, and then became his enemy. He was assassinated in Egypt, an end not uncommon in history.
Birthdate: 0064 BC
Birthplace: Arpino, Istria or Asisium
Died: 0012 BC
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa is chiefly remembered in history for crushing Mark Antony and his forces at the Battle of Actium. A close friend of Octavian, who later took over as Emperor Augustus Caesar, he is credited with completing the Pantheon and building scores of baths, gardens, and sewers in Rome.
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Caligula(Roman Emperor From 37 AD to 41 AD)
Birthdate: August 31, 0012
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Anzio, Italy
Died: January 24, 0041
Caligula, the third Roman emperor, is often described as a cruel man who forced his subjects to worship him as their god. Considered an insane tyrant, Caligula is accused of incest and forcing the audience to enter a sporting arena to be eaten alive by wild beasts during the intermission. His stories are famous in popular culture.
Birthdate: 0115 AD
Birthplace: Roman Republic
Died: 0053 AD
Roman general and politician Marcus Licinius Crassus played a key role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire. A patron of Julius Caesar, he became involved in the unofficial political alliance known as the First Triumvirate. An excellent military commander and a wealthy man, he died at the battle of Carrhae.
Birthdate: August 1, 0126
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Alba Pompeia, Italy
Died: March 28, 0193
Born to a freed slave, Pertinax joined the Roman army early in life and soon rose to be a commander. He was declared the emperor after Commodus was murdered but was himself killed within three months of his rule. Septimius Severus later organized a state funeral and also deified him.
Birthdate: 0157 BC
Birthplace: Arpinum
Died: January 13, 0086
Born to a plebeian farmer, near Arpinum, Gaius Marius was a skilled military leader but lacked the polish and sophistication required of a political leader. Known as "the third founder of Rome" for his win at the Cimbrian War, Marius had been made a consul for seven terms.
Birthdate: 0519 BC
Birthplace: Roman Kingdom
Died: 0430 BC
15
Sulla
(Roman General and Statesman)
Birthdate: 0138 BC
Birthplace: Rome, Italy
Died: 0078 BC
A Roman general and statesman, Lucius Cornelius Sulla is remembered for carrying out significant constitutional reforms during the last phase of Roma Empire. Winner of the first civil war, he was appointed dictator under Valerian law and undertook number of reforms intending to strengthen the Roman republic; but actually paved the way for rise of future dictators like Julius Caesar.
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Cato the Younger
(Statesman)
Birthdate: 0095 BC
Birthplace: Rome
Died: March 31, 0046
Birthdate: 0200 AD
Died: 0264 AD
Birthdate: 0017 AD
Birthplace: Germania
Died: 0021 AD
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Constantius II
(Roman ruler)
Birthdate: August 7, 0317
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Sirmium
Died: November 3, 0361
Birthdate: 0163 BC
Birthplace: Rome, Italy
Died: 0133 BC
Tiberius Gracchus was a Roman politician best remembered for proposing the Lex Sempronia Agraria, a law aimed at improving the lives of the poor. The law suggested the transfer of land from wealthy landowners to poorer citizens. Unsurprisingly, Tiberius Gracchus was killed due to his populist program and his uncompromising behavior.
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Marcus Aemilius Lepidus
(Roman general and statesman who formed the Second Triumvirate alongside Octavian and Mark Antony during the final years of the Roman Republic)
Birthdate: 0089 AD
Birthplace: Rome
Died: 0013 AD
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Nero Claudius Drusus
(Roman Politician)
Birthdate: January 14, 0038
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Rome, Italy
Died: September 14, 0009
23
Pontius Pilatus
(The Governor of Judaea Who Ordered Jesus's Crucifixion)
Birthplace: Abruzzo, Italy
Died: 0039 AD
The 5th governor or prefect of the Roman province Judaea, under Roman Emperor Tiberius, Pontius Pilatus is remembered as the one who officiated the trial of Jesus Christ and ordered his crucifixion. He apparently persecuted Jews and eventually killed himself on the orders of the new emperor Caligula.
Birthdate: 0550 BC
Birthplace: Ancient Rome
Died: 0509 BC
25
Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus
(Politician)
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Publius Clodius Pulcher
(Politician)
Birthdate: 0093
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Rome, Italy
Died: 0052 AD
Birthdate: August 19, 0232
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Terni, Italy
Died: July 31, 0276
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Stilicho
(Military commander)
Birthdate: 0359 AD
Birthplace: Germany
Died: August 22, 0408
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Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus
(Statesman)
Birthdate: 0203 AD
Birthplace: Rome
Died: 0280 AD
30
Simon bar Kokhba
(Military leader)
Birthplace: Unknown
Died: 0135 AD
31
Drusus Julius Caesar
(Political figure)
Birthdate: 0014 AD
Birthplace: Rome, Italy
Died: September 14, 0023
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Gnaeus Julius Agricola
(General)
Birthdate: June 13, 0040
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Fréjus, France
Died: August 23, 0093
33
Sextus Pompey
(Military leader)
Birthdate: 0067 AD
Birthplace: Rome, Italy
Died: 0035 AD
34
Scipio Aemilianus
(Politician)
Birthdate: 0185 BC
Birthplace: Rome, Italy
Died: 0129 BC
Birthdate: 0118 BC
Birthplace: Rome, Italy
Died: 0056 BC
36
Marcus Furius Camillus
(Soldier, Statesman)
Birthdate: 0446 BC
Birthplace: Ancient Rome
Died: 0365 BC
37
Marcus Atilius Regulus
(Roman general)
Birthdate: 0299 AD
Birthplace: Roman Republic
Died: 0250 AD
38
Avidius Cassius
(Military General)
Birthdate: 0130 AD
Birthplace: Cyrrhus, Turkey
Died: June 30, 0175
39
Marcus Claudius Marcellus
(Military leader)
Birthdate: 0268 BC
Died: 0208 BC
40
Syagrius
(Military commander)
Birthdate: 0430 AD
Died: 0487 AD
Birthplace: Roman Gaul
Died: 0269 AD
42
Clodius Albinus
(Roman general)
Birthdate: 0150 AD
Birthplace: Sousse, Tunisia
Died: February 19, 0197
Birthdate: 0423 AD
Died: June 30, 0425
Birthplace: Gallia Belgica, Valledupar, Colombia
Died: 0293 AD
45
Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus
(Politician)
Birthdate: 0102 AD
Birthplace: Rome, Italy
Died: 0048 AD
46
Flavius Orestes
(Politician)
Birthplace: Pannonia Savia
Died: August 28, 0476
47
Quintus Aurelius Symmachus
(Statesman)
Birthdate: 0345 AD
Birthplace: Rome
Died: 0402 AD
48
Titus Quinctius Flamininus
(Politician)
Birthdate: 0229 AD
Birthplace: Rome, Italy
Died: 0174 AD
49
Sextus Julius Frontinus
(Author, politician, civil engineer)
Birthdate: 0040 AD
Died: 0103 AD
Birthdate: 0380 AD
Died: 0418 AD