The Roman Emperors

The rulers of the Roman Empire (west) starting with Julius Caesar whose adopted heir Octavian became the first Roman Emperor as Augustus Caesar. The original line ruled until the suicide of the infamous Emperor Nero. The Roman Empire reached its peak in terms of size under the Emperor Trajan after which all prayers for the Emperor included the phrase, "may he be luckier than Augustus and greater than Trajan". The Severan dynasty was the next great house, descending from Septimus Severus. East and West were reunited by Emperor Constantine the Great who was also the first Christian emperor. Paganism was suppressed by Emperor Theodosius the Great but barbarian tribes ate away at the frontiers of Rome. The Huns of Attila ravaged much of the west during the reign of Valentinian III and Rome itself was sacked during the reign of Honorius. In 476 AD the Roman Empire in the west officially came to an end with the overthrow of the young Emperor Romulus Augustulus at the hands of Odoacer.