# Who is your favorite Emperor? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 29, 2004, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-emperor/237011 "2004-03-29T03:46:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-emperor/237011/21 "2004-03-30T00:08:25Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Then there was “Emperor” Bokassa of Central Africa, but that was just a preposterous exercise in megalomania from a vulgar dictator. And before some wise guy points it out, yes, I know THAT is a time-honored way by which imperial dynasties ARE started 😃 ---
**Author:** ![emekthian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecae2f/32.png) [@emekthian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emekthian)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-emperor/237011/22 "2004-03-30T00:18:18Z")
Emperor Hadrian. His father was a Spanish slave, but he still managed to become emperor. He presided over the Roman Empire at it’s peak, he had Hadrian’s Wall built. What a cool guy! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-emperor/237011/23 "2004-03-30T00:28:12Z")
[Haile Selassie](http://history.acusd.edu/gen/text/selassie.html) ---
**Author:** ![frank\_zafka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba9def/32.png) [@frank\_zafka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frank_zafka)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-emperor/237011/24 "2004-03-30T00:42:42Z")
There is only one EMPEROR–Trajan!!! Ol’ MUT would wipe the floor with the likes of Caesar and Hadrian(for whom MUT held mostly disdain). ---
**Author:** ![Estilicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Estilicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Estilicon)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-emperor/237011/25 "2004-03-30T01:07:00Z")
> [@emekthian](#): > > Emperor Hadrian. > > His father was a Spanish slave, but he still managed to become emperor. He presided over the Roman Empire at it’s peak, he had Hadrian’s Wall built. What a cool guy! I don’t know where did you get this from. I think you are wrong. Emperor Hadrian was a relative of Emperor Trajan, his father P. Aelius Afer reached the rank of Praetor before his dead (it was more than impossible that a non citizen, specially an slave, was admitted to any goverment functions, at least at that time). Here is a [link](http://www.roman-emperors.org/hadrian.htm) Back to the Op, I will first tell you who is my favourite **bad** emperor. The man is Emperor [Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus](http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06366a.htm) This man was the as bad as Commodus, Nero or Dominitian, but he was no coward. I specilly love his Portrait by the true master, Edward Gibbon: > [@](#): > > It is difficult to paint the light, the various, the inconstant > character of Gallienus, which he displayed without constraint, as > soon as he became sole possessor of the empire. **In every art > that he attempted, his lively genius enabled him to succeed; and > as his genius was destitute of judgment, he attempted every art, > except the important ones of war and government. He was a master > of several curious, but useless sciences, a ready orator, an > elegant poet, a skilful gardener, an excellent cook, and > most contemptible prince**. When the great emergencies of the > state required his presence and attention, he was engaged in > conversation with the philosopher Plotinus, wasting his time > in trifling or licentious pleasures, preparing his initiation to > the Grecian mysteries, or soliciting a place in the Arcopagus of > Athens. His profuse magnificence insulted the general poverty; > the solemn ridicule of his triumphs impressed a deeper sense of > the public disgrace. The repeated intelligence of invasions, > defeats, and rebellions, he received with a careless smile; and > singling out, with affected contempt, some particular production > of the lost province, he carelessly asked, whether Rome must be > ruined, unless it was supplied with linen from Egypt, and arras > cloth from Gaul. There were, however, a few short moments in the > life of Gallienus, when, exasperated by some recent injury, he > suddenly appeared the intrepid soldier and the cruel tyrant; > till, satiated with blood, or fatigued by resistance, he > insensibly sunk into the natural mildness and indolence of his > character. “History of the Decline And Fall of The Roman Empire”, Volume I, Chapter X, Part IV.- The funniest thing of all is despite his indolence, and the fact that he couldn’t give a damm about the empire, he survided no less than 18 competitors. The circunstances of his death are also noteworthy. He was informed that a rival was advancing to depose him. He put on his armour and marched at the head of his legions to fight his opponent. His nemesis took refuge in a city and Gallienus started the siege. He almost succeded, when a conspiracy was formed to kill him. In the middle of the night, the traitors informed him that the enemy had made a sally, without waiting for his troops or putting his armour, he mounted his horse and marched to the battle, in the confussion and darkness he was murdered by an unknown hand, not before he named a worthy man as his succesor. A very complex character to say the least.- My fauvorites emperors, though, are those great men that lived in troublesome times and despite that, performed their duty to the end. As Gibbon said in his work they diserved to live in better times. Decius, and Constantine XI are great examples of this. They reigned at times when the Roman Empire was almost extinguished, (in fact the latter was the Last Eastern Roman Emperors. Decius was one of the illirians Emperors (others were Valerian, Probus, Diocletian, Aurelian or Gallienus) who “restored” the Roman Empire after the crisis that happened after the death of Septimius Severus (that almost dissolved the empire). Decius was a good soldier but also a stateman that tried to revert the causes of the decline, (he was a one of the worst persecutors of Christianity).- He died together with his son, a promising young man who was also emperor, fighting the barbarians that would ultimately destroy the Western Empire: The Goths.- In that battle, at the beguinning of the action, his son was killed right in front of him. The death of an emperor of course plumbeted the moral of the troops to the ground, but Decius said, in order to revive it, “The death of a single soldier, is no great penalty for the Republic”.- The battle, though, ended in a total defeat of the Roman Legions and in the death of Decius, and quoting Gibbon Again: > [@](#): > > Such was the fate of Decius, in > the fiftieth year of his age; an accomplished prince, active in > war and affable in peace; who, together with his son, has > deserved to be compared, both in life and death, with the > brightest examples of ancient virtue. “History of the Decline And Fall of The Roman Empire”, Volume I, Chapter X, Part II.- Constantine XI was a hero, the only soldier in an unwarlike city, he alone, according to Gibbon, was worthy of being called a Roman. My post is getting long. The only thing that I will add, is that in a nowin scenario he mantained the dignity of his office. He didn’t survive the storming of his city, nor the fall of his empire ---
**Author:** ![gooti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eb8c5e/32.png) [@gooti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gooti)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-emperor/237011/26 "2004-03-30T01:28:17Z")
Being a nominal Christian, I first thought of Constantine and Justinian. But the guy who really interests me the most is Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus AKA [Caligula](http://myron.sjsu.edu/romeweb/EMPCONT/e050.htm). Gotta love a man who alternately kills and sleeps with family members, makes his horse a Consul, and then has a bug-budget porno movie made about him by none other than Bob Guccione. What can I say, the man had class. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-emperor/237011/27 "2004-03-30T01:58:43Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Dogface_I rather like Saint Justinian over Saint Constantine. The reason why he’s not at the top of my list is because of the whole Chalcedonian nastiness. Now, being Orthodox, I of course think the Byzantines were right and the non-Chalcedonians were wrong, but I think that a lot of bloodshed and division could have been avoided if both sides would have sat down and reasoned things through reasonably like reasonable men. On the other hand, he was almost overthrown by chariot racing fans. Those were some interesting times. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-emperor/237011/28 "2004-03-30T02:04:19Z")
Regurgitated fish guts…Yummmy. Actually, my favorite emperor is [Vespasian](http://www.roman-emperors.org/vespasia.htm) because he built the Coleseum of Rome ( ok, the slaves did.) and he is featured in the Marcus Falco Mystery Novels. I’m so shallow. ---
**Author:** ![Blackeyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f6c823/32.png) [@Blackeyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackeyes)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-emperor/237011/29 "2004-03-30T02:48:09Z")
> [@yBeayf](#): > > The reason why he’s not at the top of my list is because of the whole Chalcedonian nastiness. Now, being Orthodox, I of course think the Byzantines were right and the non-Chalcedonians were wrong, but I think that a lot of bloodshed and division could have been avoided if both sides would have sat down and reasoned things through reasonably like reasonable men. > > On the other hand, he was almost overthrown by chariot racing fans. Those were some interesting times. Luckily the circus performer he got to become his wife saved the day and reasoned with the crowd. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-emperor/237011/30 "2004-03-30T02:56:13Z")
Charlemagne would kick all their asses(literally) An empire largely built by leading your own armies into battle is worth so much more. Plus an enlightened(for the day) leader who cared about education, morals and science, and played the politic game masterfully. ---
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-emperor/237011/31 "2004-03-30T03:35:22Z")
> [@yBeayf](#): > > The reason why he’s not at the top of my list is because of the whole Chalcedonian nastiness. Now, being Orthodox, I of course think the Byzantines were right and the non-Chalcedonians were wrong, but I think that a lot of bloodshed and division could have been avoided if both sides would have sat down and reasoned things through reasonably like reasonable men. Oddly enough, the reason I don’t favor St. Constantine over St. Justinian is all that nasty murdering your own family business that finally prompted St. Helena to set her boy onto the straight and narrow in no uncertain terms. I do note, however, that in both cases, the Emperors are usually commemorated as a pair: Ss. Constantine and Helena. Ss. Justinian and Theodora. Probably because the Church wanted us to remember just how very important the influence of these two women was in their lives. ---
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-emperor/237011/32 "2004-03-30T03:37:11Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Charlemagne would kick all their asses(literally) An empire largely built by leading your own armies into battle is worth so much more. Plus an enlightened(for the day) leader who cared about education, morals and science, and played the politic game masterfully. St. Constantine led his armies into battle quite often. St. Justinian reconquered much of North Africa, Italy, and Iberia. Both of them cared about education, morals and science, and played the politic game masterfully. I do not recall ever hearing about any sort of “Code Charlemagne”, but the “Code Justinian” is a foundation for much of modern law, directly or indirectly. ---
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-emperor/237011/33 "2004-03-30T03:38:13Z")
> [@Blackeyes](#): > > Luckily the circus performer he got to become his wife saved the day and reasoned with the crowd. Saint Empress Theodora was quite a remarkable woman, indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-emperor/237011/34 "2004-03-30T03:39:38Z")
I also like Claudius–but only as portrayed by Derek Jacobi. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-emperor/237011/35 "2004-03-30T03:41:17Z")
[The Grave of Norton I](http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=766&pt=Joshua%20%27Emperor%20Norton%20I%27%20Norton). Ranchoth (I believe he’s also the grand-Czar of the city of “enablers.” 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-emperor/237011/36 "2004-03-30T08:13:11Z")
Charlemagne was both French and German (Karl) emperor. In Danish we have named a star constellation in his honour (“Karl’s Wagon” – part of the Bear), is that also so in English? Trajan invaded and defeated the barbarian tribes in Dacia, present day Romania, and settled it with Roman veterans and settlers. I have read that the Romanian word for the Milky Way is “Trajan’s Road”, but Romanian guy I worked with had never heard about it. Anyone know the SD on this? - Rune ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-emperor/237011/37 "2004-03-30T08:58:12Z")
> [@](#): > > In Danish we have named a star constellation in his honour (“Karl’s Wagon” – part of the Bear), is that also so in English? In English it’s called the Big Dipper. Dipper meaning something like a ladle used to “dip” in water to drink out of. There is also a little dipper among Ursa Minor(the little bear.) Word of the day “Asterism”. Both dippers are asterisms, meaning a distinctive group of stars that is less than a full constellation. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SSgtBaloo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@SSgtBaloo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSgtBaloo)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-emperor/237011/38 "2004-03-30T09:14:14Z")
> [@WeRSauron](#): > > (I’m excluding from this Emperor Norton of San Francisco.) Oh, poop. 😛 –SSgtBaloo ---
**Author:** ![Lars\_Aruns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@Lars\_Aruns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lars_Aruns)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-emperor/237011/39 "2004-03-30T09:18:17Z")
Let’s not forget John Tzimiskes and Basil II. I’d also mention Heraclius, but I don’t feel he was great. A great strategist, yes, but not a great Emperor overall. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-emperor/237011/40 "2004-03-30T11:22:51Z")
> [@Mississippienne](#): > > He only ruled five years (dying in a coup generated by a paranoid secretary) but in that brief time he managed to shore up the rapidly declining empire and extended its lifespan by a couple of hundred years. Let that be a lesson to all rulers – DON’T forget Secretary’s Day! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-emperor/237011.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-emperor/237011.md?page=3)