Who are your picks for worst ancient Roman emperors? Here are mine :
4) Lucius Aurelius Commodus Antoninus. The number four spot goes to Commodus for :
A) killing helpless and crippled people in gladitorial feats, while he was dressed as Hercules.
B) being paranoid of being killed and killing senators like Condianus and Maximus and his wife Bruttia Crispina.
3) Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus. The number three spot goes to Nero for :
A) executing members of his own family such as his mother and stepbrother
B) draining the royal treasury with gladitorial fights and lavish banquets
C) blaming the Christians for the fire and executing them afterwards
2) Elagabalus. Even though he only ruled for a couple of years, he certaintly disgraced the title of Emperor by :
A) announcing himself a god equal to the goddess Victoria. Senators had to make offerings to the goddess as well as to an image of his statue at the same time.
B) he broke ancient religious laws by marrying a Vestal Virgin
C) running a brothel in the palace
D) executing people who criticized his god-like status or lifestyle
1) Caligula. The number one spot goes to Caligula for
A) building luxurious dwellings for himself
B) executing people under false pretenses to seize their estates
C) forcing people to worship him as a god
D) taking Roman matrons as his wives and bragging about it to their husbands
E) running a brothel inside the palace
Now, who’s your list of worst emperors?