Ranking Every Western Roman Emperor From Worst to Best

It would only be right of me to make a ranking of the Western Roman Emperors after I had already done one on the Roman Emperors. So here it is, hope you enjoy it.

[mitchellline]

"Lets rank the Western emper-"

Everyone: "Majorian is number 1"

[schrodingersmoose]

Majorian is such a tragic figure, he's one of my favorite Roman Emperors because he's such an interesting what if scenario

[Quanbe]

that's so sad that horrible emperor like honorius get to have a really long reign but excellent emperor like aurelian or majorian get betrayed because of their own success

[WhittyWhitts]

If Majorian was never assassinated maybe his reign would be known as the “Majorian Restoration”.

[cole]

Stilicho and Aetius kept it real. Respect.

[SamuelChacn]

So it only lasted for 80 years and 60 of them ruled by the two worst roman emperors ever, no wonder why it fell

[youvebeengreeked]

Messenger: “Sire! Rome is lost!”
Honorius: “OH NO! He was my favourite!”
Messenger: “What shall w… wait what? “He”?”
Honorius: “My dearest chicken, Rome! What will I do without him?!”
Messenger: “… No, the CITY of Rome has fallen. Your chicken’s fine.”
Honorius: “Oh, thank God!”
The worst part is that I didn’t make that up. THAT’S why he’s at the bottom of this list.
*Fuck this guy, for real.*

[wdcscw]

1:41 Honorius
2:52 Valentinian III
3:28 Petronius Maximus
4:04 Constantine III
4:33 Romulus Augustulus
5:01 Joannes
5:21 Avitus
5:49 Libius Severus
6:06 Olybrius
6:16 Glycerius
6:32 Julius Nepos
6:56 Anthemius
7:22 Constantius III
8:19 Majorian

[feastguy]

This is the part of Roman history that gives me the big sad

[connorgolden]

Majorian is such an interesting figure. Despite being preceded and succeeded by unlucky, incapable, or terrible emperors Majorian damn near turned it around. He proved to be a skilled commander, diplomat, and statesman in his short but active reign. IMO without being betrayed he would’ve retaken Africa, which could’ve guaranteed the empires survival due to the wealth and prestige gained from it.

Also, tbf to Constantius III he did stabilize the empire in the aftermath of the first sack. He was able to put an end to the Visigoths rampage, made them an “ally” and set them loose on the other barabians. This weakened the barbarians and gave Rome time. He took a messy and dying empire and breathed a bit of life back into it. If he’d lived longer the civil war that followed would’ve been avoided and Africa wouldn’t have been lost so I think the collapse could’ve been avoided.

[Whurlpuul]

I love how you sound genuinely depressed that marjoran didnt get his time in the sun

[kv]

Always found it funny how the very last western roman emperor to rule...was named after not just Romulus but also the 1st emperor Augustus, i think the irony is pretty clear 😅

[samlund]

3:15 I’d say Honorius is worse; Valentinian, for all his incompetence, at least has the excuse of being emperor AFTER Honorius, so it wasn’t like he took a stable empire and destroyed it singlehandedly.

[ArvelCrynyd]

Say what you will about Honorius, at least the man was good to his chickens.

[causantinthescot]

Here are all my rankings of the Western Roman Emperors:
1. Honorius *0/100
2. Constantine III 24/100
3. Constantius III *85/100^
4. Joannes *68/100
5. Valentinian III *4/100
6. Petronius Maximus 3/100 (His achievement: Lame Jokes.)
7.Avitus *45/100
8. Majorian *96/100
9. Libius Severus (Unrankable because he was a puppet)
10. Anthemius *83/100
11. Olyberius (Totally unrankable)
12. Glycerius *69/100
13. Julius Nepos *75/100
14. Romulus Augustus (Totally unrankable, just a child. You can't simply hostile to him as Hostilian.)
^Constantius III brought some stability to the empire, but he didn't do much. So, he was Claudius II Gothicus 2.0.

[romaaugustus]

Constantius III was a badass general, he almost won back spain and he and Galla Placidia could have been a good match on the throne. His early death was a tragedy for the empire too.

[vondantalingting]

The biggest lesson I've learnt in Roman history is to always bring with you a legion of near meatheaded loyal bodyguards, never leak your location, and always be wary of talented but disloyal people if you're the Emperor.

Also, never trust your partner's, senate, rich politicians, independent officers. They always had the knife.

[chiefmasterofdeepwarrens]

I do agree that Honorius and Valentinian III. were absolutely the worst, but when you also bring the eastern Roman emperors, I'd say one, one emperor is worse than both
Phocas the usurper
(Also the whole Angeloi dynasty was terrible)

[rexblade]

Nepos is my favorite Western Emperor as at that point the empire was over but he didn't give up and even took back the Gallic Coast. even after the empire fell he kept fighting, both times being doomed not by his incompetence or anything like that, but by treachery.

[compatriot]

The death of Majorian is the equivalent of if Basil II got murdered before doing anything