Character guide

Constantius

major

Also known as Julius Constantius, Constantius Chlorus

Roman emperor who consolidated power and fought against internal and external threats.

Julian

major

Also known as Julian the Apostate, Caesar Julian

Philosopher-emperor who attempted to restore paganism after his Christian predecessors.

Constantine

major

Also known as Constantine the Great, Constantine Porphyrogennetos

First Christian Roman emperor who founded Constantinople and transformed the empire.

Justinian

major

Also known as Justinian II, Justinian the Second

Ambitious emperor who reconquered lost territories and codified Roman law.

Gibbon

major

Also known as Edward Gibbon, Mr. Gibbon

Author and narrator of this history, often commenting on the decline.

Belisarius

major

Brilliant general who served Justinian and reconquered North Africa and Italy.

Theodosius

major

Also known as Theodosius the Great, Theodosius the Younger

Emperor who made Christianity the state religion and divided the empire.

Attila

major

Also known as the Huns

Fearsome Hun leader who ravaged Europe and threatened both empires.

Tacitus

supporting

Also known as Tacitus Augustus

Roman historian whose works are a key source for the early empire.

Septimius Severus

supporting

Also known as Severus, Alexander Severus

African-born emperor who restored stability after civil war.

Diocletian

major

Also known as the Emperor Diocletian

Reformer who divided the empire into tetrarchy and persecuted Christians.

Theodoric

supporting

Also known as Theodoric the Ostrogoth, Theodoric II

Ostrogothic king who ruled Italy with a blend of Roman and Gothic culture.

Alexander the Great

minor

Also known as Alexander

Macedonian conqueror whose legacy shaped the Hellenistic world.

Julius Caesar

minor

Also known as Caesar, Julius

Dictator whose assassination marked the end of the Roman Republic.

Valentinian II

supporting

Also known as Valentinian, Valentinian the Third

Western emperor who faced barbarian invasions and internal strife.

Alexius Comnenus

supporting

Also known as Alexius, Alexius Angelus

Byzantine emperor who sought Western help against the Turks.

Alaric

supporting

Also known as the great Alaric

Visigothic king who sacked Rome in 410 AD.

Charlemagne

supporting

Frankish emperor who revived the Western empire and spread Christianity.

Heraclius

supporting

Byzantine emperor who defeated the Persians and lost Syria to Arabs.

Theodora

supporting

Also known as the pious Theodora, Theodora Chalcedonensis

Influential empress and wife of Justinian, known for her strength.

Commodus

minor

Also known as young Commodus, Lucius Commodus Hercules

Emperor whose erratic rule contributed to the empire's decline.

Aurelian

supporting

Also known as the Emperor Aurelian

Emperor who restored the empire's unity in the third century.

Augustine

supporting

Also known as St. Augustine

Christian theologian and bishop whose writings shaped Western thought.

John Chrysostom

minor

Also known as St. John Chrysostom, Chrysostom

Eloquent preacher and patriarch of Constantinople who clashed with the court.

Robert Guiscard

minor

Also known as Robert, Guiscard

Norman adventurer who carved out a kingdom in southern Italy.

Manuel Comnenus

supporting

Also known as Manuel, Prince Manuel

Byzantine emperor who fought in Italy and against the Turks.

Marcus Aurelius

minor

Also known as Marcus Antoninus, Antoninus

Philosopher-emperor who wrote Meditations and fought Germanic tribes.

Trajan

minor

Also known as Count Trajan

Emperor who expanded the empire to its greatest territorial extent.

Genseric

supporting

Also known as the ambitious Genseric

Vandal king who sacked Rome and established a kingdom in Africa.

Clovis

minor

Frankish king who converted to Christianity and united the Franks.

Aetius

supporting

Also known as the patrician Aetius

Roman general who defeated Attila at the Catalaunian Plains.

Zenobia

minor

Also known as the severe Zenobia

Queen of Palmyra who challenged Roman authority in the East.

Saladin

minor

Muslim sultan who recaptured Jerusalem from the Crusaders.

Bajazet

minor

Also known as Sultan Bajazet II, Bajazet I

Ottoman sultan who clashed with Timur and the Byzantines.

Totila

minor

Also known as Totila 8611

Ostrogothic king who fought Belisarius for control of Italy.

Bohemond

minor

Also known as the valiant Bohemond

Norman prince and leader of the First Crusade.

John Huniades

minor

Also known as Huniades

Hungarian general who defended Europe against the Ottomans.

Muhammad II

major

Also known as Muhammad the Second

Ottoman sultan who conquered Constantinople in 1453.

Timour

supporting

Also known as Timur, Tamerlane

Turco-Mongol conqueror who built a vast empire in Central Asia.

Narses

minor

Also known as the patriarch Narses

Eunuch general who served Justinian and conquered Italy.

Stilicho

supporting

Also known as the great Stilicho

Roman general who defended the West against barbarian invasions.

Honorius

minor

Also known as Pope Honorius the Third

Western emperor who presided over the fall of Rome.

Arcadius

minor

Also known as Rufinus

Eastern emperor who ruled under the influence of his ministers.

Marcian

minor

Eastern emperor who refused tribute to Attila and called the Council of Chalcedon.

Majorian

minor

Western emperor who attempted to reform the empire and recover lost territories.

Ricimer

minor

Also known as the Count Ricimer

Barbarian general who dominated the Western Roman Empire as kingmaker.

Odoacer

minor

Also known as Augustulus

Barbarian chieftain who deposed the last Western Roman emperor.

Gelimer

minor

Vandal king defeated by Belisarius in North Africa.

Vitiges

minor

Ostrogothic king who fought Belisarius in Italy.

Khosrow

supporting

Also known as Nushirvan, Khosrow Parviz

Sassanid Persian king who fought the Romans and expanded his empire.

Sapor

minor

Also known as Sapor III

Persian king who waged war against the Roman Empire.

Artaxerxes

minor

Also known as the prudent Artaxerxes

Founder of the Sassanid dynasty who restored Persian power.

Mahmud

minor

Also known as Mahmud the Gaznevide

Ghaznavid sultan who invaded India and patronized Persian culture.

Alboin

minor

Lombard king who led his people into Italy.

Liutprand

minor

Lombard king who fought the Byzantines and the papacy.

Pepin

minor

Also known as John d'Ibelin

Frankish king who founded the Carolingian dynasty.

Charles Martel

minor

Also known as Charles

Frankish leader who halted the Muslim advance at Tours.

Frederic Barbarossa

minor

Also known as Frederic, Barbarossa

Holy Roman Emperor who fought in Italy and the Third Crusade.

Henry Dandolo

minor

Also known as Dandolo, the venerable Dandolo

Venetian doge who diverted the Fourth Crusade to Constantinople.

Godfrey of Bouillon

minor

Also known as Godfrey

Leader of the First Crusade and first ruler of Jerusalem.

Conrad of Montferrat

minor

Also known as Conrad

Crusader leader who defended Tyre and became king of Jerusalem.

Scanderbeg

minor

Albanian noble who led a rebellion against the Ottoman Empire.

John Palaeologus

minor

Also known as John, John Palaeologus the Second

Byzantine emperor who sought union with the Western Church.

Michael Palaeologus

supporting

Also known as Palaeologus, Michael

Byzantine emperor who restored the empire after the Latin conquest.

Andronicus the First

minor

Also known as Andronicus

Byzantine emperor known for his cruelty and reform efforts.

Isaac Angelus

minor

Also known as Isaac, Angelus

Byzantine emperor overthrown by the Fourth Crusade.

Alexius Strategopulus

minor

Also known as Alexius

Byzantine general who recaptured Constantinople from the Latins.

John Vataces

minor

Also known as Vataces, John Ducas Vataces

Nicaean emperor who expanded his state and prepared for recovery.

Theodore Lascaris

minor

Also known as Theodore, Lascaris

Founder of the Empire of Nicaea after the Fourth Crusade.

John Cantacuzene

minor

Also known as Cantacuzene

Byzantine emperor and historian who wrote about his own reign.

George Phranza

minor

Also known as Phranza, the faithful Phranza

Byzantine historian who chronicled the fall of Constantinople.

Laonicus Chalcondyles

minor

Also known as Chalcondyles

Greek historian who wrote about the Ottoman rise and Byzantine decline.

Nicephorus Gregoras

minor

Also known as Nicephorus, Gregoras

Byzantine scholar and historian of the 14th century.

Anna Comnena

minor

Also known as Anna

Byzantine princess and author of the Alexiad.

Procopius

supporting

Also known as See Procopius

Byzantine historian who wrote about Justinian's wars and secret history.

Ammianus Marcellinus

supporting

Also known as Ammianus, Marcellinus

Roman historian whose work covers the late empire in detail.

Zosimus

minor

Also known as the infidel Zosimus

Pagan historian who wrote a critical history of the Roman Empire.

Eutropius

minor

Also known as Eutropius IX

Roman historian who wrote a concise history of Rome.

Origen

minor

Also known as Origen 5923

Early Christian theologian and scholar from Alexandria.

Athanasius

minor

Also known as St. Athanasius, the great Athanasius

Bishop of Alexandria who defended orthodox Christianity against Arianism.

Jerome

minor

Also known as St. Jerome

Church father who translated the Bible into Latin (Vulgate).

Ambrose

minor

Also known as St. Ambrose

Bishop of Milan who influenced imperial policy and theology.