31 Great Romans with Bad Endings

Many millions of slaves died in the service of their masters. However, life could also be fragile further up the social ladder.

Poisoned, Slaughtered, Starved, Assassinated & Mutilated - Murderers Did Not  Respect Rank in the Roman Empire

1. Emperor Gaius: (Caligula): Assassinated by a group of conspirators, including members of his own Praetorian Guard, in 41 AD.

2. Emperor Caracalla was Assassinated by his own soldiers in 217 AD during a campaign against the Parthians.

3. Emperor Commodus: Strangled to death by his wrestling partner, Narcissus, in a conspiracy involving his own circle in 192 AD.

4. Emperor Domitian: Assassinated by members of his own court in a palace conspiracy in 96 AD.

5. Nero: Committed suicide by stabbing himself in the throat in 68 AD as he faced a rebellion and the Senate's condemnation.

6. Emperor Elagabalus: Assassinated by his own guards in 222 AD during a revolt.

7. Agrippina the Younger: Murdered by her son, Emperor Nero, in 59 AD.

8. Messalina: Executed on the orders of her husband, Emperor Claudius, in 48 AD.

9. Claudia Octavia: Murdered by her husband, Emperor Nero, in 62 AD.

10. Julia Livilla: Starved to death on the orders of her uncle, Emperor Tiberius, in the 1st century AD.

11. Drusus the Younger: Likely starved to death or poisoned on the orders of his stepmother, Livia, in 14 AD.

12. Geta:  Murdered by his brother, Emperor Caracalla, in 211 AD during a family feud.

13. Lucius Aemilius Paulus: Killed in battle against his brother-in-law, Gaius Terentius Varro, during the Battle of Cannae in 216 BC.

14. Marcus Junius Brutus: Committed suicide by running into his own sword after the defeat at the Battle of Philippi in 42 BC.

15. Tiberius Gracchus: Killed by his political opponents, including senators, during a violent confrontation in 133 BC.

16. Gaius Gracchus: Forced to commit suicide following a failed political uprising in 121 BC.

17. Agrippina the Elder: Died in exile in 33 AD, likely due to starvation.

18. Valeria Messalina: Executed on the orders of her husband, Emperor Claudius, in 48 AD.

19. Germanicus: Poisoned by political rivals in 19 AD.

20. Julia the Elder (Julia Augusta): Exiled and starved to death on the orders of her father, Emperor Augustus, in 14 AD.

21. Julius Caesar:  Assassinated by a group of conspirators, including senators, in 44 BC.

22. Pompey the Great: Murdered in Egypt on the orders of King Ptolemy XIII in 48 BC.

23. Cicero: Executed on the orders of the Second Triumvirate in 43 BC.

24. Seneca the Younger: Forced to commit suicide by order of Emperor Nero in 65 AD.

25. Emperor Severus Alexander: Assassinated by his own soldiers in 235 AD.

26. Emperor Gallienus: Assassinated by his own officers in 268 AD.

27. Emperor Valentinian II:  Committed suicide in 392 AD, possibly under duress from his own officers.

28. Pertinax: Assassinated by the Praetorian Guard in 193 AD after a short-lived reign as Emperor. His reforms had made him unpopular with the Praetorians.

29. Sejanus: Executed in 31 AD on the orders of Emperor Tiberius. Sejanus had served as the commander of the Praetorian Guard but fell out of favor.

30. Aurelian: Assassinated by his own officers in 275 AD during his reign as Emperor. His strict discipline and reforms had made him unpopular with some of his troops.

31. Pompey the Younger: Killed by order of Julius Caesar's faction in 45 BC.