List of Roman dictators - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The following is an historical list of dictators
Roman dictator
In the Roman Republic, the dictator , was an extraordinary magistrate with the absolute authority to perform tasks beyond the authority of the ordinary magistrate . The office of dictator was a legal innovation originally named Magister Populi , i.e...

in ancient Rome

Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....

. In antiquity, the meaning of dictator was not pejorative but referred to one who ruled by dictat for a set period; rarely (as in case of Gaius Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar

Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....

) it was a title for life.

All dates and names are given as they appear in Magistrates of the Roman Republic by T.R.S. Broughton

Thomas Robert Shannon Broughton

Thomas Robert Shannon Broughton was a Canadian classical scholar and leading Latin prosopographer of the twentieth century. He is especially noted for his definitive three-volume work, Magistrates of the Roman Republic ....

Date (BC)	Term	Name	Cause/Notes
501		Titus Lartius Flavus	Rei gerundae causa
501		Manius Valerius	Rei gerundae causa
498		Aulus Postumius Albus Regillensis Aulus Postumius Albus Regillensis Aulus Postumius Albus Regillensis was an ancient Roman who, according to Livy, was dictator in 498 BC, when he conquered the Latins in the great Battle of Lake Regillus. Many of the coins of the Albini commemorate this victory of their ancestor, as in the one pictured...	Rei gerundae causa
494		Manius Valerius Maximus	Rei gerundae causa
463		Gaius Aemilius Mamercus?	Clavi figendi causa? (possibly interrex Interrex The Interrex was literally a ruler "between kings" during the Roman Kingdom and the Roman Republic. He was in effect a short-term regent.... , not dictator).
458	1st	Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus Cincinnatus Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus was an aristocrat and political figure of the Roman Republic, serving as consul in 460 BC and Roman dictator in 458 BC and 439 BC....	Rei gerundae causa
439	2nd	Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus Cincinnatus Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus was an aristocrat and political figure of the Roman Republic, serving as consul in 460 BC and Roman dictator in 458 BC and 439 BC....	Rei gerundae causa or seditionis sedandae causa
437	1st	Mamercus Aemilius Mamercinus	Rei gerundae causa
435	1st	Quintus Servilius Priscus Fidenas	Rei gerundae causa
434	2nd	Mamercus Aemilius Mamercinus	Rei gerundae causa
431		Aulus Postumius Tubertus Aulus Postumius Tubertus Aulus Postumius Tubertus was a Roman military leader in the wars with the Aequi and Volsci during the 5th century BC. He served as Magister Equitum under the dictator Mamercus Aemilius Mamercinus in 433 BC....	Rei gerundae causa
426	3rd	Mamercus Aemilius Mamercinus	Rei gerundae causa
418	2nd	Quintus Servilius Priscus Fidenas	Rei gerundae causa
408		Publius Cornelius Rutilus Cossus	Rei gerundae causa
396	1st	Marcus Furius Camillus Marcus Furius Camillus Marcus Furius Camillus was a Roman soldier and statesman of patrician descent. According to Livy and Plutarch, Camillus triumphed four times, was five times dictator, and was honoured with the title of Second Founder of Rome....	Rei gerundae causa
390	2nd	Marcus Furius Camillus Marcus Furius Camillus Marcus Furius Camillus was a Roman soldier and statesman of patrician descent. According to Livy and Plutarch, Camillus triumphed four times, was five times dictator, and was honoured with the title of Second Founder of Rome....	Rei gerundae causa
389	3rd	Marcus Furius Camillus Marcus Furius Camillus Marcus Furius Camillus was a Roman soldier and statesman of patrician descent. According to Livy and Plutarch, Camillus triumphed four times, was five times dictator, and was honoured with the title of Second Founder of Rome....	Rei gerundae causa
385		Aulus Cornelius Cossus	Rei gerundae causa
380		Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus Capitolinus	Rei gerundae et seditionis sedandae causa
368	4th	Marcus Furius Camillus Marcus Furius Camillus Marcus Furius Camillus was a Roman soldier and statesman of patrician descent. According to Livy and Plutarch, Camillus triumphed four times, was five times dictator, and was honoured with the title of Second Founder of Rome....	Rei gerundae causa
368		Publius Manlius Capitolinus	Seditionis sedandae et rei gerundae causa
367	5th	Marcus Furius Camillus Marcus Furius Camillus Marcus Furius Camillus was a Roman soldier and statesman of patrician descent. According to Livy and Plutarch, Camillus triumphed four times, was five times dictator, and was honoured with the title of Second Founder of Rome....	Rei gerundae causa
363		Lucius Manlius Capitolinus Imperiosus	Clavi figendi causa
362		Appius Claudius Crassus Inregillensis	Rei gerundae causa
361		Titus Quinctius Poenus Capitolinus Crispinus	Rei gerundae causa
360		Quintus Servilius Ahala	Rei gerundae causa
358		Gaius Sulpicius Peticus	Rei gerundae causa
356		Gaius Marcius Rutilus	Rei gerundae causa
353	1st	Titus Manlius Imperiosus Torquatus	Rei gerundae causa
352		Gaius Julius Iullus	Rei gerundae et comitiorum habendorum causa
351		Marcus Fabius Ambustus	Comitiorum habendorum causa
350	1st	Lucius Furius Camillus	Comitiorum habendorum causa
349	2nd	Titus Manlius Imperiosus Torquatus	Comitiorum habendorum causa
345	2nd	Lucius Furius Camillus	Rei gerundae causa
344		Publius Valerius Publicola	Feriarum constituendarum causa
342	1st	Marcus Valerius Corvus Marcus Valerius Corvus Marcus Valerius Corvus was a Roman general of the 4th century BC, characterized as a farmer who lived to be one hundred.-Biography:...	Seditionis sedandae causa or rei gerundae causa
340		Lucius Papirius Crassus	Rei gerundae causa
339		Quintus Publilius Philo	Non military; carried out certain legal reforms
335		Lucius Aemilius Mamercinus Privernas	Comitiorum habendorum causa
333		Publius Cornelius Rufinus Publius Cornelius Rufinus Publius Cornelius Rufinus was a Roman dictator and consul. He was born in Italy during the time of the Roman Republic.He began his dictatorship in 333 BC. He renounced due to a defect in the religious procedures for his appointment....	Rei gerundae causa?
332		Marcus Papirius Crassus	Rei gerundae causa
331		Gnaeus Quinctius Capitolinus	Clavi figendi causa
325	1st	Lucius Papirius Cursor Lucius Papirius Cursor Lucius Papirius Cursor was a Roman general who was five times consul and twice dictator.In 325 BC he was appointed dictator to carry on the second Samnite War. His quarrel with Quintus Fabius Maximus Rullianus, his magister equitum, is well known...	Rei gerundae causa
324	2nd	Lucius Papirius Cursor Lucius Papirius Cursor Lucius Papirius Cursor was a Roman general who was five times consul and twice dictator.In 325 BC he was appointed dictator to carry on the second Samnite War. His quarrel with Quintus Fabius Maximus Rullianus, his magister equitum, is well known...	Rei gerundae causa
322		Aulus Cornelius Cossus Arvina	Rei gerundae et ludorum faciendorum causa
320	1st	Gaius Maenius	Quaestionibus exercendis
320		Lucius Cornelius Lentulus	Rei gerundae causa?
320	3rd	Titus Manlius Imperiosus Torquatus	Comitiorum habendorum causa?
316		Lucius Aemilius Mamercinus Privernas	Rei gerundae causa
315	1st	Quintus Fabius Maximus Rullianus Fabius Maximus Rullianus Quintus Fabius Maximus Rullianus , son of Marcus Fabius Ambustus, of the patrician Fabii of ancient Rome, was five times consul and a hero of the Samnite Wars. He was brother to Marcus Fabius Ambustus ....	Rei gerundae causa
314	2nd	Gaius Maenius	Rei gerundae causa
313		Gaius Poetelius Libo Visolus	Rei gerundae et clavi figendi causa
313	2nd	Quintus Fabius Maximus Rullianus Fabius Maximus Rullianus Quintus Fabius Maximus Rullianus , son of Marcus Fabius Ambustus, of the patrician Fabii of ancient Rome, was five times consul and a hero of the Samnite Wars. He was brother to Marcus Fabius Ambustus ....	Rei gerundae causa
312		Gaius Sulpicius Longus	Rei gerundae causa?
312		Gaius Junius Bubulcus Brutus	Rei gerundae causa (possibly magister equitum, not dictator)
310	3rd	Lucius Papirius Cursor Lucius Papirius Cursor Lucius Papirius Cursor was a Roman general who was five times consul and twice dictator.In 325 BC he was appointed dictator to carry on the second Samnite War. His quarrel with Quintus Fabius Maximus Rullianus, his magister equitum, is well known...	Rei gerundae causa
309	4th	Lucius Papirius Cursor Lucius Papirius Cursor Lucius Papirius Cursor was a Roman general who was five times consul and twice dictator.In 325 BC he was appointed dictator to carry on the second Samnite War. His quarrel with Quintus Fabius Maximus Rullianus, his magister equitum, is well known...	Rei gerundae causa
306		Publius Cornelius Scipio Barbatus	Comitiorum habendorum causa
302	2nd?	Gaius Junius Bubulcus Brutus	Rei gerundae causa
302	2nd	Marcus Valerius Corvus Marcus Valerius Corvus Marcus Valerius Corvus was a Roman general of the 4th century BC, characterized as a farmer who lived to be one hundred.-Biography:...	Rei gerundae causa
301	3rd	Marcus Valerius Corvus Marcus Valerius Corvus Marcus Valerius Corvus was a Roman general of the 4th century BC, characterized as a farmer who lived to be one hundred.-Biography:...	Rei gerundae causa
291 - 285		Marcus Aemilius Barbula	Rei gerundae causa?
291 - 285		Appius Claudius Caecus Appius Claudius Caecus Appius Claudius Caecus was a Roman politician from a wealthy patrician family. He was dictator himself and the son of Gaius Claudius Crassus, dictator in 337 BC.-Life:...	Rei gerundae causa?
291 - 285		Publius Cornelius Rufinus	Rei gerundae causa?
287		Quintus Hortensius	Seditionis sedandae causa or rei gerundae causa
280		Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus	Comitiorum habendorum causa
263		Gnaeus Fulvius Maximus Centumalus	Clavi figendi causa
257		Quintus Ogulnius Gallus	Ludorum faciendorum causa
249		Marcus Claudius Glicia	Rei gerundae causa?
249		Aulus Atilius Caiatinus	Rei gerundae causa
246		Tiberius Coruncanius Tiberius Coruncanius Tiberius Coruncanius was Roman consul, and military commander in 280 BC – 279 BC, who was known for his military contests with Pyrrhus...	Comitiorum habendorum causa
231		Gaius Duilius Gaius Duilius Gaius Duilius was a Roman politician and admiral involved in the First Punic War.Not much is known about his family background or early career, since he was a novus homo, meaning not belonging to a traditional family of Roman aristocrats. He managed, nevertheless, to be elected consul for the year...	Comitiorum habendorum causa
224		Lucius Caecilius Metellus	Comitiorum habendorum causa
221	1st	Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus Cunctator Fabius Maximus Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus Cunctator was a Roman politician and general, born in Rome around 280 BC and died in Rome in 203 BC. He was Roman Consul five times and was twice Dictator in 221 and again in 217 BC. He reached the office of Roman Censor in 230 BC...	Rei gerundae causa?
217	2nd	Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus Cunctator Fabius Maximus Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus Cunctator was a Roman politician and general, born in Rome around 280 BC and died in Rome in 203 BC. He was Roman Consul five times and was twice Dictator in 221 and again in 217 BC. He reached the office of Roman Censor in 230 BC...	Rei gerundae causa
217		Marcus Minucius Rufus Marcus Minucius Rufus (consul 221 BC) Marcus Minucius Rufus was a Roman consul in 221 BC. He was also Magister Equitum during dictatorship of Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus known as Cunctator....	Rei gerundae causa
216		Marcus Junius Pera Marcus Junius Pera Marcus Junius Pera was a Roman politician during the Second Punic War. He was consul in 230 BC and censor with Gaius Claudius Centho in 225 BC. He was appointed dictator in 216 BC, rei gerundae causa, for the purpose of repelling the Carthaginian forces under Hannibal from Italy. In order to raise...	Rei gerundae causa
216		Marcus Fabius Buteo Marcus Fabius Buteo Marcus Fabius Buteo was a Roman politician during the 3rd century BC. He served as consul and as censor, and in 216 BC, being the oldest living ex-censor, he was appointed dictator, legendo senatui, for the purpose of filling vacancies in the senate after the Battle of Cannae. He was appointed by...	Legendo senatui
213		Gaius Claudius Centho	Comitiorum habendorum causa
210		Quintus Fulvius Flaccus Quintus Fulvius Flaccus Quintus Fulvius Flaccus, son of Marcus Fulvius Flaccus , Quintus was consul in 237 BC, fighting the Gauls in northern Italy. He was censor in 231 BC, again consul in 224 BC, when he subdued the Boii...	Comitiorum habendorum causa
208		Titus Manlius Torquatus Titus Manlius Torquatus Titus Manlius Torquatus may refer to three Roman Republic consuls of the gens Manlia:* Titus Manlius Torquatus , son of Lucius, consul in 347, 344, and 340 BC...	Comitiorum habendorum et ludorum faciendorum causa
207		Marcus Livius Salinator Marcus Livius Salinator Marcus Livius Drusus Salinator , the son of Marcus , was a Roman consul who fought in both the First Punic wars and Second Punic wars most notably during the Battle of Zama....	Comitiorum habendorum causa
205		Quintus Caecilius Metellus	Comitiorum habendorum causa
203		Publius Sulpicius Galba Maximus Publius Sulpicius Galba Maximus Publius Sulpicius Galba Maximus was a consul of Rome in 211 BC, when he defended the city against the surprise attack by Hannibal.He was proconsul in Greece from 210 to 206, continuing the First Macedonian War against Philip V of Macedon...	Comitiorum habendorum causa or rei gerundae causa
202		Gaius Servilius Geminus	Comitiorum habendorum causa
82/81 - 81		Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix	Legibus faciendis et rei publicae constituendae causa
49	1st	Gaius Julius Caesar Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....	Rei gerundae causa
48	2nd	Gaius Julius Caesar Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....	Rei gerundae causa
47	3rd	Gaius Julius Caesar Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....	Rei gerundae causa
46	4th	Gaius Julius Caesar Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....	Rei gerundae causa
45	5th	Gaius Julius Caesar Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....	Rei gerundae causa
44	--	Gaius Julius Caesar Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....	perpetuus

See also