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Maximian (250-310) was born in the province of Pannonia to a family of shopkeepers, and joined the army as soon as he could, serving alongside future co-emperor Diocletian under emperors Aurelian, Probus and Carus. After Diocletian became emperor in 284, Maximian was soon appointed co-emperor in 286, matching Maximian's military brawn with Diocletian's political brain.<br/><br/> Maximian spent most of his time on campaign, fighting against the Germanic tribes along the Rhine frontier and in Gaul. When the man Maximian had appointed to govern the Channel shores, Carausius, rebelled in 286 and seceded Britain and northwestern Gaul from the Roman Empire, Maximian tried but failed to oust Carausius. The rebellion was eventually crushed in 296, and Maximian moved south to fight pirates near Hispania.<br/><br/> He eventually returned to Italy in 298, living in comfort until he abdicated in 305 alongside Diocletian, handing power to the other two co-emperors of the Tetrachy, Constantius and Galerius, and retiring to southern Italy. Maximian returned to power in 306 when he aided his son Maxentius' rebellion. He later tried to depose his son but failed, fleeing to the court of Constantius' successor, Constantine. He was forced to renounce his title by Diocletian and Galerius, and he committed suicide in 310 after a failed attempt to usurp Constantine's title.
Geta (189-211 CE) was the younger son of Emperor Septimius Severus, born in Rome during the reign of Emperor Commodus. Geta fought often with his older brother Caracalla, and would require the mediation of their mother Julia Domna. Septimius Severus named Geta 'Augustus' in 209, making him a co-emperor alongside Caracalla, who had been named co-emperor over 10 years ago, in 198 CE.<br/><br/> Septimius Severus died in early 211 CE, with Geta and Caracalla declared joint emperors and ordered back to Rome. Their hatred and rivalry of one another did not abate though, and there were even talks about splitting the empire in two halves so that they could rule peacefully, before their mother talked them out of it. The situation became so hostile that Carcalla tried to unsuccessfully murder Geta once, before finally succeeding a second time when he had his mother arrange a peace meeting and having his centurions murder Geta in his mother's arms.<br/><br/> After Geta's death, Caracalla had him declared 'damnatio memoriae', with every statue, portrait or painting of him destroyed, and his very name was banned from being spoken or written. Over 20,000 people were killed on Caracalla's orders after he attempted to remove any political enemies and those he considered allies of Geta.
Third and last emperor of the Flavian dynasty, Domitian (51-96 CE) was the youngest son of Vespasian and most of his youth was spent in the shadow of his more accomplished brother Titus, who earned his renown during the First Jewish-Roman War. When his father became emperor at the end of the Year of the Four Emperors in 69 CE, Titus was given a great many offices while Domitian held honours but no responsibilities. This would go on for many years, until his brother, succeeding his father in 79 CE, himself died unexpectedly from illness in 81 CE. Domitian was suddenly declared emperor by the Praetorian Guard.<br/><br/> During his reign, Domitian strengthened the Roman economy, expanded the Empire's border defenses and initiated a massive building program to restore a debilitated Rome. Further wars were fought in Britain. Domitian ruled more autocratically than previous emperors, seeing himself as the new Augustus, and formed a cult of personality around himself, making him popular with the people but considered tyrannical by the Senate.<br/><br/> After 15 years in power, longer than any emperor since Tiberius, Domitian was assassinated in 96 CE by court officials. His death ended the Flavian dynasty and he was succeeded by his advisor Nerva, his memory condemned to oblivion by the Senate.
Aemilianus (Latin: Marcus Aemilius Aemilianus Augustus; c. 207/213 – 253 CE), also known as Aemilian, was Roman Emperor for three months in 253 CE.<br/><br/> Commander of the Moesian troops, he obtained an important victory against the invading Goths and was, for this reason, acclaimed Emperor by his army. He then moved quickly to Italy, where he defeated Emperor Trebonianus Gallus, only to be killed by his own men when another general, Valerian, proclaimed himself Emperor and moved against Aemilian with a larger army.