List of Roman and Byzantine empresses

Titles

Common titles

• The Latin title augusta, the female form of augustus, was usually given to Roman consorts. Insofar as augustus is understood as meaning "emperor", then a given woman could not become "empress" until being named augusta. However, not all consorts were given the title by their husbands. The title was sometimes given to other female members of the family, so empress and augusta are not always treated as synonyms. In the third century, empresses could also receive various honorific titles, such as māter castrōrum "mother of the castra" and māter patriae "mother of the fatherland".
• The Greek title basilissa, the female form of basileus, was a common title for Byzantine empresses. Empress regnant Irene sometimes adopted the male title basileus.
• The title despoina, the female form of despotes, was also a common title for empresses in the later eastern empire.

  Noncommon titles

• The title caesarissa, the female form of caesar, was used for Ino Anastasia, etc. It was used by the consorts of emperors as caesar's wife until being named augusta.
• The Latin term imperatrix, the feminine form of imperator, was used for Pulcheria, etc. It seems to have rarely been used for Roman empresses.
• The title autokratorissa, the female form of autokrator, was used for Anna of Savoy, etc. It was not a common title for Roman empresses. Empresses regnant Zoe and Theodora sometimes adopted the male title autokrator.
• The title sebaste, the feminine form of sebastos, was used for Maria Skleraina, etc. It was the Greek translation of augusta and ranked as a quasi-empress.

  Principate (27 BC – AD 284)

Julio-Claudian dynasty (27 BC – AD 68)

Year of the Four Emperors (69)

Flavian dynasty (81–96)

Nerva–Antonine dynasty (98–192)

Year of the Five Emperors (193)

Severan dynasty (193–227)

Crisis of the Third Century (235–285)

Dominate (284–476)

Tetrarchy (284–324)

Constantinian dynasty (306–363)

Valentinianic dynasty (364–383)

Theodosian dynasty (379–457)

Puppet emperors (west, 467–475)

Later eastern empresses (457–1439)

Leonid dynasty (457–515)

Justinian dynasty (east, 518–602)

Heraclian dynasty (610–695)

Twenty Years' Anarchy (695–717)

Isaurian dynasty (717–802)

Nikephorian dynasty (802–813)

Amorian dynasty (820–867)

Macedonian dynasty (867–1056)

Doukas dynasty (1059–1081)

Komnenos dynasty (1081–1185)

Angelos dynasty (1185–1204)

Laskaris dynasty (1205–1258; Nicaea)

Palaiologos dynasty (1259–1439)

Main bibliography

• Secondary bibliography

• . Salve Regina University.