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Roman Emperors as Pharaohs in Egypt
After 30 BC Egypt became a Roman province, yet in the temples of the country the emperor still appeared as pharaoh: with crowns, royal titles and a name ring in hieroglyphs. The list shows 34 emperors from Augustus to Maximinus Daza.
How did emperors become pharaohs?
The priests of Egypt kept the royal ritual alive: without a king the temple cult could not take place. That is why temple reliefs also show Roman emperors in the role of pharaoh, making offerings to the gods. A well-known example is the Temple of Dendur with Augustus as pharaoh (now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York). The emperors themselves were rarely in the country.
The province was administered by a prefect, a governor of Roman equestrian rank who answered to the emperor. The Ptolemaic Dynasty had ended with Cleopatra VII in 30 BC; the period is on the page Greco-Roman Period.
All emperors in the list
- Augustus27 BC–14 AD
- Tiberius14–37 AD
- Caligula37–41 AD
- Claudius41–54 AD
- Nero54–68 AD
- Galba68–69 AD
- Otho69 AD
- Vespasian69–79 AD
- Titus79–81 AD
- Domitian81–96 AD
- Nerva96–98 AD
- Trajan98–117 AD
- Hadrian117–138 AD
- Antoninus Pius138–161 AD
- Marcus Aurelius161–180 AD
- Lucius Verus161–169 AD
- Commodus180–192 AD
- Pertinax193 AD
- Septimius Severus193–211 AD
- Caracalla211–217 AD
- Geta211 AD
- Macrinus217–218 AD
- Diadumenian218 AD
- Severus Alexander222–235 AD
- Philip the Arab244–249 AD
- Decius249–251 AD
- Valerian253–260 AD
- Aurelian270–275 AD
- Zenobia270–272 AD
- Probus276–282 AD
- Diocletian284–305 AD
- Maximian285–310 AD
- Galerius293–311 AD
- Maximinus Daza305–313 AD
Zenobia
Zenobia appears in the list among the Roman emperors (270–272 AD), although she was not an empress. See also Female Pharaohs.
Books on this topic
- The Rise and Fall of Ancient EgyptToby WilkinsonThe whole story from the first kings to Cleopatra, told in a readable way.AdOn Amazon
- Ancient Egypt: The Definitive Visual HistoryDKA large illustrated volume with photographs of temples, tombs and finds.AdOn Amazon
- The Oxford History of Ancient EgyptIan Shaw (ed.)The standard one-volume history, written by leading Egyptologists.AdOn Amazon
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Frequently asked questions
Were Roman emperors pharaohs?
In Egypt they were depicted as pharaoh in temple reliefs and inscriptions and named with royal titles. The province, however, was governed by a Roman prefect.
Which Roman emperor was the first pharaoh?
Augustus (27 BC–AD 14), who made Egypt a province after the death of Cleopatra VII in 30 BC. The Temple of Dendur shows him as pharaoh.
Which emperor was the last pharaoh?
The list ends with Maximinus Daia (AD 305–313). The latest datable hieroglyphic inscription is from AD 394 and names no king.
How many Roman emperors are in the list?
The list shows 34 entries for emperors, co-regents and Zenobia.
Where were emperors depicted as pharaohs?
Mainly in temples such as Dendur, Philae, Esna and Dendera, where they make offerings to the gods in the style of Egyptian kings.
Sources
Facts checked on 19 October 2026. Dates follow the list on this site and are estimates.
More to start with
- List of Pharaohs
- Female Pharaohs
- First & Last Pharaoh
- Timeline & Dynasties
- What is a Pharaoh?
- Ptolemaic Dynasty
- Test your knowledge in the quiz
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