All Roman Emperors were famous in their own way. There were 192 people who claimed the title Emperor of Rome from 27 BC when the Emperor Augustus took control of the Senate until 1185 AD. Some of the later such would now be called Byzantine Emperors, but a the time they called themselves Roman Emperors. Second answer. Generally speaking most historians separate the ancient Roman empire and the Byzantine empire. The Byzantine empire lasted until 1453 AD when the Ottoman Turks took over Constantinople.