Vote for the Best Roman Emperors out of these 16

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Augustus, Trajan, Aurelian, Basil II

Most people interested in the classics are nerds, so tend to overrate "wow this bookworm turned into a badass and showed up the jocks" Emperors (Claudius, Marcus Aurelius, Julian the Apostate). Of course, Augustus also follows this model, literally coming to power by defeating Chad and Stacey, but he does deserve credit for creating a Principate so powerful it could survive the rest of his dynasty. (Note: I do like Claudius because I too am a nerd, but he's outmatched by the Great Men of History)

Flavians are all OK (even Domitian) but far too short lived. Nerva-Antonines are all a bit overrated (why is nerva even counted?) but Trajan is best in terms of just military gains, even if it was ephemeral. Perhaps I should have voted Hadrian, who made more of a lasting impact than his predecessor, but had the unfortunate matter of his, um, issues with Judea. Antoninus Pius is more the absence of anything bad than a great emperor.

Then the Severans (note: Severus Alexander is kind of an underrated B-Tier emperor) and the crisis years which brings up Aurelian, who of course is a legend despite only lasting a few years. I excluded Diocletian because he did a lot of bad and counterproductive things, and a lot of his bright ideas did not last (tetrarchy), but he does deserve credit for his root and branch reform of the Emperor. Constantine ranks a little higher for me, even though he strikes me as a very devious person, and also crapped the bed irt succession.

I do not remotely care for the Valentinians or Theodosians (why is Theodosius I not on the list btw?): who largely define managed decline. Majorian is more a very sad final hint of an Aurelian that was snuffed out via treachery.

As for the Byzantine Emperors, Basil II is the only one who made substantial gains without poison pills. A lot of the time, good Emperors often just leave their successors with a hundred time bombs (e.g. Justinian): Basil left an expanded and healthy Empire that had to be actively wrecked by his mediocre successors. Heraclius is basically a very sad shaggy dog story. I would also nominate Anastasius, Maurice and Constantine IV  as good Emperors of the East.