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{{Short description|AD 193 in the Roman Empire}}
{{short description|193 AD, in which there were five claimants for the title of Roman Emperor: Pertinax, Didius Julianus, Pescennius Niger, Clodius Albinus and Septimius Severus}}
{{distinguish|Year of the Four Emperors|Year of the Six Emperors}} {{distinguish|Year of the Four Emperors|Year of the Six Emperors}}
{{Year of Five Emperors|image=]|caption=] of the five Roman emperors of AD 193. Clockwise from top left: Pertinax, Didius Julianus, Pescennius Niger and Clodius Albinus, with Septimius Severus in the center.}}
{{Year of Five Emperors}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
The '''Year of the Five Emperors''' refers to the year ], in which the five claimants for the title of ] were: ], ], ], ], and ]. This year started a period of civil war when multiple rulers vied for the chance to become Caesar. The '''Year of the Five Emperors''' was AD 193, in which five men claimed the title of ]: ], ], ], ], and ]. This year started a period of civil war when multiple rulers vied for the chance to become emperor.


The political unrest began with the murder of Emperor ] on New Year's Eve 192 AD. Once Commodus was assassinated, Pertinax was named emperor, but immediately aroused opposition in the ] when he attempted to initiate reforms. They then plotted his assassination, and Pertinax was killed while trying to reason with the mutineers.<ref name="Rahman">{{cite book | url=https://thecorner.wordpress.com/2006/06/05/the-african-emperor-the-life-career-and-rise-to-power-of-septimius-severus/ | title=The African Emperor? The Life, Career, and Rise to Power of Septimius Severus, MA thesis | publisher=] | author=Rahman, Abdur | year=2001}}</ref> He had only been emperor for three months. Didius Julianus, who purchased the title from the Praetorian Guard, succeeded Pertinax, but was ousted by Septimius Severus and executed on June 1. Severus was declared Caesar by the Senate, but Pescennius Niger was hostile when he declared himself emperor.<ref name="Birley"/> This started the civil war between Niger and Severus; both gathered troops and fought throughout the territory of the empire. Due to this war, Severus allowed Clodius Albinus, whom he suspected of being a threat, to be co-Caesar so that Severus did not have to preoccupy himself with imperial governance. This move allowed him to concentrate on waging the war against Niger.<ref name="Rahman"/> Most historians count Severus and Albinus as two emperors, though they ruled simultaneously. The Severan dynasty was created out of the chaos of 193 AD.<ref name="Birley"/> The political unrest began with the murder of Emperor ] on New Year's Eve 192. Once Commodus was assassinated, Pertinax was named emperor, but immediately aroused opposition in the ] when he attempted to initiate reforms. They then plotted his assassination, and Pertinax was killed while trying to reason with the mutineers.<ref name="Rahman">{{cite book | url=https://thecorner.wordpress.com/2006/06/05/the-african-emperor-the-life-career-and-rise-to-power-of-septimius-severus/ | title=The African Emperor? The Life, Career, and Rise to Power of Septimius Severus, MA thesis | publisher=] | author=Rahman, Abdur | year=2001}}</ref> He had only been emperor for three months. Didius Julianus, who purchased the title from the Praetorian Guard, succeeded Pertinax, but was ousted by Septimius Severus and executed on 1 June. Severus was declared Caesar by the Senate, but Pescennius Niger was hostile so he declared himself emperor.<ref name="Birley"/>
This started the civil war between Niger and Severus; both gathered troops and fought throughout the territory of the empire. Due to this war, Severus allowed Clodius Albinus, whom he suspected of being a threat, to be co-Caesar so that Severus did not have to preoccupy himself with imperial governance. This move allowed him to concentrate on waging the war against Niger.<ref name="Rahman" /> After Severus defeated Niger at the ] in 194, he turned on Albinus and defeated him at the ] in 197.
Most historians count Severus and Albinus as two emperors, though they ruled simultaneously. The Severan dynasty was created out of the chaos of AD 193.<ref name="Birley" />


==History== ==History==


===Fall of Commodus=== ===Fall of Commodus===
⚫ Commodus' sanity began to unravel after the death of his close associate, Cleander. This triggered a series of ]s of members of the aristocracy. He began removing himself from his identity as ruler ideologically by resuming his birth name instead of keeping the names that his father gave him when he succeeded to imperial rule. His behavior decayed further as he became more paranoid. He carried out a particularly large massacre in Rome during New Year's Eve AD 192, so that he could become the sole consul. Three nobles, Eclectus, Marcia, and Laetus, fearing that they would be targeted, had Commodus strangled before he could do so. The assassins then named ] the new Caesar.<ref name="Rahman"/>
{{Main|Commodus}}
⚫ Commodus' sanity began to unravel when a close advocate, Cleander, was assassinated, which put Commodus in fear for his life.{{Disputed inline|talk=Talk:Year of the Five Emperors#Disputing the Fate of Cleander|date=September 2018}} This triggered a series of summary executions of members of the aristocracy. He began removing himself from his identity as ruler ideologically by resuming his birth name instead of keeping the names that his father gave him when he succeeded to imperial rule. His behavior decayed further as he became more paranoid. He carried out a particularly large massacre in Rome during New Year's Eve 192 AD, so that he could become the sole consul. Three nobles, Eclectus, Marcia, and Laetus, fearing that they would be targeted, had Commodus strangled before he could do so. The assassins then named Pertinax the new Caesar.<ref name="Rahman"/>


The identity of the person who planned the murder of Commodus is still a debated topic. Some sources name Pertinax as the mastermind of the assassination because he obtained imperial rule once Commodus was killed. However, the accusations against Pertinax appear to have come from his enemies, an effort to damage his reputation; in reality, these accusers appear not to have known who masterminded the assassination.<ref name="Rahman"/> The identity of the person who planned the murder of Commodus is still a debated topic. Some sources name Pertinax as the mastermind of the assassination because he obtained imperial rule once Commodus was killed. However, the accusations against Pertinax appear to have come from his enemies, an effort to damage his reputation; in reality, these accusers appear not to have known who masterminded the assassination.<ref name="Rahman"/>


===Pertinax=== ===Pertinax===
{{Main|Pertinax}}
], possibly of Pertinax]] ], possibly of Pertinax]]
Pertinax gained his political clout by moving his way up the military ranks. He was proconsul of Africa, making him the first of several emperors who began their political roles in Africa.<ref>Birley, Arthur R. Septimius Severus: The African Emperor. New York: Routledge, 1999. 89–128.</ref> Since most of the nobles had been murdered in the New Year's Eve massacre, Pertinax was one of the few high-ranking officials left to become the new emperor. Pertinax faced early difficulties due to the empire's crumbling financial situation, and the accusations that he was complicit in the assassination of Commodus. He may also have been accused of the murder of Cleander, Commodus' advocate, whose murder had triggered Commodus' paranoia. ] gained his position by rising through the military ranks. He became proconsul of Africa, making him the first of several emperors who began their political careers in Africa.<ref>Birley, Arthur R. Septimius Severus: The African Emperor. New York: ], 1999. 89–128.</ref> Since most of the nobles had been murdered in the New Year's Eve massacre, Pertinax was one of the few high-ranking officials left to become the new emperor. He faced early difficulties due to the empire's crumbling financial situation and accusations that he was complicit in the assassination of Commodus. He may also have been accused of the murder of Cleander, Commodus' associate, whose murder had triggered Commodus' paranoia.


Pertinax was a great contrast to Commodus. He was disciplined, but lost the favor of the Praetorian Guard when he began revoking privileges Commodus had given them. This led to a plot to assassinate Pertinax by the Guard, and Pertinax was assassinated on March 28 when he confronted the coup leaders. Didius Julianus was his successor as Caesar.<ref name="Rahman"/> Pertinax's discipline made a great contrast to Commodus, but he lost the favor of the Praetorian Guard when he refused to pay their ] and began revoking their privileges under Commodus. When confronted by the Praetorians, he was unable to negotiate a peace and was killed.

Following his death, the Praetorian Guard proceeded to auction off the Purple to the highest bidder.


===Didius Julianus=== ===Didius Julianus===
⚫ ] gained power as proconsul of Africa, succeeding Pertinax in that position. Julianus was not just given the position of emperor after Pertinax's death. He had competition in Pertinax's father-in-law, Sulpicianus, but Julianus outbid him by promising even higher pay for the Praetorian Guard. Julianus was widely suspected of Pertinax's murder. Two public figures used the public's fear to take advantage of this crisis: ], governor of Syria, and ], who declared himself emperor twelve days after Pertinax's death. The anti-Julianus mobs called on Pescennius Niger for assistance, but Severus, in ], was closest to Rome. He reached the capital first with his troops and executed Julianus on 1 June, just two months after Pertinax.<ref name="Rahman"/>
{{Main|Didius Julianus}}
⚫ Didius Julianus gained power as proconsul of Africa, succeeding Pertinax in that position. Julianus was not just given the position of emperor after Pertinax's death. He had competition in Pertinax's father-in-law, Sulpicianus. The only way that Julianus gained the Senate's favor was by outbidding Sulpicianus for the amount he would pay the troops. Julianus was originally accused of being Pertinax's murderer. Two public figures used the public's fear to take advantage of this crisis: Pescennius Niger, the governor of Syria, and Septimius Severus. Twelve days after Pertinax's murder, Severus declared himself emperor in place of Julianus. The mobs, who regarded Julianus unfavorably, called on Pescennius Niger for assistance. Julianus was executed on June 1, just two months after Pertinax was killed.<ref name="Rahman"/>


===Pescennius Niger=== ===Pescennius Niger===
⚫ ] began 193 as the governor of Syria. Once the mobs started to clamor for him, he declared himself emperor in rivalry with Severus.<ref name="Rahman"/> With allies in the eastern part of the empire, he gathered an army and fought Severus throughout the empire for two years. He eventually lost the civil war during a ] in 194.<ref name="Birley">{{cite book | title=Septimius Severus: The African Emperor | url=https://archive.org/details/septimiusseverus00birl_037 | url-access=limited | publisher=Routledge | author=Birley, Arthur R. | year=1999 | location=New York | pages=–128 | isbn=0415165911}}</ref>
{{Main|Pescennius Niger}}
⚫ Niger began his career as the governor of Syria. Once the mobs started calling for his help, he became a rival to Severus, since Severus believed that he should have total power and loyalty from the people of the empire. Niger ended up proclaiming himself emperor, which further angered Severus.<ref name="Rahman"/> Niger had allies in the eastern part of the empire, so when Severus threatened him with troops, he gathered an army from his allies and fought Severus throughout the empire for two years. He eventually lost the civil war to Severus near the city of Issus.<ref name="Birley">{{cite book | title=Septimius Severus: The African Emperor | publisher=Routledge | author=Birley, Arthur R. | year=1999 | location=New York | pages=89–128 | isbn=0415165911}}</ref>


===Clodius Albinus=== ===Clodius Albinus===
{{main|Clodius Albinus}}
], a ]n divinity worshipped in North Africa, whence Clodius came.]] ], a ]n divinity worshipped in North Africa, whence Clodius came.]]
Albinus came into contention for the imperial office in 193, when he was asked to become emperor after the death of Commodus, but rejected the proposition. However, he did eventually gain the title of Caesar because Severus needed assistance in controlling the empire while he was fighting Niger, so that he could completely focus on the civil war. Severus and Albinus were considered enemies at the time, but a treaty was signed between the two, which gave Albinus more power and the title of Caesar. Some sources say that this treaty was only honorary and only benefited Severus, who only won because of Albinus' support, while not actually giving away any of his power as emperor.<ref name="Van Sickle">{{cite journal | url=http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/361015 | title=Legal Status of Clodius Albinus, 193–196 | author=Van Sickle, C.E. | journal=] | year=April 1928 | volume=23 | issue=2 | pages=123–127 | doi=10.1086/361015 | publisher=University of Chicago Press}}</ref> Albinus controlled Britain, and this treaty would have given him power over Gaul and Spain. Most sources do not mention a formal treaty, but they do say that a more informal agreement existed between the two men, so that Severus could concentrate on Niger. Albinus continued in this role as "Caesar" for three more years before a civil war broke out between Severus and him, resulting in Severus becoming the sole emperor.<ref name="Birley"/> ] came into contention for the imperial office in 193, when he was asked to become emperor after the death of Commodus, but rejected the proposition. He eventually gained the title of Caesar as a second to Severus, ruling the empire while Severus was on campaign against Niger. Severus and Albinus were considered enemies at the time, but they made a compact or treaty which gave Albinus administrative power and the title of Caesar. Albinus controlled Britain, and the agreement gave him Gaul and Spain. Some sources say that this agreement was fully under the control of Severus, who retained ultimate imperial power.<ref name="Van Sickle">{{cite journal | title=Legal Status of Clodius Albinus, 193–196 | author=Van Sickle, C.E. | journal=] | date=April 1928 | volume=23 | issue=2 | pages=123–127 | doi=10.1086/361015 | publisher=University of Chicago Press| s2cid=224792179 }}</ref> Albinus continued as Caesar for three years before a civil war broke out between the two, resulting in Severus becoming sole emperor after the ] in 197 in which Albinus was killed.<ref name="Birley"/>


===Septimius Severus=== ===Septimius Severus===
{{Main|Septimius Severus }}
], ]]] ], ]]]
Severus was, practically speaking, the emperor after Pertinax was assassinated. Some sources tie Severus and Pertinax together and call them allies, which would explain how Severus became so powerful during this chaotic year. Twelve days after the March 28 assassination, Severus made himself ruler with the Senate's backing.<ref name="Rahman"/> He had Didius Julianus executed and made enemies of the other powerful nobles that had a possibility of becoming emperor, i.e. Niger and Albinus. He had originally wanted to take the throne after Commodus' murder, but the haste with which the assassins named Pertinax emperor prevented that from happening. For the first few years of his reign, he spent his time preoccupied with the civil war he was waging against Niger in the eastern half of the Roman Empire, so he shared the emperorship with Clodius Albinus. He even signed an agreement with Albinus to gain his support despite being his enemy, granting him the title, but none of the real power, of Caesar.<ref name="Van Sickle"/> However, once he defeated Niger, he set his sights on Albinus and waged a successful civil war against him.<ref>]. ''The Age of Constantine the Great''. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1949. 19–21.</ref> After defeating both of his enemies, Severus also purged their followers to impress upon the people that he was the sole Caesar. The ascension of Severus to sole rule of the empire marks the beginning of the ]. Severus was, practically speaking, the emperor after Pertinax was assassinated. Some sources tie Severus and Pertinax together as allies, which would explain how Severus became so powerful during this chaotic year. He had originally thought to take the throne after Commodus' murder, but was forestalled when the assassins hastily named Pertinax emperor. Twelve days after the 28 March assassination of Pertinax, Severus made himself ruler with the Senate's backing.<ref name="Rahman"/> He had Didius Julianus executed and made enemies of the other powerful nobles who aspired to the throne, Niger and Albinus.

For the first few years of his reign, he was preoccupied with the civil war against Niger in the east, so he allied with Albinus despite their rivalry, granting Albinus the title of Caesar but not the real military power.<ref name="Van Sickle"/> However, once Severus defeated Niger, he set his sights on Albinus and waged a successful civil war against him.<ref>]. ''The Age of Constantine the Great''. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1949. 19–21.</ref> After defeating both enemies, Severus purged their followers to consolidate his position as sole Caesar, founding the ].


== See also == == See also ==
*] (69 AD) *] (AD 69)
*] (238 AD) *] (AD 238)


==References== ==References==
{{Reflist|26em}} {{Reflist}}


{{Epochs of Roman Emperors}} {{Epochs of Roman Emperors}}
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] ]
]
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Latest revision as of 07:54, 17 December 2024

AD 193 in the Roman Empire Not to be confused with Year of the Four Emperors or Year of the Six Emperors.
Roman imperial dynasties
Aurei of the five Roman emperors of AD 193. Clockwise from top left: Pertinax, Didius Julianus, Pescennius Niger and Clodius Albinus, with Septimius Severus in the center.
Year of the Five Emperors (AD 193)
Chronology
Pertinax 193
Didius Julianus 193
Pescennius Niger 193–194
Clodius Albinus 193–197
Septimius Severus 193–211
Succession
Preceded by
Nerva–Antonine dynasty		 Followed by
Severan dynasty

The Year of the Five Emperors was AD 193, in which five men claimed the title of Roman emperor: Pertinax, Didius Julianus, Pescennius Niger, Clodius Albinus, and Septimius Severus. This year started a period of civil war when multiple rulers vied for the chance to become emperor.

The political unrest began with the murder of Emperor Commodus on New Year's Eve 192. Once Commodus was assassinated, Pertinax was named emperor, but immediately aroused opposition in the Praetorian Guard when he attempted to initiate reforms. They then plotted his assassination, and Pertinax was killed while trying to reason with the mutineers. He had only been emperor for three months. Didius Julianus, who purchased the title from the Praetorian Guard, succeeded Pertinax, but was ousted by Septimius Severus and executed on 1 June. Severus was declared Caesar by the Senate, but Pescennius Niger was hostile so he declared himself emperor.

This started the civil war between Niger and Severus; both gathered troops and fought throughout the territory of the empire. Due to this war, Severus allowed Clodius Albinus, whom he suspected of being a threat, to be co-Caesar so that Severus did not have to preoccupy himself with imperial governance. This move allowed him to concentrate on waging the war against Niger. After Severus defeated Niger at the battle of Issus in 194, he turned on Albinus and defeated him at the battle of Lugdunum in 197.

Most historians count Severus and Albinus as two emperors, though they ruled simultaneously. The Severan dynasty was created out of the chaos of AD 193.

History

Fall of Commodus

Commodus' sanity began to unravel after the death of his close associate, Cleander. This triggered a series of summary executions of members of the aristocracy. He began removing himself from his identity as ruler ideologically by resuming his birth name instead of keeping the names that his father gave him when he succeeded to imperial rule. His behavior decayed further as he became more paranoid. He carried out a particularly large massacre in Rome during New Year's Eve AD 192, so that he could become the sole consul. Three nobles, Eclectus, Marcia, and Laetus, fearing that they would be targeted, had Commodus strangled before he could do so. The assassins then named Pertinax the new Caesar.

The identity of the person who planned the murder of Commodus is still a debated topic. Some sources name Pertinax as the mastermind of the assassination because he obtained imperial rule once Commodus was killed. However, the accusations against Pertinax appear to have come from his enemies, an effort to damage his reputation; in reality, these accusers appear not to have known who masterminded the assassination.

Pertinax

Bust in the National Museum of the Union, possibly of Pertinax

Pertinax gained his position by rising through the military ranks. He became proconsul of Africa, making him the first of several emperors who began their political careers in Africa. Since most of the nobles had been murdered in the New Year's Eve massacre, Pertinax was one of the few high-ranking officials left to become the new emperor. He faced early difficulties due to the empire's crumbling financial situation and accusations that he was complicit in the assassination of Commodus. He may also have been accused of the murder of Cleander, Commodus' associate, whose murder had triggered Commodus' paranoia.

Pertinax's discipline made a great contrast to Commodus, but he lost the favor of the Praetorian Guard when he refused to pay their donativum and began revoking their privileges under Commodus. When confronted by the Praetorians, he was unable to negotiate a peace and was killed.

Following his death, the Praetorian Guard proceeded to auction off the Purple to the highest bidder.

Didius Julianus

Didius Julianus gained power as proconsul of Africa, succeeding Pertinax in that position. Julianus was not just given the position of emperor after Pertinax's death. He had competition in Pertinax's father-in-law, Sulpicianus, but Julianus outbid him by promising even higher pay for the Praetorian Guard. Julianus was widely suspected of Pertinax's murder. Two public figures used the public's fear to take advantage of this crisis: Pescennius Niger, governor of Syria, and Septimius Severus, who declared himself emperor twelve days after Pertinax's death. The anti-Julianus mobs called on Pescennius Niger for assistance, but Severus, in Pannonia, was closest to Rome. He reached the capital first with his troops and executed Julianus on 1 June, just two months after Pertinax.

Pescennius Niger

Niger began 193 as the governor of Syria. Once the mobs started to clamor for him, he declared himself emperor in rivalry with Severus. With allies in the eastern part of the empire, he gathered an army and fought Severus throughout the empire for two years. He eventually lost the civil war during a battle near the city of Issus in 194.

Clodius Albinus

Coin of Clodius Albinus. This coin celebrates Saeculum Frugiferum, the embodiment of a "fruitful era", probably Ba'al Hammon, a Phoenician divinity worshipped in North Africa, whence Clodius came.

Clodius Albinus came into contention for the imperial office in 193, when he was asked to become emperor after the death of Commodus, but rejected the proposition. He eventually gained the title of Caesar as a second to Severus, ruling the empire while Severus was on campaign against Niger. Severus and Albinus were considered enemies at the time, but they made a compact or treaty which gave Albinus administrative power and the title of Caesar. Albinus controlled Britain, and the agreement gave him Gaul and Spain. Some sources say that this agreement was fully under the control of Severus, who retained ultimate imperial power. Albinus continued as Caesar for three years before a civil war broke out between the two, resulting in Severus becoming sole emperor after the battle of Lugdunum in 197 in which Albinus was killed.

Septimius Severus

Septimius Severus at Glyptothek, Munich

Severus was, practically speaking, the emperor after Pertinax was assassinated. Some sources tie Severus and Pertinax together as allies, which would explain how Severus became so powerful during this chaotic year. He had originally thought to take the throne after Commodus' murder, but was forestalled when the assassins hastily named Pertinax emperor. Twelve days after the 28 March assassination of Pertinax, Severus made himself ruler with the Senate's backing. He had Didius Julianus executed and made enemies of the other powerful nobles who aspired to the throne, Niger and Albinus.

For the first few years of his reign, he was preoccupied with the civil war against Niger in the east, so he allied with Albinus despite their rivalry, granting Albinus the title of Caesar but not the real military power. However, once Severus defeated Niger, he set his sights on Albinus and waged a successful civil war against him. After defeating both enemies, Severus purged their followers to consolidate his position as sole Caesar, founding the Severan dynasty.

See also

References

  1. ^ Rahman, Abdur (2001). The African Emperor? The Life, Career, and Rise to Power of Septimius Severus, MA thesis. University of Wales Lampeter.
  2. ^ Birley, Arthur R. (1999). Septimius Severus: The African Emperor. New York: Routledge. pp. 89–128. ISBN 0415165911.
  3. Birley, Arthur R. Septimius Severus: The African Emperor. New York: Routledge, 1999. 89–128.
  4. ^ Van Sickle, C.E. (April 1928). "Legal Status of Clodius Albinus, 193–196". Classical Philology. 23 (2). University of Chicago Press: 123–127. doi:10.1086/361015. S2CID 224792179.
  5. Burckhardt, Jacob. The Age of Constantine the Great. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1949. 19–21.
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