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Year of the Five Emperors

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The Year of the Six Emperors refers to AD192-193, in which there were six claimants for the title of Roman Emperor.

The year 193 opened with the murder of Commodus on 31 December 192 and the proclamation of the City Prefect, Pertinax, as Emperor. Pertinax was assassinated by the Praetorian Guard on 28 March 193. Didius Julianus won an auction for the title of Emperor with Pertinax's father-in-law and new City Prefect, Flavius Sulpicianus. Flavius Sulpicianus has offered to pay each soldier 20,000 sestertii (eight times their annual salary, and the same amount offered by Marcus Aurelius in AD161) to buy their loyalty; Didius Julianus offered 25,000, won the auction, and was proclaimed Emperor by the Roman Senate on 28 March.

However, three other prominent Romans challenged for the throne: Pescennius Niger in Syria, Clodius Albinus in Britain, and Septimius Severus in Pannonia. Septimius Severus marched on Rome, ousted Didius Julianus and had him decapitated on 1 June 193, dismissed the Praetorian Guard and executed the soldiers who had killed Pertinax. Septimius Severus ultimately prevailed over the other challengers at the Battle of Lugdunum on 19 February 197.

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