Year of the Five Emperors

The **Year of the Five Emperors** refers to the year 193 AD, in which there were five claimants for the title of Roman Emperor. The five were **Pertinax**, **Didius Julianus**, **Pescennius Niger**, **Clodius Albinus** and **Severus**.

## Pertinax

The year 193 opened with the murder of Commodus on New Year's Eve, 31 December 192. The City Prefect Pertinax was proclaimed Emperor on New Year's Day, 1 January 193.

Pertinax tried to restore discipline in the Praetorian Guard, and did not pay them what they had expected. He was assassinated by the Praetorian Guard on 28 March 193. They then auctioned off the post of Emperor.

## Didius

Later that same day, Didius Julianus outmaneuvered Titus Flavius Sulpicianus (Pertinax's father-in-law and also the new City Prefect) for the title of Emperor. Flavius Sulpicianus offered to pay each soldier 20,000 sestertii to buy their loyalty (eight times their annual salary; also the same amount offered by Marcus Aurelius to secure their favours in 161). Didius Julianus however offered 25,000 to each soldier to win the auction and was proclaimed Emperor by the Roman Senate on 28 March.

## Severus

(). However, three other prominent Romans challenged for the throne: Pescennius Niger in Syria, Clodius Albinus in Britain, and Severus in Pannonia.

Severus marched on Rome to oust Didius Julianus and had him decapitated on 1 June 193, then dismissed the Praetorian Guard and executed the soldiers who had killed Pertinax.

Consolidating his power, Severus battled Pescennius Niger at Cyzicus and Nicea in 193 and then defeated him at Issus in 194.

Clodius Albinus initially supported Septimius Severus believing that he would succeed him. When he realised that Severus had other intentions, Albinus had himself declared Emperor in 195 but was defeated by Severus at the Battle of Lugdunum on 19 February 197.

## Infobox (royalty)

- **name**: Pertinax
- **image**: Alba Iulia National Museum of the Union 2011 - Possible Statue of Roman Emperor Pertinax Close Up, Apulum.JPG
- **image size**: 250px
- **alt**: White statue
- **caption**: Possible statue of Pertinax, National Museum of the Union, Alba-Iulia, Romania
- **succession**: Roman emperor
- **reign**: 1 January 193 – 28 March 193
- **predecessor**: Commodus
- **successor**: Didius Julianus
- **birth date**: 1 August 126
- **birth place**: Alba, Italy, Alba Pompeia, Italia (Roman Empire), Italia
- **death date**: 28 March 193 (aged 66)
- **death place**: Rome, Italia
- **burial place**: Rome
- **spouse**: Flavia Titiana
- **full name**: Publius Helvius Pertinax
- **regnal name**: Imperator Caesar Publius Helvius Pertinax Augustus
- **father**: Helvius Successus


## Infobox (roman emperor)

- **name**: Didius Julianus
- **image**: Didius Julianus (cropped) - Residenz Museum - Munich.jpg
- **image size**: 250px
- **alt**: White bust of a bearded man
- **caption**: Bust of Didius Julianus, Munich Residenz#Residenz Museum, Residenz Museum, Munich
- **succession**: Roman emperor
- **reign**: 28 March – 1 June 193
- **predecessor**: Pertinax
- **successor**: Septimius Severus
- **birth date**: 29 January 133 (Cassius Dio, Dio) or 137 (Historia Augusta, SHA)
- **birth place**: Mediolanum, Roman Italy, Italy
- **death date**: 1 June 193 (aged 56 or 60)
- **death place**: Rome
- **spouse**: Manlia Scantilla
- **issue**: Didia Clara
- **full name**: Marcus Didius Julianus (before 193)
- **regnal name**: Imperator Caesar Marcus Didius Severus Julianus Augustus
- **father**: Quintus Petronius Didius Severus
- **mother**: Aemilia Clara


## Infobox (royalty)

- **name**: Septimius Severus
- **image**: Septimius Severus busto-Musei Capitolini.jpg
- **image size**: 230px
- **alt**: White bust of bearded man
- **caption**: Alabaster bust of Septimius Severus at Musei Capitolini, Rome
- **succession**: Roman emperor
- **reign**: 14 April 193 – 4 February 211
- **predecessor**: Didius Julianus
- **successor**: Caracalla and Geta (emperor), Geta
- **birth name**: Lucius Septimius Severus
- **birth date**: 11 April 145
- **birth place**: Leptis Magna
- **death date**: 4 February 211 (aged 65)
- **death place**: Eboracum
- **issue**: Caracalla and Geta (emperor), Geta
- **regnal name**: Imperator Caesar Lucius Septimius Severus Pertinax Augustus
- **dynasty**: Severan dynasty, Severan
- **father**: Publius Septimius Geta (father of Septimius Severus), Publius Septimius Geta
- **mother**: Fulvia Pia