Became
Emperor of
Rome immediately after
Pertinax. His method of achieving the throne was one of the more disgusting episodes in
Roman history. Didius Julianus was an extremely rich
senator who had always lusted after the throne. The
Praetorian Guard,
masterminded by
Laetus, the Praetorian prefect who had also had
Commodus murdered, killed the previous emperor, Pertinax, for the sole crime of trying to establish
discipline in an army that had grown
soft and used to its
privileges. After this
treachery, they auctioned off the throne to the highest bidder, with the winner being Didius Julianus, who offered to pay 25,000
sestertii to each
member of the Praetorian Guard. Immediately on him becoming emperor, several men
rebelled, declaring him a
traitor and a
weakling. Upon hearing of the doings in Rome, two generals rebelled and marched their armies on Rome.
Pescennius Niger, the governor of
Syria, had the support of the armies of the East, while
Septimius Severus had 16
legions under his command on the
Rhine. Severus reached Rome first, but not before the Praetorian Guard had put Julianus to
death. Using his legions, Severus
arrested the entire Praetorian guard, and had them discharged
dishonorably. Didius Julianus only ruled Rome for 16 days in 193 A.D. before being replaced by Septimius Severus.
See
Roman Emperors