TheYear of the Five Emperors refers to the year193AD, in which there were five claimants for the title ofRoman Emperor. The five werePertinax,Didius Julianus,Pescennius Niger,Clodius Albinus andSeverus.
| Pertinax | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Possible statue of Pertinax,National Museum of the Union,Alba-Iulia, Romania | |||||||||
| Roman emperor | |||||||||
| Reign | 1 January 193 – 28 March 193 | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Commodus | ||||||||
| Successor | Didius Julianus | ||||||||
| Born | 1 August 126 Alba Pompeia,Italia | ||||||||
| Died | 28 March 193 (aged 66) Rome, Italia | ||||||||
| Burial | Rome | ||||||||
| Spouse | Flavia Titiana | ||||||||
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| Father | Helvius Successus | ||||||||
The year 193 opened with the murder ofCommodus onNew Year's Eve, 31 December 192. TheCity Prefect Pertinax was proclaimed Emperor onNew Year's Day, 1 January 193.
Pertinax tried to restore discipline in thePraetorian Guard, and did not pay them what they had expected. He wasassassinated by the Praetorian Guard on 28 March 193. They thenauctioned off the post of Emperor.
| Didius Julianus | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
_-_Residenz_Museum_-_Munich.jpg) Bust of Didius Julianus,Residenz Museum,Munich | |||||||||
| Roman emperor | |||||||||
| Reign | 28 March – 1 June 193 | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Pertinax | ||||||||
| Successor | Septimius Severus | ||||||||
| Born | 29 January 133 (Dio) or 137 (SHA) Mediolanum,Italy | ||||||||
| Died | 1 June 193 (aged 56 or 60) Rome | ||||||||
| Spouse | Manlia Scantilla | ||||||||
| Issue | Didia Clara | ||||||||
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| Father | Quintus Petronius Didius Severus | ||||||||
| Mother | Aemilia Clara | ||||||||
Later that same day, Didius Julianus outmaneuveredTitus 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 20,000sestertii to buy their loyalty (eight times their annual salary; also the same amount offered byMarcus 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 theRoman Senate on 28 March.
([b]). However, three other prominentRomans challenged for the throne: Pescennius Niger inSyria, Clodius Albinus inBritain, and Severus inPannonia.
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 atCyzicus andNicea in 193 and then defeated him atIssus 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 theBattle of Lugdunum on 19 February 197.
| Septimius Severus | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Roman emperor | |||||
| Reign | 14 April 193[source?] – 4 February 211 | ||||
| Predecessor | Didius Julianus | ||||
| Successor | Caracalla andGeta | ||||
| Co-emperors | |||||
| Born | Lucius Septimius Severus[4] 11 April 145[5] Leptis Magna | ||||
| Died | 4 February 211 (aged 65)[6] Eboracum | ||||
| Spouse | |||||
| Issue | Caracalla andGeta | ||||
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| Dynasty | Severan | ||||
| Father | Publius Septimius Geta | ||||
| Mother | Fulvia Pia | ||||
