Notes - Chapt 5 - Sale of the Empire to Didius Julianus

The Praetorian guard, since the time of Augustus, had served the emperor as a private army. Now being a very powerful 'king-maker', and just having assassinated Pertinax, the Praetorian guard, who had not been happy that Pertinax had not given them a donative, declared the rule of the empire to be open to the highest bidder. It was Didius Julianus, a wealthy senator, who outbid Sulpicianus, the father-in-law of the recently assassinated Pertinax. The outcome was that Didius won the auction and thereby received the support of the Praetorian guard.

It was at this point that three generals of large armies, were also anxious to be the next emperor. The power of Clodius Albinus, Pescennius Niger and Septimius Severus was well balanced, as each were at the head of 3 legions.  Clodius Albinus, at the head of the British army, was from noble birth. Pescennius Niger was of obscure birth, but rose to the lucrative position of governorship of Syria. He had the support of his domain to march on Rome in order to avenge the death of Pertinax. However, it was Septimius Severus, a native of Africa and governor of Pannonia and Dalmatia, who had the strongest army and strongest resolve to succeed, which indeed he did.

Having betrayed the empire and their emperor once, Severus opened up the Praetorian guard to the best and most loyal soldiers from the whole empire. The Praetorian Prefect, Plautianus, gained power, but eventually had to be put to death as his power grew too much.