Editing Didius Julianus (section)

=== Reign and opposition ===

[[File:Dupondius-Didius Julianus-RIC 0012 (obverse).jpg|left|200px|thumb|Coin of Julianus. Inscription: CAES. M. DIDI. IVLIAN. AVG.]]

Upon his accession, Julianus immediately reversed Pertinax's monetary reforms by devaluing the [[Roman currency]].<ref>{{cite news|author = Vicki Leon | title = Friends, donors and countrymen | newspaper = Los Angeles Times | access-date = 24 August 2014 |url = https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-leon-ancient-campaign-finance-20140825-story.html}}</ref> Pertinax had increased the silver content of the denarius to 87%, whereas Didius Julianus ordered it reduced to 75%, nearly the adulterated amount that was present during the reign of Commodus. Because Julianus bought his position rather than acquiring it conventionally through succession or conquest, he was a deeply unpopular emperor.<ref>Cassius Dio, lxxiv, 13.2–5; Historia Augusta, ''Didius Julianus'', 4.2–7; Herodian, ii.7.3.</ref> When Julianus appeared in public, he frequently was greeted with groans and shouts of "robber and parricide".<ref>Cassius Dio, lxxiv, 13.3.</ref> Once, a mob even obstructed his progress to the [[Capitoline Hill|Capitol]] by pelting him with large stones.<ref>Historia Augusta, ''Didius Julianus'', 4.2, 4.4.</ref> When news of the public anger in Rome spread across the Empire, three influential generals, [[Pescennius Niger]] in [[Syria (Roman province)|Syria]], [[Septimius Severus]] in [[Pannonia]], and [[Clodius Albinus]] in [[Roman Britain|Britain]], each able to muster three [[Roman legion|legions]], rebelled. They refused to accept Julianus' authority as emperor and instead each declared himself emperor.<ref>Cassius Dio, lxxiv, 14.3–4; Historia Augusta, ''Didius Julianus'', 5.1–2.</ref> Julianus declared Severus a public enemy because he was the nearest of the three to Rome, making him the most dangerous foe.<ref>Historia Augusta, ''Didius Julianus'', 5.3; ''Septimius Severus'', 5.5.</ref> Julianus sent senators to persuade Severus' legionaries to abandon him,<ref>Historia Augusta, ''Septimius Severus'', 5.5.</ref> a new general was nominated to replace him, and a [[centurion]] dispatched to take Severus' life.<ref>Historia Augusta, ''Didius Julianus'', 5.4–8.</ref>
[[File:Didius Julianus (cropped) - Residenz Museum - Munich.jpg|thumb|230x230px|bust of Didius Julianus]]
The [[Praetorian Guard]] had rarely fought in field battles, so Julianus marched them into the [[Campus Martius]] and drilled the guard in the construction of fortifications and field works.<ref>Cassius Dio, lxxiv, 16.1–2; Historia Augusta, ''Didius Julianus'', 5.9; Herodian, ii.11.9.</ref> Despite this training, the Praetorian Guard was still undertrained compared to the field legionaries of Severus. Severus first secured the support of Albinus, declaring him [[Caesar (title)|Caesar]],<ref>Cassius Dio, lxxiv, 15.1–2.</ref> and then seized [[Ravenna]] and its fleet.<ref>Cassius Dio, lxxiv, 16.5; Historia Augusta, ''Didius Julianus'', 6.3.</ref> Severus killed [[Tullius Crispinus]], the [[Praetorian prefect]], who was sent to negotiate with Severus and slow his march on Rome,<ref>Historia Augusta, ''Didius Julianus'', 6.4.</ref> and won over to his cause the ambassadors sent to turn his troops.<ref>Cassius Dio, lxxiv, 17.1; Historia Augusta, ''Septimius Severus'', 5.6.</ref><ref name = livius>{{cite web |url = https://www.livius.org/articles/person/didius-julianus/didius-julianus-2/ | publisher = Livius.org |access-date = 31 March 2019 |title = Didius Julianus}}</ref> [[Cassius Dio]] maintained that the Praetorian Guard tried to fight back, but were crushed,<ref>Cassius Dio, lxxiv, 16.3.</ref> while modern historians believe that the Praetorian Guard simply abandoned Julianus, deserting ''en masse''.<ref name = livius/>{{Better source needed|reason=livius org does not give authorship, and the sources listed are Dio & other ancient historans. Claims there is general consensus on this is false.|date=March 2023}}

Julianus attempted to negotiate with Severus, offering to share the empire with his rival,<ref>Cassius Dio, lxxiv, 17.2; Historia Augusta, ''Didius Julianus'', 6.9, ''Septimius Severus'', 5.7; Herodian, ii.12.3.</ref> but Severus ignored these overtures and pressed forward. As he marched, more and more cities in Italy supported his claim to the throne.<ref>Herodian, ii.11.6.</ref> The remnants of the Praetorian Guard received pardons from Severus in exchange for surrendering the actual murderers of Pertinax. After seizing the ringleaders and killing them, the soldiers reported what they had done to [[Marcus Silius Messala]], the consul, who summoned the senate to inform them of the proceedings.<ref>Cassius Dio, lxxiv, 17.3.</ref> The Senate passed a motion proclaiming Severus emperor, awarded divine honours to Pertinax, and sentenced Julianus to death.<ref>Cassius Dio, lxxiv, 17.4; Historia Augusta, ''Didius Julianus'', 8.7; Herodian, ii.12.6.</ref> Julianus was deserted by all except one of the prefects and his son-in-law, [[Cornelius Repentinus]].<ref>Historia Augusta, ''Didius Julianus'', 8.6.</ref>