What caused the Year of the Five Emperors?

The Year of the Five Emperors in 193 CE was a period of intense Roman civil war sparked by the assassination of Emperor Commodus on New Year's Eve 192. This murder abruptly ended the Nerva-Antonine dynasty and triggered a power struggle as five different men claimed the title of Roman emperor. The chaos ultimately culminated in the rise of Septimius Severus, who founded the Severan dynasty after defeating his rivals.

What we know

• The political unrest and civil war of 193 CE began with the murder of Emperor Commodus on New Year's Eve, which also brought an end to the Nerva-Antonine dynasty. [2, 3]
• The five men who claimed the title of Roman emperor during this year of civil war were Pertinax, Didius Julianus, Pescennius Niger, Clodius Albinus, and Septimius Severus. [1, 2]
• Didius Julianus purchased the imperial title from the Praetorian Guard after they assassinated Pertinax, who had only lasted three months before inciting mutiny with reforms. [2]
• Septimius Severus secured his position by defeating Pescennius Niger at the Battle of Issus and later defeating Clodius Albinus at the Battle of Lugdunum. [2]

Still open

• Historians debate whether to count both Septimius Severus and Clodius Albinus as two separate emperors despite their simultaneous rule.

Where to go next

• what caused itWho were the emperors of the Nerva-Antonine dynasty?
• what followedHow did the Severan dynasty emerge from the chaos of 193 CE?
• how it workedHow did Didius Julianus purchase the imperial throne?
• compared withWhat happened during the earlier Year of the Four Emperors?
• the bigger pictureWhat events characterized the Year of the Six Emperors?
• an unexpected connectionHow does the Roman practice of adoption connect dynasties to civil wars?The breakdown of imperial succession norms, such as the previous reliance on adoption during the Nerva-Antonine dynasty, directly precipitated the violent power vacuums filled during turbulent civil war years.

Sources

• [1]Year of the Five Emperors (Wikidata Q243721) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Year of the Five Emperors · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Nerva–Antonine dynasty · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Year of the Four Emperors · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Year of the Six Emperors · CC BY-SA 4.0