Didius Julianus

Didius Julianus ( Marcus Didius Severus Iulianus ) (133 or 137 - 193) was Roman Emperor March 28th with the June 2nd 193.

A honourable senatorial career

Wire of Quintus Petronius Didius Julianus and Aemilia Clara, noble family of Milan, her birth date varies according to the sources: January 30th 133 according to Dion Cassius and February 2nd 137 according to the History Auguste. Its short reign is also presented to us by Hérodien. Its life before its accession with the capacity is especially known to us by the anonymous collection of the Histoire Auguste with sometimes suspect information. The latter here is rather often confirmed by the Latin inscriptions and archeology. Raised by Domitia Lucilla, mother of Marc Aurèle, it becomes Consul in 175 after rather notable beginnings of careers.

Protected from the mother of Marc Aurèle then of Marc Aurèle him even, it carried out missions in Achaïe then in Africa, the latter under the direction of his relative the prestigious African lawyer Salvius Iulianus. It directed then the Legio XXII Primigenia, legion located at Mogontiacum in Germanie higher before carrying out a long government of Belgium. It then had to organize the defense of its province against the attack of the Chauques, Germains carrying out a raid along the coasts of the North Sea. This defense was impromptu, Belgium not having then military troops in permanent garrison. The excavations of the camp of Maldegem, towards Bruges recently released and dated what is one of the Roman camps related to this operation. Archaeological traces of destruction were sometimes brought closer to this attack of Chauques, but to manner less some.

The consulate rewarded in 175 these actions, before one entrusts to Didius Iulianus the governments of Dalmatie, Germanie lower then Bridge-Bithynie. The beginning of the reign of Convenient and consecutive repression with the conspiracy of Lucilla, however involved for him a disgrace. It moved away from the public life and took refuge in its properties of Milan.

A seizure of power disputed and short

When the emperor Pertinax is assassinated by the Praetorian Garde Didius Julianus, pushed by its close relations, the throne asserts. It goes to the camp the Praetorian ones, but runs up against the father-in-law of Pertinax, Titus Flavius Sulpicianus, which asserts also the empire. The Praetorian ones push each of the two applicants then to be raised on their future benefits. Julianus carries it while promising with each soldier guard 25.000 Sesterce S. This episode was regarded thereafter as particularly ashamed, the empire appearing to be put with the biddings by its soldiers. The Senate, threatened by the soldiers, appoints it emperor, and his wife and her daughter receive the title of “Auguste”.

Quickly Julianus appears very unpopular, and crowd decries it when it is presented to the circus. Three generals (Pescennius Niger in Syria, Clodius Albinus in Great Britain and Severe Septime in Pannonia) enter quickly in rebellion. Septime Sévère goes on Rome, reverses it and the fact of decapitating. Then it dissolves the Praetorian guard and makes carry out the assassins of Pertinax. A civil war follows which lasts until in 197.

Currencies

The currencies struck in Rome during the short reign of Julianus enable us to have his portrait (fig. 1). The political messages that they convey are rather ordinary. Julianus proclaims there the Master of the world ( rector orbis ). This set of themes is found in the figure of the goddess Fortuna , who directs the terrestrial sphere of a hand holding a oar-rudder and holds the horn of plenty of the other (fig. 2). This figure also means that the come to power of Julianus is the result of the divine will while being a pledge of prosperity for all the empire. Its wife, Manlia Scantilla, and his/her daughter, Didia Clara, was associated on its currencies with the goddess Junon queen and the joy of time present, that its reign was to bring. It celebrated also the harmony of the armies ( concordia militum ), but that is not enough to rejoin the provincial legions to him.

Successive names

133 or 137, is born Marcus Didius Severus Iulianus
Mars 193, reaches the Empire: Imperator Caesar Marcus Didius Severus Julianus Augustus
June 193, titulature with its death: Imperator Caesar Marcus Didius Severus Julianus Augustus, Tribuniciae Potestatis I, Imperator I, Consul I, Lord's Prayer Patriae

References

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