260
Pertinax-DIDIUS julianus.
devoted to the good of the state. The people rejoiced at his
proclamation, but some of the senators were displeased at it,
because he did not belong to the high nobility; and the
soldiers agreed, to his elevation only with reluctance.
LECTURE CXXIII.
Pertinax, who had been proclaimed in the beginning of
January, was murdered towards the end of March, A.D. 193 1.
Now the common account is, that after his death, the praeto-
rians offered the imperial dignity for sale to the highest bidder ;
but this is probably an exaggeration or misrepresentation. I
cannot believe that Sulpicianus, the praefect of the city, and
Didius Salvius Julianus bid against one another as at an
auction. It is a well known fact, that every sovereign on his
accession gave donatives to the praetorians to secure their
favour; and I have not the least doubt that the bargain in
this case was about the donative, and it is quite natural that
the amount of the donative decided the issue. Sulpicianus,
who was in the camp, addressed the soldiers at its gate; and
Julianus did the same at the gates of the city: the former
offered a donative of 20,000, and the latter of 25,000 ses-
terces to every praetorian ; and Didius Julianusivasaccordingly
proclaimed emperor by the praetorians after they had opened
the gates to him.- Julianus here acted a part more
miserable than his character would lead one to expect: his
prospects of ascending the throne were as good as those of
many others, and he was innocent of the death of Pertinax;
but although himself a very rich and vain man, he made use
of the treasures of the state to purchase the empire. He had
been governor of Dalmatia, his administration of which had
had not disgraced him, and in general we cannot say much
against his personal character: but he now called forth the
general indignation by attaching himself to the praetorians,
the murderers of Pertinax, and by thus betraying to them
ɪ J. Capitolin. Pert⅛αj?; Herodian, ii. 1, foil.; Diou Cass. Ixxiii. 1, foil.
9 Dion Cass. Ixxiii. 11 ; Spartian. Did. Julian. 3.
CLODIUS ALBINUS.
261
the secret of their power and of the weakness of the govern-
ment. In other respects, the charges that are made against
his character are of a vague and general nature; but his
history in Dion Cassius is unfortunately much mutilated. He-
rodian, who relates the events of this time, was a foreigner
and a superficial rhetorician. Most of the particulars of
Julianus' reign, some of which are of great importance, are
contained in the “ Historia Augusta,” which is otherwise
wretched beyond all conception. I can, however, refer you
to Gibbon for the history of this and the subsequent periods,
although there are some points in the “ Historia Augusta”
which even Gibbon has overlooked.
Clodius Albinus, the commander of the legions in Britain,
had been ill disposed towards Commodus, although Commodus
had proposed to him to adopt the title of Cæsar, if he should
think it necessary to keep the troops in order : but Albinus
had declined doing what he thought to be a mere trap set for
him by the tyrant.3 Even before the death of Commodus,
however, he seems to have secured himself through the army,
in case any attempt should be made against him. When
Pertinax was raised to the throne, Albinus assumed a neutral
conduct, for he declared neither for nor against him. After
the death of Pertinax, the British and Gallic legions attached
themselves to him, and proclaimed him emperor. About the
same time the legions in the East proclaimed Pescennius Niger;
and a third general, L. Septimius Severus, was proclaimed
emperor by the legions in Germany and Pannonia. The senate
was, on the whole, favourable to Albinus; the people and
some of the senators, to Pescennius Niger; whereas Severus
had comparatively few supporters at Rome. To Didius Julianus,
or his cause, no one was attached; and the senate could not
bear him, because he had made himself dependent upon the
praetorians. Pescennius Niger could not advance, and lost
time in making preparations, for Septimius Severus was in his
way and acted with indefatigable energy, so that he arrived at
Terni about three months after the death of Pertinax. No
one drew his sword in the defence of Didius Julianus, and
even the praetorians, when Severus approached, shewed
scarcely any inclination to defend the emperor of their own
3 J Capitolin. Clod. Albmiis, 2, foil.