115: Rome. Didius Julianus, March 28 to about mid-June 
Closed at:US $70,000.00

i-lgoldbergcoinsandcollectibles

Rome. Didius Julianus, March 28 to about mid-June 193 AD. Gold 
Aureus (6.65 g), Rome mint. Laureate and draped bust of Didius 
Julianus right. Reverse: Togate Didius Julianus stands left, 
holding globe and roll; RECTOR ORBIS. Fr-362; RIC 3; C. 14; 
BMCRE 7; Calicó 2399. An excellent portrait in the best style 
of the period, struck in high relief. A wonderful example of 
this historical and very rare gold piece. NGC graded Choice 
About Uncirculated. 

The reign of Didius Julianus ranks among the shortest of all 
of Rome's ephemeral emperors, but his story is nevertheless 
the most singular in the annals of the Empire. He remains as 
the only wearer of the imperial purple to have purchased 
outright his way to the throne.

His predecessor, Pertinax, had, rather like Galba over a 
hundred years earlier, tried to reform too quickly the 
corruption and dissolution that had seriously infected the 
throne and the highest levels of government and military under 
the increasingly deranged tyranny of Commodus. After several 
attempted coups, Pertinax finally fell victim to a revolt by 
the Praetorian Guards on the 86th day of his reign. 

In the chaos following his assassination two persons of 
stature approached the Praetorians (who envisioned themselves 
more and more the "king makers" with regard to the throne) to 
seek the position of the next emperor. Earliest was Flavius 
Sulpicianus, the father-in-law of Pertinax, who made an 
immediate appeal for his being chosen, but who found suddenly 
that he was in competition with one senator, Didius Julianus, 
one of the wealthiest men in Rome. What initially may have 
been a plan of flattery and simple bribery on the part of 
Sulpicianus escalated so that the two, caught up in the 
moment, began a bidding war against each other with the 
Praetorians in order to secure their vote. Julianus won, with 
a final offer of 25,000 sestertii per guard.

Drunk with their power and b linded by their promised 
windfall, the Guards escorted Julianus to the senate house 
where the terrified senators had no choice but to ratify his 
new position. If the senators' fear at the time was great, 
even greater was the rage of the public at this shameful state 
of affairs. They promptly sent out deputations to the frontier 
commanders requesting them to free them from the "tyranny" of 
Didius Julianus and the Praetorian Guards. Since the leading 
commanders had all been comrades-in-arms with Pertinax, they 
were eager to avenge his murder (along with being equally 
mindful of the opportunity of perhaps seizing the title of 
Augustus). Thus began the civil war, which would last until 
195.

General Septimius Severus had the upper hand, being the 
closest to Rome, along with having three regiments under his 
control. He promptly began a forced march to the city. 
Julianus realized he was doomed. To forestall the inevitable, 
he sent assassins to hopefully intervene ag ainst Severus, 
while at the same time offering to share power with him. 

As Severus and his legions neared Rome, and hoping to avoid 
serious bloodshed, Severus put forth a generous offer to the 
Praetorians: immunity would be given to the whole of the Guard 
if they turned over those few individuals who were actually 
responsible for the death of Pertinax. Since the Guard had yet 
to receive their largesse from Julianus, they quickly 
acquiesced and notified the Senate of their decision. The 
Senate then promptly deified the late Pertinax, condemned 
Julianus as a criminal, and declared Septimius Severus the new 
emperor. Whatever giddy visions Julianus had of himself as 
ruler were cut short. On the 1st or 2nd of June, he was 
captured and beheaded like a common criminal. 
Estimated Value $35,000 - 40,000. 
Ex Gorny & Mosch, Auction 71 (March 1995), lot 698. 
Illustrated in Money of the World, coin 47. 

Our item number 115769

 
 




Images & text re-used by permission, courtesy of Ira & Larry Goldberg Auctioneers, Beverly Hills, CA