Detail mince: THE ROMAN IMPERIAL PERIOD Didius Julianus, 193 AD, AV-Aureus, Rome

ROMAN COINS COINS OF THE ROMAN IMPERIAL PERIOD

Didius Julianus, 193 AD, AV-Aureus, Rome; 6.78 g. Head right with laurel wreath // Fortuna standing left with rudder and scepter. BMC 4; Calico 2395; Coh. 8; RIC 2 a; Woodward Pl. VI, 6. RR, scratch on the reverse, nearly extremely fine (fast vorzüglich), rare Ex. Künker Auction 243, lot no. 4934. This specimen is also illustrated in the specialized publication Gold Coins of the World, 10th edition by Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg.

Didius Julianus was born into a wealthy and influential family, the gens Didia, and carved out a successful career of his own under Marcus Aurelius and Commodus. When the last Antonine emperor was murdered on December 31, 192, Didius held the important office of proconsul of Africa Proconsularis. Passed over at first when Pertinax succeeded to the throne, Didius's time came when the former was murdered by the Praetorian Guard on March 28. In a scandalous procedure, the throne was subsequently auctioned off to the highest bidder, with Didius and his rival Titus Flavius Sulpicianus, the praefectus urbi and father-in-law of Pertinax, outdoing each other by offering the soldiers more and more money. This new low in Roman politics finally ended when Didius, one of the richest men of his time, offered each Praetorian a staggering 25,000 sestertii—an amount so absurd that Titus could not match it. However, the shameful sale of the empire by the imperial guard led to the revolt of no fewer than three important generals: Clodius Albinus, Septimius Severus, and Pescennius Niger, although their quick reaction suggests that the uprisings had been prepared in advance. In any case, Didius's days were numbered. Septimius marched on Rome soon after, and Didius was killed on the Senate's command on June 2, 193.

If interested, please contact us at
info@numfil.com