The Day Rome Was Sold to the Highest Bidder

In AD 193, Rome's Praetorian Guard murdered an emperor and then took bids for the throne. The winner, Didius Julianus, paid a fortune and ruled for just sixty-six days. Mina follows the story from the murder of Pertinax to the bidding war outside the Praetorian camp, and then to the march of Septimius Severus. Every claim is tagged on screen as DOCUMENTED, LIKELY, or DEBATED, because much of this story comes from one hostile eyewitness. Sources and further reading: Cassius Dio, Roman History (the main eyewitness account) Herodian, History of the Roman Empire, Book 2 Livius.org, "Didius Julianus" by Jona Lendering University of Nottingham, Mint Imperials blog on Didius Julianus Edward Watts, essay on Julianus at Zocalo Public Square Subscribe for more true stories from the ancient world. #AncientRome #RomanEmperors #HistoryExplained