Dr. Alex Imrie

And as he's not alone, there are a couple of other regional governors who are also proclaimed emperor at this point. We have Clodius Albinus in Britain, and we have Piscinius Niger in Syria, both at the head of multi-legion forces. But Severus being on the Danube frontier is physically the closest, and this allows him to perform what is effectively a lightning march on the capital.

And as he's not alone, there are a couple of other regional governors who are also proclaimed emperor at this point. We have Clodius Albinus in Britain, and we have Piscinius Niger in Syria, both at the head of multi-legion forces. But Severus being on the Danube frontier is physically the closest, and this allows him to perform what is effectively a lightning march on the capital.

And as he's not alone, there are a couple of other regional governors who are also proclaimed emperor at this point. We have Clodius Albinus in Britain, and we have Piscinius Niger in Syria, both at the head of multi-legion forces. But Severus being on the Danube frontier is physically the closest, and this allows him to perform what is effectively a lightning march on the capital.

And Dio and Herodian, the sources tend to agree that he meets very little resistance on the way. This is, on the one hand, a marker of maybe Julianus' rank unpopularity with pretty much everybody.

And Dio and Herodian, the sources tend to agree that he meets very little resistance on the way. This is, on the one hand, a marker of maybe Julianus' rank unpopularity with pretty much everybody.

And Dio and Herodian, the sources tend to agree that he meets very little resistance on the way. This is, on the one hand, a marker of maybe Julianus' rank unpopularity with pretty much everybody.

But it's also an indicator of just how much military force Severus has behind him on that frontier, being able to persuade not only his own legions, but a couple of neighboring governors to back his cause as well. There's very little to oppose him at this point, but his children are at risk. They could be taken hostage, I would imagine.

But it's also an indicator of just how much military force Severus has behind him on that frontier, being able to persuade not only his own legions, but a couple of neighboring governors to back his cause as well. There's very little to oppose him at this point, but his children are at risk. They could be taken hostage, I would imagine.

But it's also an indicator of just how much military force Severus has behind him on that frontier, being able to persuade not only his own legions, but a couple of neighboring governors to back his cause as well. There's very little to oppose him at this point, but his children are at risk. They could be taken hostage, I would imagine.

That would be the most likely outcome of events if Julianus had been able to take custody of them.

That would be the most likely outcome of events if Julianus had been able to take custody of them.

That would be the most likely outcome of events if Julianus had been able to take custody of them.

Severus is absolutely victorious over Darius Julianus in an extraordinarily short period. As I say, he marches from Pannonia, meets basically no resistance, enters into Rome. He receives the quick acclamation of the Senate. Julianus is cast away, he's declared a public enemy and is murdered in the imperial palace in relatively short order.

Severus is absolutely victorious over Darius Julianus in an extraordinarily short period. As I say, he marches from Pannonia, meets basically no resistance, enters into Rome. He receives the quick acclamation of the Senate. Julianus is cast away, he's declared a public enemy and is murdered in the imperial palace in relatively short order.

Severus is absolutely victorious over Darius Julianus in an extraordinarily short period. As I say, he marches from Pannonia, meets basically no resistance, enters into Rome. He receives the quick acclamation of the Senate. Julianus is cast away, he's declared a public enemy and is murdered in the imperial palace in relatively short order.

Then Severus has a successful march into the capital itself. Now it's interesting here that Dio and Herodian offer us slightly different takes on that. In one telling we have Severus marching in full armor, his army behind him, a very unsubtle image of imperial power projected.

Then Severus has a successful march into the capital itself. Now it's interesting here that Dio and Herodian offer us slightly different takes on that. In one telling we have Severus marching in full armor, his army behind him, a very unsubtle image of imperial power projected.

Then Severus has a successful march into the capital itself. Now it's interesting here that Dio and Herodian offer us slightly different takes on that. In one telling we have Severus marching in full armor, his army behind him, a very unsubtle image of imperial power projected.

But in another telling, he stops at the gates almost and then changes out of his armor into a toga and comes in in a very civil mode of introduction to the Roman capital. The reality is, though, the armies behind them in either case doesn't really matter what he's wearing. There is very little ambiguity about who or where the real power resides.

But in another telling, he stops at the gates almost and then changes out of his armor into a toga and comes in in a very civil mode of introduction to the Roman capital. The reality is, though, the armies behind them in either case doesn't really matter what he's wearing. There is very little ambiguity about who or where the real power resides.