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In the previous article, we tackled Philosopher Marcus Aurelius Caesar, in whose days many disasters occurred. He had persecuted Christians, yet he later changed his attitude towards them and recommended to treat them well. His son Commodus Caesar succeeded him, yet the people rejoiced greatly at his death for he had been a violent bloodthirsty. Then followed, three emperors who assumed the power in one year – 193 AD.
Pertinax Caesar (Three Months – 193 AD)
It was agreed to appoint Pertinax Caesar ruler of the country, he had been a Latin Language teacher, then he joined the military regularly and was known for his skill in wars, until he became a military group commander, and a member of the Roman Senate.
Historians described him to be a forbearing, a meek and a just ruler for his people, and he tried to get closer to his flock and to please them. He cared about science and knowledge, worked on managing the country affairs in a good way to raise its status. He was firm regarding the financial matters, tending to rationalize expenses. The princes who used to receive large sums of money from the Treasury were harmed by his pursued methodology, they were fed up with him and his rationalizing policy, so they rose against him, besieged him and killed him, ending his three month rule period!
Didius Julian Caesar (Two Months – 193 AD)
After the death of Pertinax Caesar, the Guard Forces announced that they would place the crown on the head of the Roman man, who would pay them the highest price in a bid for the throne! Indeed, the Royal throne was put up for an auction. One of the historians said, “Several people cried at the commons that the Roman kingdom is in the auction, and whoever pays more would assume the power.” The throne went to Didius Julian Caesar after bidding for the auction against the father-in-law of the former Caesar Pertinax, Didius paid 6250 Drachmas per each Roman head; while his competitor bid with 5000 Drachmas only. And thus, Didius became the Caesar of Rome!
After assuming the power, he walked in a procession to the royal palace, but the people were furious at him due to the incomparable humiliation of his ruling story. A little while later, fierce sedition, that was about to throw the empire into shreds and disperses, broke out in the country. Thus, the country remained in distressful conditions, especially after the military groups deployed at the Empire’s borders rebelled against the princes of Rome as they did not receive the bidding money as their counterparts; each group proclaimed its own commander a Caesar of the country! Meanwhile, Didius was in Rome enjoying the manifestations of his new position indifferent to the threat of the strife that lurks for the country. The members of the Roman Senate could do nothing except charging him with treason and sentencing him to death. He was executed only two months after assuming the power of Rome.
In Egypt, Didius Julian Caesar was not acknowledged as an emperor; no coins were struck in his name by Alexandria Mint – which had previously struck coins in the name of Pertinax, his wife and his son. Also Didius Julian’s name had not been kept in Egyptian history documents. His successor was Severus Caesar and thus, the year 193 AD bore witness to three Caesars who ruled over Rome.
Severus Caesar (193 – 211 AD)
During the events of Didius’ death, Severus was outside Rome, and his soldiers had proclaimed him a Caesar. He entered Rome with a great army that brought terror to the hearts of the Roman Senate members, who had no other options save felicitating him for assuming power. Upon his entry to Rome, he declared in the Senate that he would rule justly, and he walked in a procession to the palace. Severus Caesar had tended from his childhood to play the role of judges and rulers with his friends. He used to gather his friends, having them standing in a row before him, and imagine a case in which he acts as the judge or the ruler of the country. But when the game became real, he became a tyrant ruler!
The first decision he took was to layoff the Royal Guard who had killed Pertinax Caesar, and to punish the instigators of the strife. Yet he attempted to get rid of two archenemies whom he deemed to be his most dangerous competitors; they are Niger and Albinus. He realized that he couldn’t face his two enemies together, so he made one of them, Albinus, participate with him in ruling, while he sought to consume Niger first as he was the most dangerous.
Niger was the commander of the armies of Syria, Egypt, and the Empire’s countries in the east. He was much beloved by his soldiers, and was greatly popular in Egypt that the Egyptians considered him their king. When he entered Alexandria, he was warmly received by its people, that the door of Alexandria city was labeled – as per the historians – “Niger, the lord and owner of this city”!
The Caesar chased Niger in Egypt, yet he fled from him, then he appointed governor for Alexandria among the members of the Roman Senate, and thus, he was the first emperor to violate the law put by August Caesar, which disallowed any of the Roman Senate members to rule Egypt, and even to stay there without his permission. Caesar pursued after Niger again, and finally defeated and killed him, ending the life of his chief enemy, and beginning a conflict with Albinus, his other enemy.
Albinus was the commander of British troops. During his shared period of rule with Severus Caesar, he managed to gain the respect of the Roman Senate members because of his political eloquence; they supported him secretly against the Caesar. Finally, confrontation was obligatory; Severus attacked Commander Albinus, their two armies faced each other in the city of Lyon, France and engaged in a fierce fighting, which ended with the defeated of Commander Albinus’ armies. He killed himself so as not to be captured by his enemy. The Caesar returned victoriously to Rome and gave vent to his anger because of the support given by the Roman Senate to Commander Albinus; he shed much blood, and exiled many, which terrified the people of what was happening.
After issued had been settled, he wanted to subjugate the eastern countries under his rule; he led his armies to Constantinople and besieged it for a long period up to three years until he managed to defeat it; he looted and destroyed the city. At the same time, he was fighting against the English – who excelled him – and he went to them leading great armies, but he was defeated and a great sedition broke out against him within the army. The army at the time was commanded by his eldest son, Bassianus Caracalla, who tried to kill his father as he had led the armies to death, but he failed. Severus was impacted by his son’s deed and died of rage. His son, Caracalla succeeded him in power.
Bassianus Caracalla Caesar (211 – 217 AD)
Before his death, Severus Caesar had his two sons; Bassianus Caracalla and Septimius Geta rule with him, after his death, they both began to share the ruling together, until Caracalla got rid of his brother – when he was informed about Geta’s unsuccessful attempt to poison him – through persuading his supporters to murder Geta in the hands of his mother! Caracalla fled to the camp of the Praetorian Guard to avoid being suspected as his brother’s murderer and due to his fear from those who murdered his brother. A great sedition broke out against him due to his brother’s assassination, so he made a statue for his brother, proclaiming him a god – as usually done by the Romans – in order for the issued to be settled.
At the beginning of his rule, people thought Caracalla would be the best ruler for them, as they knew he had acted kindly to the flock and had rejected his father’s brutal acts. However, after assuming power, he turned to the quiet opposite; after killing his brother, he embarked on a series of assassinations and bloodshed, that the number of his murdered people reached twenty thousands, as recounted by historians. Out of the excessive blood he shed, he was chased by disturbing nightmares in which he dreamt of his father and brother avenging from him, so he abstained to sleep well.
He was so obsessed that he wanted to emulate Alexander the Great in all his works, clothing, food, drink, and even the empire expanding campaigns! But he faced many defeats, and returned after he suffered significant losses of soldiers and money without much benefit. Egypt has suffered many hardships in his days, as he heard that the people of Alexandria describe him with obsession and stupidity; so he killed them pitilessly and mercilessly.
As his wars ended with defeats, his soldiers rose against him and killed him, ending his ruling period, which is only added to the periods of the Roman State humility and degeneration…and… Stories about Egypt never end!
The General Bishop
Head of Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
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