Curated playlist
2nd-century Roman emperors
- Year of the Five EmperorsFive men claimed the Roman throne in AD 193, and only one was still in power by year's end.
- CaracallaRoman emperor Caracalla was stabbed by a soldier while stopping to urinate on a road. He had turned 29 that very day.
- Septimius SeverusIn 193, soldiers at Carnuntum acclaimed Septimius Severus emperor after Rome's guard killed Pertinax.
- Marcus AureliusMarcus Aurelius wrote a private journal that sold 100,000 copies in 2019.
- Lucius VerusRome had its first two equal emperors in 161. Marcus Aurelius refused to rule unless Lucius Verus got equal powers.
- HadrianWhen Antinous drowned in the Nile, Emperor Hadrian wept, and then founded a city in his honor.
- TrajanTrajan, born in a small Spanish town without baths or a theater, became Rome's emperor.
- Antoninus PiusEmperor Antoninus Pius ruled Rome for 23 years and likely never came within 500 miles of a legion.
- CommodusRoman emperor Commodus was strangled in his bath by his own wrestling partner. He was thirty-one years old.
- Pescennius NigerCrowds in Rome begged Pescennius Niger to take the throne after it was sold at auction. He died within a year.
- Didius JulianusDidius Julianus became Roman emperor by shouting bids over a wall. The Praetorian Guard had put the throne up for sale.