The fall of Commodus brought civil war back to the Roman World. In a single year, five men were hailed as emperor: Pertinax, Julianus, Niger, Albinus, and Severus. All but one met violent ends. Two died in Rome, one died trying to escape from Antioch, and one took his own life as his enemies streamed into Lugdunum.

The sole survivor of these wars will found a new dynasty and lurch Rome toward military dictatorship.