Emperors, Murdered by the Praetorian Guard
Caligula - stabbed to death by the Praetorian Guard. They later killed his wife Caesonia (details are given in the previous posts) and his infant daughter (smashing her head against a wall) for good measure.
His death is very similar to that of Julius Caesar. Both were stabbed 30 times by conspirators, both assassination were led by a man named Cassius (Cassius Longinus and Cassius Chaerea).
Galba - Praetorians, discontented by some of Galba's policies, adopted Salvius Otho as their Emperor. Although physically very weak at the time, Galba set out to meet the rebels. He was stabbed to death by the Praetorians; when he saw they want to murder him, he reportedly exposed his neck, saying "Strike, if it be for the good of the Romans". So many people wanted to win Salvius Otho's favour, that more than 120 people claimed the credit for killing Galba. When Vitellius became Emperor, he acquired the list of names of those 120 and every one of them were executed.
Vitellius – Vespasian started a rebellion against the hugely unpopular Vitellius, who agreed to abdicate. However, the Praetorian Guards forced him to return to the palace, when he was on his way to deposit the insignia of Empire. He was stabbed to death; his body was thrown into the Tiber and his dead paraded around Rome.
Pertinax - one of the Emperors during the Year of Four Emperors, his reign lasted only 85 days. The exact reasons why the Praetorian Guard decided to kill him are, however some historians suggest that they had received only half of their promised pay. Some 300 Praetorian soldiers arrived at his house, his personal guard didn't try to stop them (and being so few, they could hardly manage to). Pertinax was advised to flee but chose to try and reason with the guards. He was stabbed to death during his 'reasoning speech'.
It is said that when Pertinax became an Emperor, he refused to grant his wife or son any Imperial titles, for he knew only too well "what comes with the purple". His wife and son were spared, probably because of that decision.
Didius Julianus - After Pertinax's murder, the Praetorians didn't want to take chances with their pay, so they simply sold the Throne to the highest bidder (literally); Didius Julianus offered 25,000 sesterces to every soldier. Since he was backed by the Praetorian Guard, the Senate had little choice but to accept him as Emperor. The public didn't like the 'auction' very much though and wherever Julianus appeared, he was saluted with groans and shouts of 'robber and parricide' and had stones thrown at him. Generals in different parts of the Empire refused to recognize his authority. One of them, Severus progressed towards Rome and defeated the small group of Praetorian Guards, sent to halt his progress (it should be noted that while Severus commanded some of the best soldiers of the Empire, the Praetorian Guards didn't know active service for many years, were undisciplined and lacked able commanders). Julianus offered to share the Empire with Severus but the offer was refused. The Praetorians, sensing danger, made a pact with Severus and the Senate; they named the actual murders of Pertinax and abandoned Julianus. In return, they were promised they wouldn't suffer any punishment. The Senate proclaimed Severus Emperor, awarded divine honours to Pertinax and sentenced Julianus to death. Julianus was killed by one of the Praetorian Guards, 3rd month into his reign.
The irony is that Julianus had actually nothing to do with Pertinax's murder, was an amiable and generally good-natured man, whose only crime was to try and buy the Empire. His last words were supposed to be "But what evil have I done? Whom have I killed?"
Caracalla - Edward Gibbon would later write of this Emperor that he was 'the enemy of all mankind, who travelled from province to province so that each could experience his cruelty and rapine'. He was the son of Emperor Severus and succeeded him as an Emperor. He was killed by a Praetorian Guard; although hugely unpopular, the reasons for his murder was not political; the brother of the guard who killed him had been executed days earlier by Caracalla on an unproven charge. The guard was also resentful at not being promoted to the rank of centurion. However, there is also strong evidence to suggest that Caracalla died as a result of conspiracy and that the Praetorian Prefect of the Guard, Macrinus, who succeeded him as Emperor was part of it.
Elagabalus - Elagabalus' eccentricities increasingly infuriated the soldiers of the Praetorian Guard. To try and make peace with the Praetorians, Elagabalus names his cousin, Severus Alexander, as his heir, bestowed him the title of Caesar an shared the consulship with him. Severus Alexander, despite being only 13, was immensely popular with the Praetorians. Some time later Elagabalus suspected he was a little too popular, so he spread the rumour that Severus Alexander was dying, to see how the Praetorians would react. A riot ensued and the guards demanded to see Severus Alexander. When Elagabalus and Severus Alexander arrived at the camp, the latter was cheered, while the former was totally ignored. Enraged, Elagabalus ordered the execution of everyone, who had taken part in the riot. He was very unwise to give the order in front of the Praetorians, who immediately attacked him; he tried to escape in a chest but was found and slain. Elagabalus was only 18 at the time. A damnatio memoriae was decreed upon him.
Balbinus and Pupienus - Although Romans thought they saw the worse during the Year of the Four Emperors, they were yet to see the Year of Six Emperors - Balbinus, Pupienus, Maximinus, Gordian I, Gordian II and Gordian III.
Balbinus was one of the six Emperors of 238 (a joint Emperor with Pupienus, actually). He was in his 70's when he became an Emperor; he was in his 70's when he died too, for his reign lasted less than 4 months. When Gordian I and Gordian II (father and son) were proclaimed Emperors in Africa, the Senate, in turn, chose their own Emperors and appointed Balbinus and Pupienus co-Emperors. A quarrel of influences emerged between Balbinus and Pupienus. The Praetorian Guard solved the question with their favourite method; they simply assassinated both n the Imperial Palace.
Maximinus was killed before them (by Pupienus), Gordian I, Gordian II and Gordian III would join them shortly afterwards.
Gordian I and Gordian II - although neither were actually killed by the Praetorian Guard, the Praetorians certainly contributed to their deaths. Gordian II was killed in a battle, abandoned by his guards. Gordian I took his own life after the death of his son, again abandoned by his guards. Although they 'reigned' for some 60 days, they were not unpopular; both were proclaimed Emperors after Maximinus Thrax killed Emperor Alexander Severus and assumed the throne. Maximinus Thrax was hugely unpopular and both Gordians campaigned against him (although it was another of the Emperors - Pupienus, who actually defeated and killed Maximinus). However, they had to command untrained soldiers and had little success in the military field, which eventually led to deep dissatisfaction among the Praetorians, who effectively abandoned them. That, in turn, led to their deaths. Gordian I's grandson and Gordian II's cousin, Gordian III (the son of Antonia Gordiana) succeeded them as Emperor (all in less than a year's time)
Gordian III - Gordian III was 13 when he became an Emperor. He was 19 when he died. The actual Ruling was done by Gordian's father-in-law, praetorian prefect Timesitheus. When Shapur I of Persia invaded Mesopotamia, Timesitheus and Gordian led a successful campaign against Persian King. The campaign came to abrupt halt after Timesitheus death (although reasons of his death are unknown, it is almost certain he was murdered by Marcus Julius Philippus, better known as Philip the Arab, who succeeded him as praetorian prefect). Philip the Arab didn't manage to lead a successful campaign and the Romans suffered a heavy defeat in the Battle of Misiche. Gordian died following the battle, but not on the battlefield or from wounds sustained during the battle. It is almost certain that he was murdered by Philip the Arab, or more probably, by Praetorian Guards sent by Philip the Arab, who succeeded him as Emperor.
Despite his young age, Gordian was immensely popular with the Romans; the Senate, in order to appease the population and settle down riots that started in Gordian's name, deified the late Emperor (despite strong opposition from Philip the Arab).
Aurelian - Aurelian was certainly one of the most able Emperors Rome ever had. He was, however, extremely strict and severely punished corrupt officials and soldiers. One of Aurelian's minor secretaries had told a lie on an insignificant issue. Afraid of punishment, he forged a document listing the names of high and important officials marked by the Emperor for execution. The high-ranking officers of the Praetorian Guard, fearing for their lives, murdered him during Aurelian's campaign against the Persians.
Probus - During one of Probus's eastern campaigns, he learnt that Marcus Aurelius Carus, commander of the Praetorian Guard, had been proclaimed Emperor. Probus sent troops against the new Emperor, however the troops changed sides and supported Marcus Aurelius Carus. The Praetorian Guards that remained with Probus assassinated him and joined Marcus Aurelius as well.
Nero - although Nero committed a suicide, he only decided to do so after the Praetorian Guard abandoned him and he was effectively left defenceless. His death marked the beginning of the Year of the Four Emperors.
