In the second century AD, the Roman Empire reached the zenith of its power but began to experience internal contradictions that would later prove fatal to the empire. The structure of the Roman state nominally retained the institutions of the old republic, but the process for the succession of power was lacking solid roots. The support of the imperial guard, known as the praetorian guard, became crucial for anyone seeking to claim the throne, a support that could be bought through generous financial rewards. In 193 AD, after the praetorians assassinated the Emperor Pertinax, they initiated a veritable auction for the throne, in which the senator Didius Julianus emerged victorious. However, this purchase of power was not recognized by several provincial governors, including Pescennius Niger in Syria, Clodius Albinus in Britain, and Septimius Severus in Pannonia, leading to a significant power struggle. These governors had control over their own legions, which became pivotal assets in the ensuing battle for authority, igniting a civil war across the empire. Septimius Severus, who was in the province closest to Italy, took the first decisive actions towards consolidating his power. The events of this power struggle marked a crucial turning point in Roman history as it set the stage for the eventual establishment of a new order in the empire and highlighted the fragility of imperial authority at that time. This era was characterized by military interference in politics, which would have lasting implications for the governance of Rome.