The ''donativum'' (plural ''donativa'') was a gift of money by the
Roman emperors to the soldiers of the
Roman legion
The Roman legion (, ) was the largest military List of military legions, unit of the Roman army, composed of Roman citizenship, Roman citizens serving as legionary, legionaries. During the Roman Republic the manipular legion comprised 4,200 i ...
s or to the
Praetorian Guard
The Praetorian Guard (Latin language, Latin: ''cohortes praetoriae'') was the imperial guard of the Imperial Roman army that served various roles for the Roman emperor including being a bodyguard unit, counterintelligence, crowd control and ga ...
. The English translation is ''
donative''.
The purpose of the ''donativa'' varied. Some were expressions of gratitude for favors received, and others outright bribery for favours expected in return. ''Donativa'' were normally rendered at the beginning of each new emperor's reign. During the 2nd and 3rd centuries, that form of bribery became a crucial part of any successful ruler in Rome. Such was the case with many of the soldier-emperors from 235 to 248.
The Praetorian Guard, intimate to the emperor's person, was an even greater threat to security. The
cohorts stationed in Rome were difficult to appease and quick to assassinate. The ''donativum'' thus provided a significant way to purchase the Guard's support and loyalty.
Emperor
Augustus
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...
bequeathed the Praetorian Guard a substantial sum in his will, but it was not until the reign of
Tiberius
Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus ( ; 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37) was Roman emperor from AD 14 until 37. He succeeded his stepfather Augustus, the first Roman emperor. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC to Roman politician Tiberius Cl ...
that gifts of money were thought to be mandatory. The Praetorian Guard received such gifts for turning a blind eye when
Sejanus
Lucius Aelius Sejanus ( – 18 October AD 31), commonly known as Sejanus (), was a Roman soldier and confidant of the Roman Emperor Tiberius. Of the Equites class by birth, Sejanus rose to power as prefect of the Praetorian Guard, the imperia ...
, the
praetorian prefect
The praetorian prefect (; ) was a high office in the Roman Empire. Originating as the commander of the Praetorian Guard, the office gradually acquired extensive legal and administrative functions, with its holders becoming the Emperor's chief ai ...
, fell from power. Each Praetorian Guard received 10 gold pieces in return for not defending Sejanus.
In 41, after the assassination of
Caligula
Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (31 August 12 – 24 January 41), also called Gaius and Caligula (), was Roman emperor from AD 37 until his assassination in 41. He was the son of the Roman general Germanicus and Augustus' granddaughter Ag ...
, the Guard supported
Claudius
Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; ; 1 August 10 BC – 13 October AD 54), or Claudius, was a Roman emperor, ruling from AD 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, Claudius was born to Nero Claudius Drusus, Drusus and Ant ...
, and the Senate briefly learned that the Guard had installed him on the throne. Claudius gave them 150 gold pieces, or some 3,750
denarii to which the senators' 100
sesterces were added annually to commemorate Claudius's accession. The inevitable result of the custom of the ''donativum'' was the Guard's auctioning of the empire to
Didius Julianus
Marcus Didius Julianus (; 29 January 133 – 2 June 193) was Roman emperor from March to June 193, during the Year of the Five Emperors. Julianus had a promising political career, governing several provinces, including Dalmatia (Roman province) ...
in 193.
Imperial Donativa to the Praetorian Guard 14–193
See also
*
Congiarium
*
Pay (Roman army)
References
{{Reflist
Economy of ancient Rome
Roman Empire
Roman military payments
Praetorian Guard
Economic history of Italy