why were the romans so often unable to peacefully transfer power from one emperor to the next.?

Question

What type of problems did this cause?

Answer 1

I think it was mostly because they didn't have a very well defined law for the succession of the Empire. Remember, Rome was designed as a Republic, and for a very long time the Emperors pretended they weren't really Emperors, or that the institution of the Empire was a temporary emergency measure, after which the Republic could be restored. That prevented the creation of legal mechanisms which could regularize succession in the office which people were trying to pretend didn't really exist.

That led to anybody who thought they had a shot trying to take power. This caused endless problems, the most obvious being civil wars over the succession, although there were relatively few of those. But even when the succession was peaceful, new Emperors had to bribe the army and Praetorian Guard to recognize their title. This was extremely lucrative for soldiers and officers, who eventually became more interested in collecting payments from new and prospective Emperors than in defending the Empire.

Answer 2

There was nothing in their law books describing how emperors were to be selected.
Service men in the legions felt a greater loyalty to their legion that they did to Rome. When an Emperor left office ( usuall by way of the dagger ) the men of each of the legions wanted their commander to be emperor. There were many battles over this.

Answer 3

Dysfunctional families. There was only one emperor, and they all wanted to be it. Not counting all the others from other powerful families inviting themselves to the race for the throne.

Answer 4

Huge Male Egos

Answer 5

CLICHE ALERT!: Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Answer 6

It is good to be king or in their case Cesare