Despite Nerva 's measures to remain popular with the Senate and the Roman people , support for Domitian remained strong in the army , which had called for his deification immediately after the assassination . In an attempt to appease the soldiers of the Praetorian Guard , Nerva had dismissed their prefect Titus Petronius Secundus — one of the chief conspirators against Domitian — and replaced him with a former commander , Casperius Aelianus .