Pertinax
Roman emperor in 193
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Key Takeaways
- Publius Helvius Pertinax ( PER -tin-ax ; 1 August 126 – 28 March 193) was Roman emperor for the first three months of 193, succeeding Commodus and becoming the first ruler of the turbulent Year of the Five Emperors.
- He distinguished himself in the Roman–Parthian War of 161–166 and went on to hold a succession of governorships and senior commands.
- After the assassination of Commodus, Pertinax was chosen emperor.
- He was later deified by Septimius Severus, who promoted his memory as part of his own rise to power.
- Early life and career Pertinax’s background is recorded in the Historia Augusta and in Cassius Dio’s Roman History , with many details supported by inscriptions.
Publius Helvius Pertinax ( PER-tin-ax; 1 August 126 – 28 March 193) was Roman emperor for the first three months of 193, succeeding Commodus and becoming the first ruler of the turbulent Year of the Five Emperors.
The son of a freedman, Pertinax rose from modest origins through a military career. He distinguished himself in the Roman–Parthian War of 161–166 and went on to hold a succession of governorships and senior commands. He also sat in the Roman Senate, where he was a contemporary of the historian Cassius Dio.
After the assassination of Commodus, Pertinax was chosen emperor. He aimed at restoring army discipline and imperial financial stability, but his reforms angered the Praetorian Guard, who killed him after just 87 days. He was later deified by Septimius Severus, who promoted his memory as part of his own rise to power. Ancient and modern assessments generally view Pertinax as a capable and conscientious ruler undone by circumstances.
Early life and career
Pertinax’s background is recorded in the Historia Augusta and in Cassius Dio’s Roman History, with many details supported by inscriptions. The son of Helvius Successus, a freedman, he was born in Alba Pompeia in northern Italy. According to Dio, Successus was born in modest circumstances but gave his son an education enough for advancement in Roman life. With the support of a patron—either Lucius Avitus or Tiberius Claudius Pompeianus—Pertinax obtained a commission as a cohort officer.
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