The Brief Reign of Pertinax

169, Lot: 267. Estimate $500. Sold for $370. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Pertinax. AD 193. AR Denarius (15mm, 1.72 g). Rome mint. Laureate head right / Ops seated left, holding two stalks of grain, resting hand on seat of throne. RIC IV 8a; RSC 33. VF, porous, a little ragged.

Helvius Pertinax followed a long and winding path to the imperial throne. His father was a former slave who upon freedom became a successful wool merchant. With his wealth, he was able to have his son educated and Pertinax became a grammaticus. In 161, he left his teaching position, opting instead for a military career and greater pay. Once there, he quickly distinguished himself and was rapidly promoted from commander of a cohort to military tribune, then to consul, and eventually to proconsul in several provinces, including Upper and Lower Moesia, Dacia, Syria, Britain and Africa. During his tenure in the army and as proconsul he acquired a reputation for probity and severity, which lead on occasion to mutinies, one of which almost cost him his life. In 189, Commodus appointed him urban prefect of Rome, and from this position he was offered the throne upon the death of Commodus on the last day of December, 192 AD. Unfortunately, the strict measures Pertinax instituted to reform the government and military antagonized important factions, and the emperor was assassinated by disgruntled praetorians on 28 March 193, after a reign of only 87 days.