Pertinax: The Son of a Slave Who Became Roman Emperor

241 Pages·2020·30.522 MB·English

by  Simon Elliott

PERTINAX
by the same author
Sea Eagles of Empire
Empire State:
How the Roman Military Built an Empire
Septimius Severus in Scotland
Roman Legionaries
Ragstone to Riches
Julius Caesar: Rome’s Greatest Warlord
Old Testament Warriors
PERT I NA X
The Son of a Slave
Who Became Roman Emperor
SIMON ELLIOTT
Greenhill Books
Pertinax
First published in 2020 by
Greenhill Books,
c/o Pen & Sword Books Ltd,
47 Church Street, Barnsley,
S. Yorkshire, S70 2AS
www.greenhillbooks.com
[email protected]
ISBN: 978–1–78438–525–5
All rights reserved.
© Simon Elliott, 2020
The right of Simon Elliott to be identified as author of this work
has been asserted in accordance with Section 77 of the
Copyrights Designs and Patents Act 1988.
CIP data records for this title are available from the British Library
Designed and typeset by Donald Sommerville
Printed and bound in the UK by TJ International Ltd, Padstow
Typeset in 10.7/15 pt Kuenstler 480 BT
In memory of our friend Dino Monticoli,
a fearsome warrior both on and off
the wargaming tabletop.
Remembered with love by your family and friends.

Contents
List of Plates ix
Introduction 1
Chapter 1 The Early Life of Pertinax 15
Chapter 2 Background: The Principate Empire 32
Chapter 3 Background: The Principate Military 58
Chapter 4 A Life in the Legions 80
Chapter 5 Squadron Commander to Provincial Governor 101
Chapter 6 Emperor of Rome 131
Conclusion 177
Timeline The Roman Empire of the Second Century ad 194
References and Bibliography 204
Index 210
Map
Provinces of the Roman Empire in the late 2nd century ad 38–39
Tables
1: Roman legions in the later 2nd century 66–67
2: Auxiliary Cohorts and Alae of the later 2nd century 71–72
3: Regional Fleets of the Roman Principate 73

Plates
The bust of Pertinax in the Vatican Museum.
The Column of Marcus Aurelius in Rome.
Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus address their troops, detail on
the Column of Marcus Aurelius.
Roman cavalry, legionaries, marines and auxilia during the
Marcomannic Wars, Column of Marcus Aurelius.
Cavalry and auxilia in action, Column of Marcus Aurelius.
Bust of Marcus Aurelius.
Roman legionaries building a marching camp, Trajan’s Column.
The ‘miracle of rain’ incident, as recorded on the Column of
Marcus Aurelius.
Roman legionaries in testudo formation, Column of Marcus
Aurelius.
The young Commodus.
Mad, bad Commodus, whose assassination led to Pertinax
becoming emperor.
Stadium of Domitian in the imperial palace on the Palatine Hill
in Rome.
The Rome of Pertinax: the Flavian Colosseum, Forum Romanum
and Palatine Hill.
Principate Roman legionaries, detail from Trajan’s Column,
Rome.
Sarmatian armour and standards, Trajan’s Column.
Sarmatian and Dacian trophies for Trajan, base of Trajan’s
Column.
Ruins of Ostia, the port of Rome.
Roman merchant ship in a mosaic in Ostia Antica.
Roman river war galley, from the legionary fortress at Mainz.
[ ix ]