A former grammar teacher, Pertinax dabbled in the army where he found great success and climbed the ranks eventually landing several high ranking army and civil posts. He was then nominated Augustus following the murder of Commodus by a Senate only too willing to put the Commodus legacy behind them. With prompt resolve, he immediately began deconstructing the corrupt machinery that had been operating under the former administration and restoring civil liberties, a liberalized economy and the dignity of the Senate. Loved then by both the public and the Senate, his key misfortune was securing the favor of the army entrusted to protect him. Financially incapable of providing a large donative as was by now customary upon the accession of a new emperor (Commodus had drained the imperial treasury to just a few hundred thousand Denarii) as well as the promise of restoring the traditionally strict discipline of the army (again, under Commodus the army, too, had become corrupted with all sorts of bribes and other ill-gotten wealth) all amounted to a deep dissatisfaction within the army. The hushed complaints broke out into an impromptu mob that then advanced towards the palace. Naive but ever the patriot Pertinax personally met the discontented to attempt to reason with them and instead wound up skewered before help could arrive. No sooner had his blood been spilled than the whole empire wept for the insensible loss of so bright a leader. His reign lasted all of 86 days and his death eventually precipitated a major civil war. AU Aureus RIC 1a Aureus Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: AEQVITAVGTRPCOSII - Aequitas standing left, holding scale and cornucopia. Jan-Mar 193 (Rome). RIC 4, C 19 Aureus Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: LAETITIATEMPORCOSII - Laetitia standing left, holding wreath and scepter. $13,160 5/27/02. RIC 10a, BMC 11, C 39 Aureus Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate, draped bust right.Rev: PROVIDDEORCOSII - Providentia standing left, raising hand towards star. 193 (Rome). $34,767 5/10/05. RIC 11, BMC 12, C 41 Aureus Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate, draped bust right.Rev: PROVIDDEORCOSII - Providentia standing left, raising hands towards star. 193 (Rome). $14,000 1/12/05. AR Denarius RIC 1a, BMC 15, C 2 Denarius Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: AEQVITAVGTPPCOSII - Aequitas standing left, holding scales and cornucopia. January - March 193 (Rome). RIC 3, BMC 2, C 17 Denarius Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: IANOCONSERVAT - Janus standing, facing, holding scepter hand. January - March (193). $1,100 1/13/03. RIC 4a, S 6041, C 20 Denarius Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right. Rev: LAETITIATEMPORCOSII - Laetitia standing left, holding wreath and scepter. January - March 193 (Rome). RIC 8a, BMC 19, S 6045, C 33 Denarius Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: OPIDIVINTRPCOSII - Ops seated left, holding grain ears. January - March 193 (Rome). $1,000 5/21/03. RIC 8d, C 33 Denarius Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: OPIDIVINTRPCOSII - Ops seated left, holding grain ears. January - March 193 (Rome). RIC 10a, C 40 Denarius Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: PROVIDDEORCOSII - Providentia standing left, raising hands towards star. January - March 193 (Rome). $720 9/24/03. RIC 11a, C 43 Denarius Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: PROVIDDEORCOSII - Providentia standing left, raising hand towards star. January - March 193 (Rome). RIC 12, BMC 5 Denarius Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: SAECVLOFRVGIFERO - Winged caduceus. January - March 193 (Rome). $700 9/25/02. RIC 13a, S 1699 Denarius Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: VOTDECENTRPCOSII - Pertinax standing left, sacrificing over altar. January - March 193 (Rome). AR Denarius (Posthumous) RIC 24a (Septimius Severus), BMC 37 Denarius Obv: DIVVSPERTPIVSPATER - Bare head right.Rev: CONSECRATIO - Eagle perched on globe. 193. AE Sestertius RIC 21, C 49 Sestertius Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAXAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: PROVIDENTIAEDEORVMCOSII - Providentia standing left, raising hands towards star; SC across fields. 193 (Rome). RIC 24, BMC 44 Sestertius Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAXAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: VOTDECENTRPCOSII - Pertinax standing left, sacrificing over altar; SC across fields. 193 (Rome). AE As RIC 35a As Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: OPIDIVINTRPCOSII - Ops seated left, holding grain ears. 193 (Rome). $450 9/25/02.
With prompt resolve, he immediately began deconstructing the corrupt machinery that had been operating under the former administration and restoring civil liberties, a liberalized economy and the dignity of the Senate. Loved then by both the public and the Senate, his key misfortune was securing the favor of the army entrusted to protect him. Financially incapable of providing a large donative as was by now customary upon the accession of a new emperor (Commodus had drained the imperial treasury to just a few hundred thousand Denarii) as well as the promise of restoring the traditionally strict discipline of the army (again, under Commodus the army, too, had become corrupted with all sorts of bribes and other ill-gotten wealth) all amounted to a deep dissatisfaction within the army. The hushed complaints broke out into an impromptu mob that then advanced towards the palace. Naive but ever the patriot Pertinax personally met the discontented to attempt to reason with them and instead wound up skewered before help could arrive. No sooner had his blood been spilled than the whole empire wept for the insensible loss of so bright a leader. His reign lasted all of 86 days and his death eventually precipitated a major civil war. AU Aureus RIC 1a Aureus Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: AEQVITAVGTRPCOSII - Aequitas standing left, holding scale and cornucopia. Jan-Mar 193 (Rome). RIC 4, C 19 Aureus Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: LAETITIATEMPORCOSII - Laetitia standing left, holding wreath and scepter. $13,160 5/27/02. RIC 10a, BMC 11, C 39 Aureus Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate, draped bust right.Rev: PROVIDDEORCOSII - Providentia standing left, raising hand towards star. 193 (Rome). $34,767 5/10/05. RIC 11, BMC 12, C 41 Aureus Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate, draped bust right.Rev: PROVIDDEORCOSII - Providentia standing left, raising hands towards star. 193 (Rome). $14,000 1/12/05. AR Denarius RIC 1a, BMC 15, C 2 Denarius Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: AEQVITAVGTPPCOSII - Aequitas standing left, holding scales and cornucopia. January - March 193 (Rome). RIC 3, BMC 2, C 17 Denarius Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: IANOCONSERVAT - Janus standing, facing, holding scepter hand. January - March (193). $1,100 1/13/03. RIC 4a, S 6041, C 20 Denarius Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right. Rev: LAETITIATEMPORCOSII - Laetitia standing left, holding wreath and scepter. January - March 193 (Rome). RIC 8a, BMC 19, S 6045, C 33 Denarius Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: OPIDIVINTRPCOSII - Ops seated left, holding grain ears. January - March 193 (Rome). $1,000 5/21/03. RIC 8d, C 33 Denarius Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: OPIDIVINTRPCOSII - Ops seated left, holding grain ears. January - March 193 (Rome). RIC 10a, C 40 Denarius Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: PROVIDDEORCOSII - Providentia standing left, raising hands towards star. January - March 193 (Rome). $720 9/24/03. RIC 11a, C 43 Denarius Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: PROVIDDEORCOSII - Providentia standing left, raising hand towards star. January - March 193 (Rome). RIC 12, BMC 5 Denarius Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: SAECVLOFRVGIFERO - Winged caduceus. January - March 193 (Rome). $700 9/25/02. RIC 13a, S 1699 Denarius Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: VOTDECENTRPCOSII - Pertinax standing left, sacrificing over altar. January - March 193 (Rome). AR Denarius (Posthumous) RIC 24a (Septimius Severus), BMC 37 Denarius Obv: DIVVSPERTPIVSPATER - Bare head right.Rev: CONSECRATIO - Eagle perched on globe. 193. AE Sestertius RIC 21, C 49 Sestertius Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAXAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: PROVIDENTIAEDEORVMCOSII - Providentia standing left, raising hands towards star; SC across fields. 193 (Rome). RIC 24, BMC 44 Sestertius Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAXAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: VOTDECENTRPCOSII - Pertinax standing left, sacrificing over altar; SC across fields. 193 (Rome). AE As RIC 35a As Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: OPIDIVINTRPCOSII - Ops seated left, holding grain ears. 193 (Rome). $450 9/25/02.
RIC 1a Aureus Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: AEQVITAVGTRPCOSII - Aequitas standing left, holding scale and cornucopia. Jan-Mar 193 (Rome).
RIC 1a, BMC 15, C 2 Denarius Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: AEQVITAVGTPPCOSII - Aequitas standing left, holding scales and cornucopia. January - March 193 (Rome).
RIC 24a (Septimius Severus), BMC 37 Denarius Obv: DIVVSPERTPIVSPATER - Bare head right.Rev: CONSECRATIO - Eagle perched on globe. 193.
RIC 21, C 49 Sestertius Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAXAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: PROVIDENTIAEDEORVMCOSII - Providentia standing left, raising hands towards star; SC across fields. 193 (Rome).
RIC 35a As Obv: IMPCAESPHELVPERTINAVG - Laureate head right.Rev: OPIDIVINTRPCOSII - Ops seated left, holding grain ears. 193 (Rome). $450 9/25/02.