- 224 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
About this book
A biography of the man who ascended the ranks of the military and government to become Roman Emperor.
The son of a former slave, Pertinax was the Roman Emperor who proved that no matter how lowly your birth, you could rise to the very top through hard work, grit and determination.
Born in AD 126, Pertinax made a late career change from working as a grammar teacher to a position in the army. As he moved up the ranks and further along the aristocratic cursus honorum, he took on many of the most important postings in the Empire, from senior military roles in fractious Britain, the Marcomannic Wars on the Danube, to the Parthian Wars in the east. He held governorships in key provinces, and later consulships in Rome itself. When Emperor Commodus was assassinated on New Year's Eve AD 192/193, the Praetorian Guard alighted on Pertinax to become the new Emperor, expecting a pliable puppet who would favour them with great wealth. But Pertinax was nothing of the sort and when he then attempted to reform the Guard, he was assassinated. His death triggered the beginning of the "Year of the Five Emperors" from which Septimius Severus, Pertinax's former mentoree, became the ultimate victor and founder of the Severan Dynasty.
This previously untold story brings a fascinating and important figure out of the shadows. A self-made everyman, a man of principle and ambition, a role model respected by his contemporaries who styled himself on his philosophizing predecessor and sometime champion Marcus Aurelius, Pertinax's remarkable story offers a unique and panoramic insight into the late 2nd century AD Principate Empire.
Praise for Pertinax
"A story that echoes and rivals that of Spartacus." — Books Monthly (UK)
"An authoritative new history unearths the true story of a slave's son who rose through the ranks to become the Roman Empire's most powerful man. . . . The author vividly documents Pertinax's last days and effectively captures the tenor of the era, a time awash in corruption and violence. Roman history enthusiasts will find new material to digest and general readers, useful context for the Roman way of life." — Kirkus Reviews
The son of a former slave, Pertinax was the Roman Emperor who proved that no matter how lowly your birth, you could rise to the very top through hard work, grit and determination.
Born in AD 126, Pertinax made a late career change from working as a grammar teacher to a position in the army. As he moved up the ranks and further along the aristocratic cursus honorum, he took on many of the most important postings in the Empire, from senior military roles in fractious Britain, the Marcomannic Wars on the Danube, to the Parthian Wars in the east. He held governorships in key provinces, and later consulships in Rome itself. When Emperor Commodus was assassinated on New Year's Eve AD 192/193, the Praetorian Guard alighted on Pertinax to become the new Emperor, expecting a pliable puppet who would favour them with great wealth. But Pertinax was nothing of the sort and when he then attempted to reform the Guard, he was assassinated. His death triggered the beginning of the "Year of the Five Emperors" from which Septimius Severus, Pertinax's former mentoree, became the ultimate victor and founder of the Severan Dynasty.
This previously untold story brings a fascinating and important figure out of the shadows. A self-made everyman, a man of principle and ambition, a role model respected by his contemporaries who styled himself on his philosophizing predecessor and sometime champion Marcus Aurelius, Pertinax's remarkable story offers a unique and panoramic insight into the late 2nd century AD Principate Empire.
Praise for Pertinax
"A story that echoes and rivals that of Spartacus." — Books Monthly (UK)
"An authoritative new history unearths the true story of a slave's son who rose through the ranks to become the Roman Empire's most powerful man. . . . The author vividly documents Pertinax's last days and effectively captures the tenor of the era, a time awash in corruption and violence. Roman history enthusiasts will find new material to digest and general readers, useful context for the Roman way of life." — Kirkus Reviews
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Yes, you can access Pertinax by Simon Elliott in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & Historical Biographies. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title
- Copyright
- Contents
- List of Plates
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 The Early Life of Pertinax
- Chapter 2 Background: The Principate Empire
- Chapter 3 Background: The Principate Military
- Chapter 4 A Life in the Legions
- Chapter 5 Squadron Commander to Provincial Governor
- Chapter 6 Emperor of Rome
- Conclusion
- Timeline The Roman Empire of the Second Century AD
- References and Bibliography
- Plate section