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Pertinax
Pertinax. AD 193. AR Denarius (17.5mm, 3.47 g, 6h). Rome mint. 2nd emission. IMP CAES P HELV PERTIN AVG, laureate head right / PROVID DEOR COS II, Providentia, draped, standing front, head left, raising right hand toward star, left hand on breast. RIC IV 11a; Lempereur Type 10, 561a (D205/R291 – this coin, illustrated); RSC 43; BMCRE 13. Ex. CNG Inv. No. 5677515 (8/12/2024). Ex. MACM inventory MMoCA181C. Ex. A. Lynn Collection (Manhattan Sale I, 5 January 2010), lot 331. Ex. Jürgen K. Schmidt Collection (Triton V, 15 January 2002), lot 2007. Ex. Numismatica Ars Classica 9 (16 April 1996), lot 892. Ex. Numismatic Fine Arts XXIX (13 August 1992), lot 385. Ex. Tkalec (26 March 1991), lot 315.
Publius Helvius Pertinax, a Roman emperor who ruled for a mere 87 days in 193 CE, remains a figure of historical interest due to his rise from humble beginnings and his efforts to reform a declining empire. Born in 126 CE in Alba Pompeia, a small town in northern Italy, Pertinax was the son of a freedman. His modest origins stood in stark contrast to the aristocratic background typical of most emperors, yet he climbed the ranks through a combination of military success, administrative competence, and personal integrity.
Pertinax's career began as a schoolteacher, but he quickly transitioned to military service, where his leadership in campaigns against Germanic tribes and Parthians gained him recognition. Under Emperor Marcus Aurelius, Pertinax became a trusted general and later a governor of key provinces, demonstrating his administrative capabilities. Despite political rivalries and accusations of corruption during the reign of Commodus, Pertinax maintained a reputation for discipline and dedication.
In January 193 CE, after the assassination of Commodus, Pertinax was proclaimed emperor by the Praetorian Guard. He inherited a Rome rife with corruption and financial turmoil, but he immediately sought to restore order. Pertinax implemented austere fiscal policies, including the sale of imperial luxuries, to stabilize the treasury. He also attempted to curtail the excesses of the Praetorian Guard, whose unchecked power had grown during Commodus's reign.
However, these reforms alienated powerful factions, particularly the Praetorian Guard, who viewed Pertinax’s discipline as a threat to their privileges. On March 28, 193 CE, disgruntled soldiers stormed the imperial palace and assassinated him, ending his reign prematurely.
Although his rule was brief, Pertinax’s legacy endures as a symbol of principled leadership in a period of imperial decline. His attempt to restore integrity to Rome highlighted the challenges of governing an empire beset by systemic decay.
Pertinax denarii are not rare but nice ones are scarce. Like Didius Julianus and Clodius Albinus the coins are often poorly struck, on damaged flans, or heavily worn. This one is of good metal and has clean surfaces, and the portrait is unusually pleasing.