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On New Years Day 193 AD, the word spread across Rome that the increasingly unstable Emperor Commodus was dead and a new leader had taken his place: Pulbius Helvius Pertinax (126-193 AD). Presumably, the news was well-received. After all, a benign dictatorship under the esteemed general and politician Pertinax would be a relief from Commodus’ tyranny. More than good news, it should have heralded the resurgence of Rome’s Golden Age.
The speed with which the Senate placed one of their own on the throne leads to a reasonable suspicion that Pertinax was at least aware of, if not involved in, the plot to remove his predecessor. In any case, he quickly established a new agenda of reforms to undo the corruption and irresponsibility of the previous administration. While such reforms set a sensible new direction for the Empire, they also placed the new Emperor in a very precarious situation.
In an attempt to advertise and gain support for the new imperial priorities, Pertinax issued coins such as this silver denarius struck in Rome between January to March 193 AD. The obverse laureate portrait of Pertinax dominates the flan. Particularly noteworthy is the Emperor’s flowing beard, consistent with the virility and wisdom to return Rome to the glory days of the early Antonine dynasts.The promise for a better future continues on the coin’s reverse, which features the Roman goddess Laetitia holding a wreath in one hand and a scepter in the other. Laetitia was a Roman Goddess who embodied happiness, prosperity, and abundance. The reverse epithet, LAETITIA TEMPOR COS II, advertises Pertinax’s second term as consul and promises happy and prosperous times lie ahead.
As it turned out, Pertinax did not live long and prosper. On March 28th, disaffected praetorian guards took matters into their own hands. In the first place, the praetorians probably felt snubbed that they were not involved in events leading to Pertinax’s ascension. Furthermore, they were displeased with the new Emperor’s crack down on military discipline and unimpressed with their delayed and rather historically modest
donativum (donative to the troops). They stormed the imperial palace, and although Pertinax was advised to flee, he stayed and tried to reason with his aggressors. The Augustus’ attempt to negotiate abruptly ended when he was slain by one of the soldiers. Rather than setting the Empire on the path to a renewed Golden Age, Pertinax instead set the ignominious record for shortest imperial reign of only 86 days.
Coin Details: ROMAN EMPIRE, Pertinax, AD 193, AR Denarius (17.5mm, 3.25 g, 12h), Rome mint, NGC Grade: Ch VF, Strike: 4/5, Surface: 5/5, Obverse: Laureate head right, IMP CAES P HELV PERTIN AVG, Reverse: Laetitia standing left, holding wreath and scepter, LAETITIA TEMPOR COS II, References: RIC IV 4a; Lempereur Type 8, 377 (D140/R213); RSC 20.