# Talk:Pertinax

Pertinax was not murdered by a mere uprising of soldiers on the Palatine hill, he was murdered by the Praetorians was he not? From all the historical accounts I have been able to observe, including modern accounts such as those from Gibbons, Pertinax was not simply executed by a mob of soldiers, but targeted from within the Praetorian ranks. Should his box not be changed to reflect the fact that he was murdered by the Praetorian Guard?

I have slightly changed the wording of the events of March 193, and added some detail. Anthony.bradbury 12:10, 16 April 2006 (UTC)

Should there be some mention made of the role played by Pertinax in an alternate history novel, Romanitas? In this, he survives assasination, and goes on to carry out many important reforms. WikiReaderer 21:48, 22 April 2007 (UTC)

The article first states "[h]e was emperor for only 87 days" and later states "[h]is short reign (86 days) was an uneasy one". Gibbon has it as "86 days only after the death of Commodus", which would seem to possibly be 24 hour units rather than calendar days, as Commodus seems to have been killed near midnight and Pertinax was killed near noon. But the article should pick one.
216.77.227.14 21:51, 12 November 2007 (UTC)

Is that a Gorgoneion depicted on Pertinax' breastplate? --Steerpike (talk) 16:35, 14 January 2008 (UTC)

Hello i wonder to ask about his ethnic origin, we know he was from Italy, but son of one freedman, so was his father of italian origin too? Or any slave from any other part of empire? Do we know it? Thanks--188.167.120.126 (talk) 19:23, 26 March 2011 (UTC)
Due to his position in the Senate at this time in the Roman Empire, any origins as a slave/freedman for his ancestry are highly doubtful. HammerFilmFan (talk) 10:25, 28 March 2023 (UTC)
Both Herodian and Dio Cassius (contemporary with Pertinax) state that he was the son of a freedman. This might not be a bar to advancement for a man with abilities, especially as his freedman father had made an advantageous marriage. Also, his father's owner would have taken an interest in the boy as was the custom at the time. Indeed Prtinax seems to have had a decent education and originally started out as a teacher before settling on the army. At each stage he would have had patrons helping him. 2A00:23C7:6B89:9101:ADCC:9738:93DC:CF52 (talk) 01:39, 6 April 2023 (UTC)

The article says "He devalued the Roman currency dramatically, increasing the silver purity of the denarius from 74% to 87% — the actual silver weight increasing from 2.22 grams to 2.75 grams." But isn't this wrong? If he increased the purity of the silver coin, isn't that the exact opposite of devaluing? Leecharleswalker (talk) 21:55, 17 February 2015 (UTC)

Thank you, my mistake. cagliost (talk) 16:51, 18 February 2015 (UTC)

Pertinax was emperor during the Severan Dynasty 50.78.14.145 (talk) 18:00, 19 January 2018 (UTC) Anonymous

No, he was not. 50.111.22.12 (talk) 00:48, 28 March 2019 (UTC)

In section "Emperor":
"Ancient writers detail how the Praetorian Guard expected a generous donativum on his ascension, and when they were disappointed, agitated until he produced the money, selling off Commodus' property,[20] including the concubines and youths Commodus kept for his sexual pleasures": who sold off Commodus' property, the Praetorians or the emperor himself to produce the money? ditto for the youths.
"The purple" - What is "the purple"?  — Preceding unsigned comment added by Pintogrunt (talk • contribs) 06:35, 28 March 2018 (UTC) 

"The purple" meant the office of Princeps, or later the 'emperor' - purple was the color reserved for the throne - the Roman tunic would reflect a large purple sash, cape, etc., depending on the garb. 50.111.22.12 (talk) 00:50, 28 March 2019 (UTC)

This review is transcluded from Talk:Pertinax/GA1. The edit link for this section can be used to add comments to the review.
Reviewer: Iazyges (talk · contribs) 06:02, 11 July 2018 (UTC)
Will start soon. Iazyges Consermonor Opus meum 06:02, 11 July 2018 (UTC)


### Criteria
No DAB links Y
No dead links Y
No missing citations N Missing citations for:
This currency reform did not survive his death.
thus protecting them from the aftermath of his own assassination. He did however appoint his father-in-law Titus Flavius Claudius Sulpicianus as Praefectus urbi of Rome.
This is in marked contrast to Dio's opinion of both Pertinax's predecessor Commodus and successor Julianus.
Machiavelli considered Pertinax's attempt to reform a soldiery that had become "accustomed to live licentiously" a mistake, as it inspired their hatred of him, which led to his overthrow and death
@Векочел: The issue of missing citations will need to be addressed, but article is otherwise in good shape. Iazyges Consermonor Opus meum 06:46, 11 July 2018 (UTC)
@Векочел: re-pinging. -- Iazyges Consermonor Opus meum 14:57, 18 July 2018 (UTC)
@Iazyges: I have added a citation from Machiavelli's The Prince. Векочел (talk) 17:08, 18 July 2018 (UTC)


### Prose Suggestions
Please note that all of these are suggestions, and can be implemented or ignored at your discretion.

He fought in the war with the Parthians during the 160s, and success there led to higher-ranking positions in both the military and political spheres, including provincial governor and urban prefect. Suggest:
He fought in the Roman–Parthian War of 161–166, where his success led him to be promoted to higher-ranking positions in both the military and political spheres, leading to him achieving the rank of provincial governor and urban prefect.
He was also a member of the Roman Senate, where he was a contemporary of the historian Cassius Dio. Suggest:
He was a member of the Roman Senate, serving at the same time as the historian Cassius Dio.
His historical reputation has largely been a positive one, following the assessment of Dio.
His historical reputation has largely been a positive one, in line with the assessment of Dio.
He tried to quell the unruly soldiers there but one legion attacked his bodyguard. I believe this should be legionary, unless the entire legion did in fact attack him.
@Векочел: That is all my suggestions, passing now. -- Iazyges Consermonor Opus meum 04:10, 20 July 2018 (UTC)

@Векочел: Pinging to inform you I have removed citations using Canduci, because it is an unreliable source. I've marked removals with a CN template, so adding new citations/culling content should be easy. Iazyges Consermonor Opus meum 19:33, 28 August 2018 (UTC)

I'm surprised that there is no mention of his wife, Flavia Titiana the daughter of Titus Flavius Claudius Sulpicianus. (See Historia Augusta, "Pertinax", 5.4; "Didius Julianus" 2.4). This alliance would have confirmed his admission into Senatorial ranks, & based on this alone is worth mentioning. ISTR Flavia & Pertinax had a daughter, but I cannot find any source to confirm that. -- llywrch (talk) 18:38, 24 November 2021 (UTC)

Historia Augusta is notoriously unreliable, I'd be wary of accepting any statement made by it as fact. Hemiauchenia (talk) 22:01, 24 May 2022 (UTC)

It says "he was assassinated..." and the bio doesn't say that he was. He = pertina x.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.135.96.134 (talk) 19:20, 9 January 2023 (UTC) 

Far too much citing of this extremely skeptical work. Even when it coincides with Dio, it's not to be trusted. HammerFilmFan (talk) 10:27, 28 March 2023 (UTC)

"Ancient sources suggest that they had received only half their promised pay."
Any other sources than the referenced Dio? If not, why not say "Dio Cassius suggests"? Because it sounds so much fancier saying "ancient sources"? 94.191.152.34 (talk) 17:26, 25 May 2025 (UTC)