Intrigue and Murder in Rome: Helvius Pertinax the Stopgap Emperor
The history of the Roman Empire reads like a storybook, chilling and exciting. There was murder, intrigue, love and betrayal. Yet despite all this, it remains one of the greatest empires in world history and lasted for over 300 years. Rome started of as a democracy and one can recollect that Julius Caesar the Roman general was murdered by fellow senators in 32 BC, as they thought that he would crown himself emperor and Rome would lose its freedom.
But within 2 decades of Caesar's death Rome began to have emperors and many illustrious men ruled Rome.Some of the emperors were great, but some were inconsequential who reigned for extremely short periods. One such emperor was Helvius Pertinax, who has the distinction of ruling Rome for just 86 days.
Helvius Pertinax was a man from the working class. He joined the Roman army and distinguished himself in battle and his emperors Aurelius and Commodus promoted him to the rank of general. After the death of Aurelius, Commodus became emperor, but he was murdered in a palace intrigue that involved his mistress as well. Perhaps Pertinax knew of the plot to kill Commodus, but he did not warn the emperor. The murder of Commodus took place on the eve of 31 December 192.
The Praetorian Guard were taken unaware by the killing of commodus. We must remember that the Praetorian Guard was the elite of the Roman army and had the responsibility of guarding the emperor, but as Commodious was killed by a ruse including his mistress, as such they were taken unaware.
The conspirators immediately wanted a emperor on the throne of Rome who would listen to them. Their choice narrowed down on Pertinax and on the morning of Jan 193, they offered him the post of emperor. Pertinex consented as he was an ambitious man. It was a dream come true for him and his rise from a humble teacher to emperor is what stuff dreams are made off.
Pertinax however took his job of emperor seriously. He started by trying to instil discipline in the Praetorian Guard. This the guard did not like and resentment built up against him. The conspirators also were unhappy as Pertinax refused to tow their line. The dice was thus cast and a plan was made to remove Pertinax. The plan was hastened as after a visit out of Rome , Pertinax on return learn't of a plot to remove him. A slave betrayed the men responsible, who were some soldiers of the Praetorian Guard. Pertinax ordered the execution of many of the guards. The Guard now acted to save themselves.
On 28March 193 the Praetorian Guard stormed the palace and killed Petronax. His reign had lasted just 86 days and the curtain came down on a man who had risen from humble beginnings to the position of Emperor , only to become a foot note in history. He was 68 years old at that time.
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