Featured Pertinax: What, and where it, all went wrong/ an old man that died too young

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Ryro, Apr 16, 2021.

  1. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    If the Romans taught me anything about one man rule it's that almost all the times that men were "born into the purple" they were unfit to rule. Absolute power corrupts absolutely and all that. And IF we were lucky an Augustus, a Vespasian, a Trajan, or later down the line a Aurelian comes along.
    But some folks either have bad timing, make bad decisions or are just too strong to rule.
    Pertinax belongs in this category.
    Pertinax was OLD school back when it meant something
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    The man was a very successful soldier, prefect, Provincial governor and popular senator. All this while being the son of a freed man.
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    Pertinax being a wonderfully able and dashing leader, however, drawing the lucky lot of having a predecessor who was MURDERED for being NUTS.
    giphy-35.gif
    ... though, his predecessor's affinity for Herakles comes off as bizarre, it did make for a pretty saweet coin:
    1403849E-858B-4F17-BB29-D7CA0F0B171B.jpg
    Following Commodus seemed a gift, but instead was like the parents coming home to soon, only to find the children were not only indigent, but actually expected the party to continue and to get a raise in allowance!
    5c137759d5cc3.jpg

    And then, the inevitable kids stabing their parents to death.
    Nicolle3Swords-G.jpg

    On a side note, I picked up my second Pertinax coin and recieved it in the mail the other day:
    1725993_1614761007.l-removebg-preview.png
    Pertinax
    (193 AD). AR Denarius. Obv. Head right, laureate. Rev. Liberalitas standing left, holding abacus and cornucopiae. RIC IV 5. AR. 2.43 g. 17.00 mm. RR. A rare type. Toned. A minor flan crack. Very slight test cut on the reverse. F. Purchased Artemide March 2021

    My first being:
    share279655005893386848.png
    Pertinax
    Denarius. IMP CAES P HELV PERTIN AVG, laureate head right / VOT DECEN TR P COS II, emperor sacrificing left, with patera held over tripod altar. RSC 56 RIC 13a, RSC 56, BMC 24

    So did he just make too aggressive reforms with the soldiers early and it would have happened to anyone? Or was he just too strong at a time where men were spoiled and intitled? Or are these all just symptoms of a larger disease... humanities natural baser, evil tendencies?
    tenor-9.gif

    The dude would have and should have done great things. Instead we get the entirely militaristic Severan dynasty.
    Maybe if Pertinax would have listened to his wannabe namesake, Septy Sev Pertinax he would have lived longer.
    upload_2021-4-16_20-15-34.png

    Sometimes being the bad guy had its advantages.



    Please post your favorite short-lived rulers, all things, family, enemies, et al related to Pertinax, or whatever raises your purple:smuggrin:
     
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2021
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  3. Mammothtooth

    Mammothtooth Stand up Philosopher, Vodka Taster

    Very nicely done..
     
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  4. hotwheelsearl

    hotwheelsearl Well-Known Member

    Dude I LOVe Your posts. XO
     
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  5. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Fun post, @Ryro!

    See this little baby? The one in Faustina's arms?

    [​IMG]
    Faustina II, AD 147-175.
    Roman oricalchum sestertius, 22.36 gm, 33.7 mm, 12 h.
    Rome, AD 160.
    Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
    Rev: FECVND AVGVSTAE S C, (Faustina as) Fecunditas standing left, between two children (thought to represent Faustina III and Lucilla), holding two infants in her arms (thought to represent Cornificia and Fadilla).
    Refs: RIC 1635; BMCRE 902-904; Cohen 96; Strack 1336; RCV 5273; MIR 10.

    That's Cornificia, the as-yet-unborn Commodus' sister.

    [​IMG]

    Cornificia survived to adulthood and married M. Petronius Sura Mamertinus, who became consul in AD 182. A period of unrest followed her father's death in AD 180, when her brother Commodus became the sole emperor. And we all know what kind of guy HE was ...

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Commodus murdered her husband, her son Petronius Antoninus, her husband's younger brother M. Petronius Sura Septimianus (who became co-consul with Commodus in AD 190) and his son Antoninus in AD 190 or 191. Cornificia was not involved and survived the purge.

    [​IMG]

    Now a widow, she supposedly had an affair with Pertinax!!!

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Apr 17, 2021
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  6. Terence Cheesman

    Terence Cheesman Well-Known Member

    Pertinax Ar Denarius 193 AD Obv. Head right laureate. Rv Emperor togate standing left sacrificing over altar. RIC 13a 3.82 grms 18 mm Photo by W. Hansen pertinax2.jpg Perhaps one of the more interesting legacies of this rather short lived Emperor was that the murder of Pertinax by the Praetorian Guard was cited by some of the founding fathers of the US as a reason not to create a standing army.
     
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  7. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    LOL, fun post, @Ryro . Great job snarin’ anuther’n.

    PERTINAX

    [​IMG]
    Roman Empire -
    Pertinax (193 A.D.)
    AE sestertius. Rome mint, 19,60 grs. 28 mm
    Obv: LAETITIA TEMPORVM COS II.
    IMP (CAES P HELV - PERTINAX AVG) Head, laureate, to right..
    Rev: LAETITIA TE -MPORVM COS II / S - C Laetitia standing l. holding wreath and sceptre.
    Ref: RIC 17. C. 21
     
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  8. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    Wait!
    200-9.gif

    A daughter of a Faustina was known to be promiscuous?!?!
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    Incredibly interesting and Pertin-ent story!
    As for your usage of gifs to enhance the story:
    tenor-11.gif

    I better get a coin in of grampa, the stoic philosopher share6658015938215512636.png
    Marcus Aurelius
    (161-180 AD). AE Sestertius (32,4 mm, 23.08 g), Rome, 165/166 AD.
    Obv. M AVREL ANTONINVS AVG ARMENIACVS P M, Laureate head to right.
    Rev. TR POT XX IMP III COS III / S-C, Providentia standing left, pointing with wand at globe and holding scepter.
    BMC 1279; RIC 923
     
  9. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    Relatively recently (30 years ago or so?) it was discovered that some of the common Pertinax denarii were struck in the mint at Alexandria. Because of his short reign, I suspect that many of them, if not all, were struck after his death during the time when it was necessary to decide whether to support Septimius Severus or Pescennius Niger. Today the distinction (by style) is handled correctly by the majority of dealers who have a clue in general (still probably a minority overall). At one point, I believed that I was lucky to find examples of these coins but it turns out they are as common as the Rome mint coins. Due to a difference in metal quality, it is harder to find Alexandria coins with good surfaces but it seems fewer of them are badly worn that the Rome coins so the prices are similar. My two are the ones you can expect to find. One is the OPI DIVIN which is a scarce reverse used only by a few emperors (A. Pius used the type).
    rd0030bb1735.jpg

    PROVID DEOR
    rd0020bb1155.jpg

    When I sold my early collection in 1974, it included a worn but genuine DIVVS PERT PIVS PATER consecration denarius. These Rome mint coins are rarely seen in the marketplace and very expensive. Perhaps even better are the sestertii of the type. Unfortunately, mine is a copy (I believe it is old but am not sure of any details). I bought it in 2001 as a Paduan aftercast but the type is not in Lawrence. I would enjoy seeing others anyone has or has a link to online (ancient, modern or anything in-between). I have seen one other with this reverse.
    rd0040bb2373.jpg
     
  10. Limes

    Limes Well-Known Member

    congratulation on your 2nd Pertinax!

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    This movie is like your posts: awesome!

    Here's my only P-man (still need to edit the file, because the mint isn't Rome):
    24.1.png
     
  11. Cucumbor

    Cucumbor Well-Known Member

    Hilarious post @Ryro !

    Two dudes from that time/period

    0170-210.jpg
    Pertinax, Denarius - Rome mint, AD 193
    IMP CAES P HELV PERTIN AVG, laureate head right
    VOT DECEN TR P COS II, emperor sacrificing left, with patera held over tripod altar
    2.98 gr, 17 mm
    Ref : RIC # 13a, Cohen # 56, RCV # 6048
    Ex Harlan J. Berk


    0175-210.jpg
    Clodius Albinus, Denarius - Rome mint, AD 194
    CLOD SEPT ALBIN CAES, bare head of Clodius Albinus right
    MINER PACIF COS II, Minerva standing left, holding spear and olive branch, leaning on shield
    3,36 gr
    Ref : Cohen #48, RCV #6144

    Q
     
  12. svessien

    svessien Senior Member

  13. Ocatarinetabellatchitchix

    Ocatarinetabellatchitchix Well-Known Member

    Yeah, but do not forget the mask Svein, the MASK ! (and the straw)

    6A1B7FED-8777-4134-AD79-F8574D43DFE5.jpeg
     
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  14. svessien

    svessien Senior Member

    :D :D :D

    Ah, the boquet of the Cowine19.
     
  15. seth77

    seth77 Well-Known Member

    I see the meme takeover is complete in here too. This post reminded me what fantastic actor James Franco is o_Oo_Oo_O
     
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  16. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    ..wow!...not just one, but 2 of ole Pertinax....super kool Ryro! :)...and great congrats on another )"Ryro-productions"( Thread! :D
     
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  17. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    Hey! I resemble that remark:wacky:
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    They're gifs not memes. And where are the coins Seth?? Cmon, you have a Pertinax hanging out somewhere:pompous:
     
  18. seth77

    seth77 Well-Known Member

    :wacky::wacky::wacky::wacky:

    Unfortunately I don't.
     
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  19. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    ..well, thats one club we both belong too..:(
     
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  20. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    ..haha...well, my son had to correct me from saying 'me me's' to meeeeemssss....:p(altho i still say it the right way :D)
     
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  21. hotwheelsearl

    hotwheelsearl Well-Known Member

    Does this count; Imperator Caesar Lucius Septimius Severus Pertinax Augustus

    Septimius Severus AR Denarius RIC 52.JPG
     
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