On this day 1,824 years ago...

Pertinax, the Emperor of Rome, was assassinated by his own Praetorian Guard. Pertinax, the son of a freed slave, originally worked as a grammar teacher, but later joined the Roman Army.He fought in the war with the Parthians during the 160s and served in Moesia, Dacia, Syria, Britain and Africa.

When Emperor Commodus lost his mind, Pertinax helped to conspire against him. Upon Commodus' assassination, Pertinax was declared Emperor by the Praetorians. Soon afterward he issued reforms of the Praetorian Guard, and they grew unhappy. On March 28, 193, only 87 days after becoming Emperor, 300 Praetorians stormed the palace gates. None of his own guards protected him. Instead of fleeing, Pertinax bravely faced his assailants and nearly convinced them not to kill him. It all ended when one of the guards successfully threw a pilum into the Emperor’s chest. His chamberlain, Eclectus, stabbed two of the assassins, but they slayed him as well. They proceeded to cut off Pertinax’s head, impale it on a pilum and march it through the streets of Rome.

Afterwards, the Praetorians auctioned off the position of Emperor to the highest bidding Senator. In The Prince, Machiavelli discussed Pertinax, saying he was a good man who made the mistake of standing up against the guard, which caused them to hate him.