Pcrcnnis, the favourite of the minister of Commo dus, had imitated so successfully the ambition of his master, and had exercised such intolerable oppression, that he was torn in pieces by the military. He was replaced by Cleander, a freedman, who exceeded his predecessors in his enormites; and who even put up for public sale every office in the state, and even the lives of the innocent and the guilty.
A revolt of a very unusual kind took place about this time at Rome. A common soldier, of the name of Maternus, along with several others who had de serted from their legions, formed a rebel party which was gradually increased by the banditti from different provinces. Their power increased to such a degree that they took the strongest cities by storm, and plun dered many parts of Spain and Gaul. An army under Pescennius Niger, was sent against the insurgents; but Maternus, finding himself unable to cope with a disciplined force, divided his followers into small bands, and marched secretly to Rome by different routes. His object was to murder the emperor at an annual festival, and to seize upon the supreme autho rity. All the different bands arrived undiscovered in the capital; and some of them had already insinuated themselves among the emperor's guards ; but they were fortunately not faithful to their leader. Some of them betrayed Maternus, who was immediately seized and executed.
Rome was at this time afflicted with one of the most dreadful plagues that had ever been known in Rome. It continued for two or three years; and was so fatal, that it carried off two thousand persons in one day. Au alarming fire, kindled by lightning, consumed a considerable part of the city; and these calamities were followed by a famine, which Cleander is said to have created by hoarding all the corn which he could purchase; while others ascribe it to Papirius Dionysius, who had the charge of supplying Rome with corn, and who wished to excite the people against Cleander. The mob, however, blamed the detested favourite; and having risen against him, they flocked to the palace, and demanded his head. Cleander or dered the Praetorian guards to charge the crowd, many of whom they slaughtered; but the city guards taking the side of the people, the Prwtorian troops were put to flight. When Commodus heard of the uproar, and learned the cause of it, he ordered the bead of Cleander to be cut off and thrown to the popu lace. A conspiracy was now formed against the em peror himself, by Laetus, the captain of the guards, Eclectus the chamberlain, and Martia, his favourite concubine. Martia had received information that the emperor had resolved upon her death; she therefore organized the conspiracy against him, and adminis tered poison; but when the poison was found not to operate quickly, the wretched victim was strangled by a wrestler.
When the death of Commodus was publicly announc ed, the senate declared him an enemy to the public, de molished his statue, and ordered his body to be cast into the Tiber. The conspirators, however, prevented this outrage from taking place, by stating that Com modus had already been buried.
Commodus was succeeded by Publius Ilelvius Per tinax, whom the conspirators had fixed upon to sup ply his place. This remarkable person had passed through such varieties of condition, that he received the title of the tennis-ball of fortune. Descended from an obscure family, and either a slave, or the son of a manumitted slave, he followed, for some time, the profession of drying wood and preparing charcoal. He had received, however, a considerable portion of learning; and after keeping a little shop in the city, he became a school-master, and actually taught the Greek and Roman languages in Etruria. He then followed the profession of the law, and afterwards en tered upon a military life, when lie distinguished him self so highly by his valour and intrepidity, that he was made a captain of a cohort in the Parthian war. After passing through the usual gradations of prefer ment, in Britain and IVImsia, he obtained the command of a legion under Aurelius. He was afterwards made consul by Aurelius for his eminent services. He was next intrusted with the government of Mxsia, and he was at last made governor of Rome. In the reign of Commodus he was sent into exile; but he was soon after recalled and selected to reform the abuses in the army in Britain. During a sedition which took place among the legions, he was left for dead among the slain; but having recovered from this calamity, he punished the mutineers, and restored the discipline of the army. In Africa, to which he was next removed, the sedition of the troops had nearly proved fatal to him; and being now fatigued with a life of such la bour and danger, he returned and lived in retirement in Rome. Commodus, however, made him praefect of the city, and he filled this situation when Laetus entered his apartment, and announced to him that he was emperor of Rome. Pertinax, unwilling to accept of such a trust, urged the pleas of old age and increas ing infirmities; but his refusal was not listened to, and he was immediately carried to the and pro claimed emperor.