PESCENNIUS NIGER IUSTUS
(Eastern Usurper)
Reigned: 193-194 A.D.
| GAIVS PESCENNIVS NIGER was born about 135 to a middle-class Italian family. He pursued a military career and was Governor of Syria when Pertinax was assassinated and the empire auctioned to Didius Julianus in 193. Niger's nine legions proclaimed him Augustus, but he failed to take action, allowing another claimant, Septimius Severus of Pannonia, to seize Rome. Severus then marched against Niger, and after a campaign lasting slightly over a year, culminating at Issus, Niger's armies were at last scattered and he fled towards Parthia, only to be overtaken and killed. His head was sent to Severus. (From MONETA, from www.numus.com) |
The Denarii
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Obv: IMP CAE C PESC NIGER IVST AV Laureate head right Rev: FORTVNAE REDVCI Fortuna standing left holding rudder and cornucopiae RIC IV i 29 var, Sear 6108 Pierre R. Monney Collection |
