<)[• THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

157

many millions of subjects, each of whom was C1 ^ p >

equal to their master in personal strength and.

personal abilities/

The measures of the conspirators were con- choice ofducted with the deliberate coolness and celerity for'empe-which the greatness of the occasion required. ror 'They resolved instantly to fill the vacant thronewith an emperor whose character would justifyand maintain the action that had been commit-ted. They fixed on Pertinax, prefect of thecity, an ancient senator of consular rank, whoseconspicuous merit had broke through the obscu-rity of his birth, and raised him to the first ho-nours of the state. He had successively govern-ed most of the provinces of the empire ; and inall his great employments, military as well ascivil, he had uniformly distinguished himself bythe firmness, the prudence, and the integrity ofhis conduct/ He now remained almost alone of

* Dion, 1. lxxii, p. 1222. Herodian , 1. i, p. 43. Hist. August,p. 52.

f Pertinax was a native of Alba Pompeia , in Piedmont, and sonof a timber-merchant. The order of his employments (it is markedby Capitolinus) well deserves to be set down, as expressive of theform of government and manners of the age. 1. He was a centurion.

2. Prefect of a cohort in Syria, in the Parthian war, and in Britain .

3. He obtained an ala , or squadron of horse, in Maesia. 4. He was

commissary of provisions on the ./Emilian way. 5. He commandedthe fleet upon the Rhine. 6. He was procurator of Dacia, with asalary of about ,£1600 a-year. 7. He commanded the veterans of alegion. 8. He obtained the rank of senator. 9. Of praetor. 10. Withthe command of the first legion in Rhaetia and Noricum. 11. He wasconsul about the year 175. 12. He attended Marcus into the east.

13. He commanded an army on the Danube. 14. He was consularlegate of Maesia. 15. Of Dacia. 16. Of Syria. 17. Of Britain . 18.He had the care of the public provisions at Rome . 19. He was pro-

consul