Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire vol 1 (1897).djvu/24

CHAPTER IV

The Cruelty, Follies, and Murder of Commodus—Election of Pertinax—His attempts to reform the State—His Assassination by the Prætorian Guards

A.D.		PAGE
	Indulgence of Marcus	83
	To his wife Faustina	83
	To his son Commodus	84
180	Accession of the Emperor Commodus	84
	Character of Commodus	85
	His Return to Rome	85
183	Is wounded by an Assassin	86
	Hatred and cruelty of Commodus towards the Senate	87
	The Quintilian Brothers	87
186	The Minister Perennis	88
	Revolt of Maternus	89
	The Minister Cleander	89
	His Avarice and Cruelty	90
189	Sedition and Death of Cleander	91
	Dissolute Pleasures of Commodus	92
	His Ignorance and low Sports	92
	Hunting of Wild Beasts	93
	Commodus Displays his skill in the Amphitheatre	93
	Acts as a Gladiator	94
	His Infamy and Extravagance	95
	Conspiracy of his Domestics	96
192	Death of Commodus	96
	Choice of Pertinax for Emperor	96
	He is acknowledged by the Prætorian Guards	97
193	And by the Senate	98
	The Memory of Commodus declared infamous	98
	Legal Jurisdiction of the Senate over the Emperors	99
	Virtues of Pertinax	99
	He endeavours to Reform the State	100
	His Regulations	100
	His Popularity	101
	Discontent of the Prætorians	101
	A Conspiracy Prevented	101
193	Murder of Pertinax by the Prætorians	102

CHAPTER V

Public Sale of the Empire to Didius Julianus by the Prætorian Guards—Clodius Albinus in Britain, Pescennius Niger in Syria, and Septimius Severus in Pannonia, declare against the Murderers of Pertinax—Civil Wars and Victory of Severus over his three Rivals—Relaxation of discipline—New Maxims of Government

A.D.		PAGE
	Proportion of the Military Force to the Number of the People	103
	The Prætorian Guards	103
	Their Institution	103
	Their Camp	104