Editing Pescennius Niger

{{short description|Roman emperor from 193 to 194}}
{{Infobox monarch
| name         = Pescennius Niger
| regnal name  = Imperator Caesar Gaius Pescennius Niger Iustus Augustus
| title        = [[Usurper]] of the [[Roman Empire]]
| image        = Aureus Pescennius Niger (obverse).jpg
| caption      = [[Aureus]] of Pescennius Niger, Antioch mint. Legend: IMP CAES C PESC NIGER IVST AVG.
| reign        = 9 April 193 – May 194
| predecessor  = [[Didius Julianus]]
| successor    = [[Septimius Severus]]
| spouse       = 
| issue        = 
| dynasty      = None
| father       = Annius Fuscus
| mother       = Lampridia
| birth_date   = c. 135/140
| birth_place  = [[Roman Empire]]
| death_date   = 194 (aged 53–59)
| death_place  = [[Roman Empire]]
| place of burial = 
| full name    = Gaius Pescennius Niger
}}

'''Gaius Pescennius Niger''' (c. 135 – 194) was a [[Roman usurper]] from 193 to 194 during the [[Year of the Five Emperors]]. He claimed the imperial throne in response to the murder of [[Pertinax]] and the elevation of [[Didius Julianus]], but was defeated by a rival claimant, [[Septimius Severus]], and killed while attempting to flee from [[Antioch]].

==Early life==
According to ''[[Historia Augusta]]'', Niger's parents were Annius Fuscus and Lampridia. It also states that his grandfather was a supervisor of Aquinum.<ref>{{Cite book |title=The Historia Augusta: A Call of Clarity |publisher=R. Habelt |year=1971 |isbn=9783774911604 |pages=79 |last=Syme |first=Ronald |volume=8}}</ref> He may have had a brother named Publius Pescennius Niger who is recorded in an inscription to have been a member of the [[Arval Brethren]] in AD 183, during the reign of Commodus.<ref>{{CIL|6|2099}}, {{CIL|6|2101}}.</ref><ref name="PIR III 24">''PIR'', vol. III, p. 24.</ref>

==Early career==
[[File:Denarius-Pescennius Niger-RIC 0015var.jpg|222px|left|thumb|AR denarius Pescennius Niger. Antioch mint, 3.12 g. Inscription: IMP[ERATOR] CAES[AR] G[AIVS] PESC[ENNIVS] NIGER IVST[VS] AVG[VSTVS] CO[N]S[VL] II /FELICITAS TEMPOR.]]
Although Niger was born into an old Italian equestrian family, around the year 135,<ref>Potter, p. 101; Meckler, ''Pescennius Niger'', Cassius Dio, 75:6:1</ref> he was [[Novus homo|the first member of his family to achieve the rank]] of [[Roman senator]].<ref name="Potter, pg. 101">Potter, p. 101</ref> Not much is known of his early career; it is possible that he held an administrative position in [[Aegyptus (Roman province)|Egypt]], and that he served in a military campaign in [[Dacia]] early in [[Commodus]]’ reign.<ref name="Meckler, ''Pescennius Niger''">Meckler, ''Pescennius Niger''</ref> During the late 180s, Niger was elected as a [[Suffect consul]], after which Commodus made him [[Legatus Augusti pro praetore|imperial legate]] of [[Syria (Roman province)|Syria]] in 191.<ref>Meckler, ''Pescennius Niger''; Southern, p. 28</ref>

He was still serving in Syria when news came of the murder of [[Pertinax]], followed by the auctioning off of the imperial title to [[Didius Julianus]].<ref>Bowman, p. 2; Meckler, ''Pescennius Niger''</ref> Niger was a well regarded public figure in [[Rome]]<ref name="Meckler, ''Pescennius Niger''"/> and soon a popular demonstration against Didius Julianus broke out, during which the citizens called out for Niger to come to Rome and claim the imperial title for himself.<ref>Meckler, ''Pescennius Niger''; Potter, p. 101; Bowman, p. 2</ref> As a consequence, it is alleged that Julianus dispatched a [[centurion]] to the east with orders to assassinate Niger at [[Antioch]].<ref name="Potter, pg. 99">Potter, p. 99</ref>

The result of the unrest in Rome saw Niger proclaimed Emperor by the eastern legions by the end of April 193.<ref>Southern, p. 28; Bowman, p. 2</ref> On his accession, Niger took the additional [[cognomen]] ''Justus'', or "the Just".<ref name="Meckler, ''Pescennius Niger''"/>  Although imperial propaganda issued on behalf of Septimius Severus later claimed that Niger was the first to rebel against Didius Julianus,<ref name="Potter, pg. 99"/> it was Severus who persisted, claiming the imperial title on 14 April.<ref name="Potter, pg. 101"/> Although Niger sent envoys to Rome to announce his elevation to the imperial throne, his messengers were intercepted by Severus.<ref name="Meckler, ''Pescennius Niger''"/> As Niger began bolstering his support in the eastern provinces, Severus marched on Rome which he entered in early June 193 after Julianus had been murdered.<ref>Bowman, p. 4; Meckler, ''Pescennius Niger''</ref>

== Septimius Severus and Niger ==
{{Year of Five Emperors}}
Severus wasted no time consolidating his hold on Rome, and ordered his newly appointed prefect of the watch, [[Gaius Fulvius Plautianus]] to capture Niger's children and hold them as hostages.<ref name="Potter, pg. 103">Potter, p. 103</ref> Meanwhile, Niger was busy securing the support of all of the governors in the [[Asia (Roman province)|Asiatic provinces]], including the esteemed [[proconsul]] of Asia, [[Asellius Aemilianus]], who had occupied [[Byzantium]] in the name of Niger.<ref>Southern, p. 32; Meckler, ''Pescennius Niger''</ref> He then proceeded to secure direct control over [[Aegyptus (Roman province)|Egypt]], while Severus did as much as he could to protect the wheat supply, and ordered troops loyal to him to keep watch on the western border of Egypt and prevent the legion stationed there – [[Legio II Traiana Fortis]] – from sending military aid to Niger.<ref>Southern, p. 32</ref>

Although the Asiatic provinces contained great wealth, Niger's military resources were inferior to Severus’. While Severus had the sixteen Danubian legions at his disposal, Niger possessed only six: three in [[Syria (Roman province)|Syria]], the two stationed in [[Arabia Petraea]], and one located at [[Malatya|Melitene]].<ref name="Potter, pg. 103"/> Niger therefore decided to act aggressively, and sent a force into [[Thrace]] where it defeated a part of Severus’ army under [[Lucius Fabius Cilo]] at [[Marmara Ereğlisi|Perinthus]].<ref name="Potter, pg. 104">Potter, p. 104</ref>

Severus then marched from Rome to the east, sending his general [[Tiberius Claudius Candidus]] ahead of him.<ref name="Bowman, pg. 4">Bowman, p. 4</ref> Niger, having made Byzantium his headquarters, gave Asellius Aemilianus the task of defending the southern shore of the [[Sea of Marmara]].<ref name="Bowman, pg. 4"/> As Severus approached, he offered Niger the opportunity to surrender and go into exile, but Niger refused, trusting in the outcome of a military encounter.<ref name="Meckler, ''Pescennius Niger''"/> In the fall of 193, Candidus met Aemilianus in battle at [[Battle of Cyzicus (193)|Cyzicus]], resulting in Niger's forces being defeated as well as the capture and death of Aemilianus.<ref name=":0">Bowman, p. 4; Potter, p. 104; Southern, p. 33</ref> Byzantium was now placed under siege, forcing Niger to abandon the city and retreat to [[Nicaea]].<ref name="Bowman, pg. 4"/> The city remained loyal to Pescennius Niger, and it would take Severus until the end of 195 to finally capture Byzantium.<ref name="Southern, pg. 33">Southern, p. 33</ref>

Another battle took place outside [[Battle of Nicaea|Nicaea]] in later December 193, which also resulted in a defeat for Niger. Nevertheless, Niger was able to withdraw the bulk of his army intact to the [[Taurus Mountains]], where he held the passes for a few months while he returned to Antioch.<ref>Meckler, ''Pescennius Niger''; Bowman, p. 4; Potter, p. 104</ref> However, Niger's support in Asia was falling. Some previously loyal cities changed their allegiance, in particular [[Latakia|Laodicea]] and [[Tyre, Lebanon|Tyre]].<ref name="Southern, pg. 33"/> By February 13, 194, Egypt had declared for Severus, as had the imperial legate of [[Arabia (Roman province)|Arabia]], further diminishing Niger's chances.<ref>Bowman, p. 4; Potter, p. 104</ref>

After Severus had replaced Candidus with another general, [[Publius Cornelius Anullinus]], Niger met Anullinus in battle at [[Battle of Issus (194)|Issus]] in May 194, where after a long and hard-fought struggle, Niger was decisively defeated.<ref name=":0"/> Forced to retreat to [[Antioch]], Niger was captured while attempting to flee to [[Parthia]].<ref>Meckler, ''Pescennius Niger''; Southern, p. 33</ref> Niger was beheaded, and his severed head was taken to Byzantium, but the city refused to surrender. Eventually, Severus stormed and completely destroyed Byzantium before he had it rebuilt.<ref name="Southern, pg. 33"/> Niger's head eventually found its way to Rome where it was displayed.<ref name="Potter, pg. 104"/>

The Historia Augusta relates that after his victory in the east, Severus punished Niger's supporters.<ref>Potter, p. 106</ref> He had Niger's wife and children put to death, while his estates were confiscated.<ref>Historia Augusta, ''Life of Pescennius Niger'', 6:1</ref>`However, according to Roman scholar Geoffrey Turton, Septimius refrained from vindictive reprisals. After Niger's death his wife and children served no use as hostages, and were allowed to live in retirement, where it was supposed, they would play no further part in public affairs. Given the unreliability of the Historia Augusta, which often served as a propaganda vehicle for succeeding emperors, this is almost certainly the more likely outcome.<ref>Turton, ''The Syrian Princesses'' p. 44</ref>

==Name==
The name "Pescennius Niger" means "black Pescennius", which incidentally contrasts him with one of his rivals for the throne in 194, [[Clodius Albinus]], whose name means "white Clodius".<ref>Southern, p. 28</ref> [[Cassius Dio|Cassius Dio's]] "Roman History" reports that, when a priest of [[Jupiter (mythology)|Jupiter]] saw in a [[dream]] a "black/dark man" (ἄνθρωποι τὸν μέλανα) breaking into the emperor's camp, this was [[Dream_interpretation#Classical_Antiquity|interpreted]] as referring to Pescennius Niger. 

According to ''[[Historia Augusta]]'', his father had the [[cognomen]] "fuscus", meaning "brown", and though his body was allegedly white and corpulent, his face was dark red with a very black neck, which was thought "by many men" to have been the origin of his cognomen "Niger".<ref>Historian Augusta, ''Life of Pescennius Niger'', 6:6</ref>

==Family==
Pescennius is known to have been married and had children. The names of his children are not mentioned in any sources, nor how many they were.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Descriptive Catalogue of a Cabinet of Roman Imperial Large-brass Medals by Captain William Henry Smyth|last=Smyth|first=William Henry|publisher=Webb|year=1834|pages=176}}</ref> In the past it has been supposed by some historians based on medals bearing the inscription "Pescennia Plautiana Augusta" that Niger was married to a woman named Plautiana or that he had a daughter named Pescennia Plautiana, but the medals are said to be forgeries.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Royal Numismatic Society|publisher=Royal Numismatic Society|year=1875|pages=34–40|volume=15–16}}</ref>

==Popular culture==
In the film ''[[The Fall of the Roman Empire (film)|The Fall of The Roman Empire]]'' Niger is played by [[Douglas Wilmer]] and depicted as a scheming henchman of Commodus. At the end of the film, Niger and [[Didius Julianus]], played by [[Eric Porter]], another crony of Commodus, compete against each other in the auction for the throne of Rome.

==See also==
*[[Abdsamiya]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==

===Primary sources===
* [[Cassius Dio]], [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/75*.html ''Roman History'', Books 74 & 75]
* [[Herodian]], [https://www.livius.org/he-hg/herodian/hre207.html ''Roman History'', Books 2 & 3] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150708193149/http://www.livius.org/he-hg/herodian/hre207.html |date=2015-07-08 }}
* [[Historia Augusta]], [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Historia_Augusta/Pescennius_Niger*.html ''Life of Pescennius Niger'']

===Secondary sources===
* Southern, Pat. ''The Roman Empire from Severus to Constantine'', Routledge, 2001
* Potter, David Stone, ''The Roman Empire at Bay, AD 180-395'', Routledge, 2004
* Bowman, Alan K., ''The Cambridge Ancient History: The Crisis of Empire, A.D. 193-337'', Cambridge University Press, 2005
* http://www.roman-emperors.org/pniger.htm {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120128074440/http://www.roman-emperors.org/pniger.htm |date=2012-01-28 }} Meckler, Michael L, "Pescennius Niger (193-194 A.D.)", ''De Imperatoribus Romanis'' (1998)

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Pescennius Niger}}
*{{CathEncy|wstitle=Pescennius Niger}}
*[https://www.livius.org/pen-pg/pescennius/niger.html Pescennius Niger at Livius.Org] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141123161212/https://www.livius.org/pen-pg/pescennius/niger.html |date=2014-11-23 }}

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{{succession box|title=[[Roman Emperor]]|before=[[Didius Julianus]]|years=193<br />in competition with <br />[[Septimius Severus]] and [[Clodius Albinus]]|after=[[Septimius Severus]]}}
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[[Category:2nd-century Roman governors of Syria]]
[[Category:People from Roman Anatolia]]
[[Category:Roman governors of Syria]]
[[Category:Suffect consuls of Imperial Rome]]
[[Category:Deaths by decapitation]]
[[Category:Annii]]
[[Category:2nd-century births]]
[[Category:194 deaths]]
[[Category:2nd-century Roman emperors]]
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