Publius Helvius Pertinax was the son of a humble charcoal-burner. After a successful career in the military, as a senator and then as praefect of the city of Rome, he reluctantly accepted the throne offered by the murderers of Commodus. Pertinax immediately began a campaign of reform, which made him quite unpopular. After 86 days in office, a group of mutinous Praetorians broke into the palace and murdered Pertinax.