Pescennius Niger (April 193 A.D. - March/April 194 A.D.)

Of humble origin, C. Pescennius Niger was born sometime between A.D. 135 and 140 and had a long and honourable career in the army. In A.D. 190 he held the consulship and in the following year was appointed governor of Syria. After the murder of Pertinax, 28th March 193, he was proclaimed emperor by his troops. Septimius Severus, however, having secured Rome, turned his attention to his rival in the East, and thrice defeated the forces of Niger. The latter concentrated the remnants of his army at Issus, where Alexander the Great had defeated Darius III 500 years before, to make a last stand, but he was again defeated and fled towards the Euphrates only to be overtaken and executed.