This silver denarius depicts the Emperor Pertinax, who became emperor in 193 CE after the murder of the Emperor Commodus by his own praetorian guards. Pertinax was installed by the same praetorian guards and in turn murdered by them in March of the same year, leading to the emperorship being auctioned off and a brief civil war all taking place in 193 CE. In this period of instability, Pertinax’s coins focused on messages of divine patronage. Here, Ops, a fertility goddess whose name literally means “plenty,” is depicted seated, holding two corn ears. Katherine Brown 2011.