I'm sure I must have heard the name "Pertinax" before seeing this book for the first time, but I couldn't have told you a single thing about him... So, I wanted to know who he was, how he became emperor, and all the other parts in between. Dr. Simon Elliott managed to answer every single question that came to mind during the course of reading. The book is written in an easy to understand way, but doesn't talk down to the reader at all. I truly feel like my knowledge of the Roman Empire has been added to... though I may need a second read to soak everything up properly! My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advance copy to review. This review is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.