Uploaded January 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
We often think one good leader is all it takes to save a city, state, or nation, but history proves otherwise. Pertinax ascended to the Roman emperorship after the fall of the tyrannical Commodus as a savior for the empire. This tragic reformer displayed many of the ideals we expect of good leaders: a reluctance to accept power, frugality of the public funds, an abhorrence of wastefulness, a forgiving demeanor to his personal enemies and the memory of Commodus, a respect for justice, a virtue recognized widely throughout Rome, and a desire to instill discipline in the lax Roman legions. Unfortunately, the virtues of such a leader proved inexpedient politically, as servile members who resented their loss of private benefits from a corrupt government united against Pertinax. Pertinax’s noble reign of only 86 days ended in violence. This example of Pertinax highlights the unfortunate fate of one good leader stepping into a mire of corruption too deep to survive alone. In a government full of corrupt, favor-seeking, and duplicitous actors, one man is not enough.
ABOUT THE CHANNEL
ThinkingWest: Great Books Explored revives the “Great Conversation” in our digital age through exploring the great books of the western world. We dive deep into the most influential books of all time, read short essays and letters from the greatest thinkers, and discuss timeless ideas that continue to shape our culture today.
ABOUT THINKINGWEST
ThinkingWest aims to revive the “Great Conversation” in our digital age through promoting the study of the great books of the western world, classical approaches to education, and through thoughtful commentary on current events, history, philosophy, culture, education, and religion.
RECOMMENDED BOOKS
How to Read a Book, Mortimer Adler and Charles van Doren: amzn.to/3NOLCrm
How to Read and Why, Harold Bloom: amzn.to/3J69V0y
The Well-Educated Mind, Susan Wise Bauer: amzn.to/3LB5Djq
LINKS
Website: thinkingwest.com
Donate to support this work: thinkingwest.com/donate
Classic book lists: thinkingwest.com/book-lists
Relevant articles:
thinkingwest.com/2022/11/06/pertinax-and-politics-one-good-leader-cannot-save-a-nation
Intro music produced by Adam Drakos.
#leadership #politics #history
We often think one good leader is all it takes to save a city, state, or nation, but history proves otherwise. Pertinax ascended to the Roman emperorship after the fall of the tyrannical Commodus as a savior for the empire. This tragic reformer displayed many of the ideals we expect of good leaders: a reluctance to accept power, frugality of the public funds, an abhorrence of wastefulness, a forgiving demeanor to his personal enemies and the memory of Commodus, a respect for justice, a virtue recognized widely throughout Rome, and a desire to instill discipline in the lax Roman legions. Unfortunately, the virtues of such a leader proved inexpedient politically, as servile members who resented their loss of private benefits from a corrupt government united against Pertinax. Pertinax’s noble reign of only 86 days ended in violence. This example of Pertinax highlights the unfortunate fate of one good leader stepping into a mire of corruption too deep to survive alone. In a government full of corrupt, favor-seeking, and duplicitous actors, one man is not enough.
ABOUT THE CHANNEL
ThinkingWest: Great Books Explored revives the “Great Conversation” in our digital age through exploring the great books of the western world. We dive deep into the most influential books of all time, read short essays and letters from the greatest thinkers, and discuss timeless ideas that continue to shape our culture today.
ABOUT THINKINGWEST
ThinkingWest aims to revive the “Great Conversation” in our digital age through promoting the study of the great books of the western world, classical approaches to education, and through thoughtful commentary on current events, history, philosophy, culture, education, and religion.
RECOMMENDED BOOKS
How to Read a Book, Mortimer Adler and Charles van Doren: amzn.to/3NOLCrm
How to Read and Why, Harold Bloom: amzn.to/3J69V0y
The Well-Educated Mind, Susan Wise Bauer: amzn.to/3LB5Djq
LINKS
Website: thinkingwest.com
Donate to support this work: thinkingwest.com/donate
Classic book lists: thinkingwest.com/book-lists
Relevant articles:
thinkingwest.com/2022/11/06/pertinax-and-politics-one-good-leader-cannot-save-a-nation
Intro music produced by Adam Drakos.
#leadership #politics #history
