Gens: PESCENNIUS
Created: 27th January 2018
Update:  27th January 2018
Status Republic: Patrician:     Pleb. Nobilis:       Senatorial: X    Eques Romanus:      Local magistrates  
Republican Family / Cognomen
Patrician n/a
Pleb. Nobilis n/a
Senatorial no cognomen
Equestrian n/a
Local magistrat. n/a
Uncertain n/a
Imperial Family / Cognomen
Imperators n/a
Consular Niger
Senatorial Vitulus
Equestrian n/a
Equestrian (mil) Iustus
Local magistrat. Gessius
Uncertain n/a
Republican Consuls, Tribunes with consular power, Dictators, Magister Equitum, Censors 0
Imperial Consuls and Emperors (Augusti and Caesars) 1 incl. 1 emperor
Notes: C. Pescennius Niger's parents and career prior to his governorship of Syria is disputed by scholars and some probably fictitious (from Vita Nigri in Historia Augusta)
Thus if one believes he was governor of Dacia c.183, then his suffect consulate should be c.180/183, if legatus legionis, then consulate is later.
Literature Alföldy, Geza: "Eine Proskriptionsliste in der Historia Augusta," in Bonner Historia-Augusta-Colloquium 1968-69 (BHAC 7), 1970 p.1-12
for his analysis of the names of the nobiles executed by Severus on 197, incl. six Pescennii.
Crook: Consilium Principis (1955) p.177 (§252 C. Pescennius Niger P254 amicus of Commodus)
Dabrowa: Governors of Syria (1998) p.127-128 (C. Pescennius Niger P254, leg Aug pro pr Syria c.190-193
Jacques, Francois: "Les nobiles exécutés par Septime Sévère selon l'Histoire Auguste : liste de proscription ou énumération fantaisiste ?", in 
Latomus, T. 51, 1992, pp. 119-144 (p141 for the six Pescennii)
Leunissen: Konsuln (1989) 138-9, 235-6, 262, 351-2  (C. Pescennius Niger's career, prefers cos suff 180/183), p.400-402 (executions of Severus in 197)
Nelson, C.A.: "Pescennius Niger: A Third Year?", in ZPE Bd. 47 (1982), pp. 265-274 gives detailed dates for his short reign. He sets his death to late April 194.
Piso: Fasti Daciae (1993) p.137-141 (§27 C. Pescennius Niger P254
Scheid: Freres Arvales 69-304 (1990) p.100,420 (P. Pescennius Niger P253)
Stein: Dazien (1944) p.51 does not accept C. Pescennius Niger P254 as governor of Dacia.
Changes
RE before RE1
C. Pescennius
III vir capitalis 149 ?
REPUBLIC
IMPERIAL                                                      
A652
Annius Fuscus
fictitious
~ Lampridia L81
fictitious
 
P254 RE2 ? P253 RE3 Rüpke2644
C. Pescennius Niger                   P. Pescennius Niger
IMP. CAESAR C. PESCENNIUS NIGER IUSTUS AUG. frat Arv 183
* c.135 eques from Italia, military equestrian career,  pr 183
probably adlectus inter praetorios 180/183
leg legionis (or governor) during war in Dacia 182/3
special command vs gangs of deserters in Lugdunensis, 
cos suff c.180 (if actually governor in Dacia) or c.183/188 
leg Aug pro pr Syria 190/191-193
proclaimed imperator April 193 cos II in the East 194 
† April (or October) 194 captured and exc
? frat Arv 183 (if praenomen Publius is an error)
~ ignota (FOS876), exiled 194, later exc.
 
  P255 P257 RE4 Rüpke2645 P258 RE5
children   Pescennius Princus Pescennius Vitulus Pescennia Marcellina
exiled 194, later exc. son of imp Clodius Albinus salius Palatinus † 200 adopted the later emperor 
fictitious M. Clodius Pupienus Maximus, imp 238
probably fictitious
P247 Pescennius Albinus 6 nobiles exc. by Severus 197 according to Historia Augusta, however most of the cognomina are probably fictitious.
P248 Pescennius Aurelianus Some could of course be relatives of Pescennius Niger.
P249 Pescennius Festus See articles by Alföldy (who discards all 6), and Jacques (more hesitant) above. 
P251 RE1a Pescennius Iulianus Leunissen admits P247 and P251 are false (cognomen of emperors), but one or more of the others could be true.
P252 Pescennius Materianus (Materninanus ?)
P256 Pescennius Veratianus
AE1923-41 IGR4-1642
L. Pescennius Gessius
asiarch III between 244/5 and 246/7
presumably his family were given citizenship by P254
UNCERTAIN DATE                                                    
Dobson (old) 346
L. Pescennius Iustus
primus pilus
inscription Roma