Tigidius Perennis

Tigidius Perennis was praetorian prefect under the emperor Commodus and became one of the most powerful administrators in the Roman Empire. Ancient accounts claim that he concentrated authority, promoted his sons and plotted to replace Commodus. In 185 a delegation of soldiers from Britain denounced him, and the emperor ordered the execution of Perennis and his family.

Ancient authors such as Cassius Dio and the Historia Augusta portray Perennis as a minister who accumulated excessive authority while Commodus withdrew from routine government. Those sources are hostile and cannot be accepted uncritically, but they agree that his fall came suddenly after military accusations reached the emperor. His execution opened the way for other favourites, especially Cleander, to dominate access to Commodus.

In Simon Turney’s Praetorian: The Price of Treason: Volume 2, Praetorian prefect Tigidius Perennis appears to offer order, but accusations of treason spread through an imperial court where information is a weapon.