Pertinax (Latin: Publius Helvius Pertinax Augustus; 1 August 126 – 28 March 193) was Roman Emperor for the first three months of 193. Successor to the assassinated Commodus, he was the first to serve as emperor during the tumultuous Year of the Five Emperors.

Born the son of a freed slave, Pertinax originally worked as a teacher before becoming an officer in the army. He fought in the war with the Parthians during the 160s, and success there led to higher-ranking positions in both the military and political spheres, including provincial governor and urban prefect. He was also a member of the Roman Senate, where he was a contemporary of the historian Cassius Dio.

Following the death of Commodus, Pertinax was acclaimed emperor. He attempted to institute several reform measures, although the short length of his time as emperor prevented the success of those attempts. One of those reforms, the restoration of discipline among the Praetorian Guards, led to conflict that eventually culminated in Pertinax's murder by the Guard. After his death, the Praetorians auctioned off the imperial title, which was won by the wealthy senator Didius Julianus, whose reign would last sixty-six days.

Pertinax would be deified by the successor of Julianus, Septimius Severus. His historical reputation has largely been a positive one, following the assessment of Dio.

His career before becoming emperor is documented in the Historia Augusta and confirmed in many places by existing inscriptions. Born in Alba Pompeia in Italy, the son of freedman Helvius Successus, originally Pertinax made his way as a grammaticus (teacher of grammar), but he eventually decided to find a more rewarding line of work and through the help of patronage he was commissioned an officer in a cohort.

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