Born in a chariot shelter in 86AD, Antoninus Pius came from a long line of Roman senators who gained a reputation for mind-numbing mediocrity. Unlike so many of their contemporaries, none of the Pius clan had come to a sticky end during the reigns of mad/bad emperors like Caligula, Nero or Domitian. They were 'Pius by name and Pious by nature' according to the inveterate wall-scribbler Juvenile. So perhaps it is not surprising that until he became emperor, Antoninus had stayed out of the public eye, working in a series of important if dull jobs. If one really wanted a party to start with a dull thud, Antoninus was the perfect guest to invite.