Clodius Albinus

Decimus Clodius Septimius Albinus (November 25th 147 - February 19th 197) was one of the principal applicants to the imperial capacity after the death of Pertinax, transitory successor of Commode, in April 193. Initially combined with Severe Septime, he was then the enemy and was overcome for it into 197 near Lyon. It is because of this defeat that our knowledge on this character is very few and often suspect. They undoubtedly reflect on the one hand calumnies of the propaganda of Septime Sévère and on the other hand the deformations of the senatorial historians. That is particularly true of its biography in the anonymous collection called of the Histoire Auguste, considered for his impostures and its inventions.

Origin and career

Clodius Albinus was born on November 25th 147 with Hadrumète in Africa. It is thus perhaps resulting from a Roman family which emigrated in Africa. The historian André Chastagnol however pointed out that even this origin could not be held for completely sure and it could also be a question of a romanized African.

Its biography in the Histoire Auguste details then various episodes of its career: command of auxiliary Troops, then of a legion under Marc Aurèle. For this reason, it would have taken part into 175 in Bithynie in the repression of the revolt of Avidius Cassius. This information must be held like suspect, because they do not reflect the ordinary course of the careers of the time and are pressed on documents apocryphal books probably invented by the anonymous biographer. It undoubtedly acted for this last of stage to its lack of information by building a portrait corresponding to its prejudices and political options and histories. It slipped there probably also of allusions to the policy issues of its time (extreme end of the fourth century).

Hérodien and Dion Cassius, Greek historians of the third century of our era, offer to us less abundant but surer information and often in contradiction with the portrait of the History Auguste. It is possible to deduce from it that Albinus is resulting from a senatorial family, that with beginning of the year 180 it is used in Dacie at the sides as Pescennius Niger, other claiming with the throne into 193, and that its consulate must be placed towards 185-187. Clodius Albinus is named thereafter with the head of the province of Brittany - current Great Britain. For this reason it orders a powerful manpower for a province of the empire: three legions, but which had been shown agitated and undisciplined in the previous years.

An applicant with the empire become Severe César de Septime into 193…

When Clodius Albinus learns at the beginning of 193 the usurpation in Rome from Didius Julianus, he revolts, while refusing the imperial title which its troops propose to him. Septime Sévère, revolted with the army of the Danube is recognized emperor by the Roman Sénat. Septime Sévère wants initially to get rid of Pescennius Niger, also revolted in Syria. He thus gets along with Clodius Albinus remained in Brittany, grants to him the title of César in April 194, then takes it as colleague for the consulate of year 194. In Rome of the currencies are struck which testifies to its association to the empire (see figure 1).

… before being its enemy, overcome in Lyon

Once removed from Pescennius Niger, Septime Sévère changes attitude: in December 195, it makes declare Clodius Albinus public enemy by the Senate. Forced to react, Clodius Albinus is made proclaim Auguste by his troops in January 197, and unloads as a Gaulle. It settles with Lugdunum (Lyon), controlling Brittany, Gaules and Spain. The army of Septime Sévère penetrates as a Gaulle by the Jura. Clodius Albinus is beaten with Tournus then one second time close to Lugdunum in February 197. It commits suicide not to be captured. The monetary treasures fortuitously discovered or by archaeological research in the area of Lyon attest violence of the engagements and collapse of the troops of Clodius Albinus (treasure of Genas found in 1826 and made up of approximately 2000 sums of money of Albinus, treasure of Saint-Didier-with-Mount-in Or found in 1844 with the skeletons of soldiers)

Not having been recognized by the Roman Senate, Clodius Albinus does not appear in the list of the legitimate emperors.

Currencies

As we it have-considering the coining of Albinus is double. First of all parts struck in Rome in partnership with Severe Septime, legitimating it as César where it is associated with the topics numismatics suitable for Septime Sévère. Here (figure 1) the saeculum frugiferum announces the one century arrival of abundance and fruitfulness, one period of prosperous revival. It is not necessary to see there a reference to its supposed African origins and titulature of Hadrumète, because the topic of the profitable century is not new nor original. Currencies of the city of Pautalia in Thrace (Varbanov, n° 2971) were also struck with the portrait of Clodius Albinus césar, sometimes associated with that of Septime Sévère. With the reverse one sees a god snake whom one could identify with Glycon. At all events there are not a relationship necessary between this topic of reverse and Albinus because it was already used in Pautalia under Commode.

In the second time of the currencies struck for its own account after the rupture with Severe, for much in Lyon, in general of the sum of money S (figure 2). It carries the title of Auguste there. The topics approached with the reverses reflect its position well. The topic of the Aequitas takes again a topic of Pertinax, but can seem also a call in direction of the senate and an attack against the change of attitude of Severe. The fidelity of the legions ( Fides ), with hands united in front of an eagle legionary is appropriate well for a civil period of war, where it is initially necessary to be pressed on his soldiers and to prevent treasons. The type of the genius of Lugdunum, with the genius of the city crowned of turns, being held upright with a sceptre and a horn of plenty, illustrates the important place well that had taken the capital of Gaules in its part of the empire and its use as monetary workshop. Clodius Albinus even made there strike ace.

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