Clodius Albinus
as Caesar under Septimius Severus  AD 193 - 195
as Augustus against Septimius Severus  AD 195 - 196 (late AD 195 - 19 February 196)

Decimus Clodius Septimius Albinus.

AD 193 - 195 Caesar under Septimius Severus
AD 195 - 196 Augustus against Septimius Severus

Albinus was born into a wealthy, senatorial family from North Africa in 150 and received an aristocratic education. He won his military fame early in Commodus reign as a commander battling barbarians in Dacia, and later served as consul, probably in the mid 180s, and held provincial governorships. By 192 he was governing Britain. When news reached him in spring 193 that Pertinax had been assassinated, Albinus was apparently acclaimed as emperor by at least one legion in Britain. Severus, himself proclaimed emperor in the Balkans, offered him the title of Caesar and promised to make him his heir. Albinus accepted the offer. Severus then marched on Rome, took the Empire, and for the next year or so honored his word and shared the consulship of 194 with Albinus. Albinus remained in Britain, technically loyal to Severus but keeping an eye on the developments in Rome. He did not have to wait long before news reached him that Severus had revoked his title of Caesar. Albinus began garnering support for an attempt for the throne. Severus continued strengthening his position, having his son Caracalla displayed to the army as Caesar and heir. In the meantime Albinus had been proclaimed emperor and gone into open revolt, crossed the English Channel and gained the support of many aristocrats from Gaul and Spain and gaining a victory against the governor of Lower Germany. But by the middle of the year 196, his momentum had stalled. His troops were defeated early in 197 at Tournus, on the river Saône 65 miles north of Lyon, and then met up with Severus in a decisive and bloody battle. Severus won and Albinus committed suicide. Severus had his head cut off and sent to Rome for display.

Mints: Lugdunum, Rome.

List all Clodius Albinus coins in the Catalog.

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