page_title: Year of the Five Emperors
section_title: Clodius Albinus
hierarchical_section_title: Year of the Five Emperors / History / Clodius Albinus
caption_attribution_description: English: Clodius Albinus, as Caesar, 193-195 AD. AV Aureus (7.22 gm, 5h). Rome mint. Struck 194 AD. D CLOD SEPT AL-BIN CAES, bare-headed bust right, slight drapery on left shoulder SAECVLO FRVGIFERO COS II, Saeculum Frugiferum, radiate, standing left, holding caduceus and grain ears in extended right hand and cradling hay fork in left arm. RIC IV 9b (same obverse die); Pink I, pg. 26; BMCRE pg. 38, * note; Calicó 2423; cf. Cohen 70.
context_page_description: The Year of the Five Emperors was 193 AD, in which five men claimed the title of Roman emperor: Pertinax, Didius Julianus, Pescennius Niger, Clodius Albinus, and Septimius Severus. This year started a period of civil war when multiple rulers vied for the chance to become caesar.
  The political unrest began with the murder of Emperor Commodus on New Year's Eve 192 AD. Once Commodus was assassinated, Pertinax was named emperor, but immediately aroused opposition in the Praetorian Guard when he attempted to initiate reforms. They then plotted his assassination, and Pertinax was killed while trying to reason with the mutineers. He had only been emperor for three months. Didius Julianus, who purchased the title from the Praetorian Guard, succeeded Pertinax, but was ousted by Septimius Severus and executed on June 1. Severus was declared Caesar by the Senate, but Pescennius Niger was hostile when he declared himself emperor. This started the civil war between Niger and Severus; both gathered troops and fought throughout the territory of the empire.
context_section_description: Albinus came into contention for the imperial office in 193, when he was asked to become emperor after the death of Commodus, but rejected the proposition. However, he did eventually gain the title of Caesar because Severus needed assistance in controlling the empire while he was fighting Niger, so that he could completely focus on the civil war.  Severus and Albinus were considered enemies at the time, but a treaty was signed between the two, which gave Albinus more power and the title of Caesar. Some sources say that this treaty was only honorary and only benefited Severus, who only won because of Albinus' support, while not actually giving away any of his power as emperor. Albinus controlled Britain, and this treaty would have given him power over Gaul and Spain. Most sources do not mention a formal treaty, but they do say that a more informal agreement existed between the two men, so that Severus could concentrate on Niger.  Albinus continued in this role as "Caesar" for three more years before a civil war broke out between Severus and him, resulting in Severus becoming the sole emperor.
caption: Coin of Clodius Albinus. This coin celebrates Saeculum Frugiferum, the embodiment of a "fruitful era", probably Ba'al Hammon, a Phoenician divinity worshipped in North Africa, whence Clodius came.
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