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Clodius Albinus (150-197) was born in Africa Province (modern day Tunisia) to an aristocratic Roman family. He joined the army at a young age and served with distinction under Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Commodus. After the assassination of Emperor Pertinax and the auctioning of the imperial throne to senator Didius Julianus in 193, Albinus was proclaimed emperor by the armies in Britain and Gaul.<br/><br/> In the civil war that followed, which would be known as the Year of the Five Emperors, Albinus initially allied himself with fellow claimant Septimius Severus, who had captured Rome, with the two sharing a consulship in 194 and Severus giving the title of Caesar to Albinus. By the the year 196, Severus had already removed the other emperors, and turned his eye on Albinus, wishing to be undisputed master of the Roman Empire.<br/><br/> Albinus formally proclaimed himself emperor in 196, and went on the offensive. On 19 February 197, the armies of the two emperors clashed at the Battle of Lugdunum. Though it was hard-fought, Albinus was defeated and either killed himself or was executed on Severus' orders. In a final act of humiliation, Severus had Albinus' body laid out on the ground so that he could ride his horse over it.
Magnus Decentius (-353) was possibly the brother of the usurper Magnentius, who murdered Emperor Constans and revolted against Emperor Constantius II in 350. When Magnentius was busy fighting against Constantius II, he elevated Decentius to Caesar and co-emperor to aid him, ordering him to oversee the defence of Gaul and the Rhine frontier.<br/><br/> Magnentius was eventually defeated by Constantius at the Battle of Mons Seleucus in 353, and committed suicide by falling on his own sword. When Decentius heard of this, as he was leading reinforcements to aid his brother, he hanged himself at Senonae rather than continue fighting.
Pescennius Niger (135/140-194) was born into an old Italian equestrian family, and was the first member to become a Roman senator. He was appointed by Commodus to be imperial legate of Syria in 191, where he was serving when news came of the murder of Pertinax in 193 and the auctioning of the imperial throne to Didius Julianus.<br/><br/> Niger was a well regarded public figure, and the citizens of Rome called out for him to return to Rome and claim the title from Julianus. Consequently, the eastern legions proclaimed Niger as emperor in 193, the second emperor to claim the imperial title after Septimius Severus. The resulting chaos and civil war was known as the Year of the Five Emperors, with claimants all across the Roman Empire vying for the throne.<br/><br/> Niger and Severus fought in the east to see who would become undisputed emperor, though Niger was militarily outmatched and outnumbered. Severus offered Niger the chance to surrender and go into exile, but he refused, and was eventually captured in 194. He was beheaded, with his severed head travelling to Byzantium first in an attempt to cow the city into surrendering, before eventually arriving in Rome where it was displayed for all to see.
Clodius Albinus (150-197) was born in Africa Province (modern day Tunisia) to an aristocratic Roman family. He joined the army at a young age and served with distinction under Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Commodus. After the assassination of Emperor Pertinax and the auctioning of the imperial throne to senator Didius Julianus in 193, Albinus was proclaimed emperor by the armies in Britain and Gaul.<br/><br/> In the civil war that followed, which would be known as the Year of the Five Emperors, Albinus initially allied himself with fellow claimant Septimius Severus, who had captured Rome, with the two sharing a consulship in 194 and Severus giving the title of Caesar to Albinus. By the the year 196, Severus had already removed the other emperors, and turned his eye on Albinus, wishing to be undisputed master of the Roman Empire.<br/><br/> Albinus formally proclaimed himself emperor in 196, and went on the offensive. On 19 February 197, the armies of the two emperors clashed at the Battle of Lugdunum. Though it was hard-fought, Albinus was defeated and either killed himself or was executed on Severus' orders. In a final act of humiliation, Severus had Albinus' body laid out on the ground so that he could ride his horse over it.
Italy: Magnentius (303-353), usurper emperor, from the book <i>Icones imperatorvm romanorvm</i> (Icons of Roman Emperors), Antwerp, c. 1645. Magnentius was born in Gaul and served as a commander in the Western Roman army. When the army grew dissatisfied with the rule of Emperor Constans, they proclaimed Magnentius as the new emperor in 350 and killed Constans.
Magnus Decentius (-353) was possibly the brother of the usurper Magnentius, who murdered Emperor Constans and revolted against Emperor Constantius II in 350. When Magnentius was busy fighting against Constantius II, he elevated Decentius to Caesar and co-emperor to aid him, ordering him to oversee the defence of Gaul and the Rhine frontier.<br/><br/> Magnentius was eventually defeated by Constantius at the Battle of Mons Seleucus in 353, and committed suicide by falling on his own sword. When Decentius heard of this, as he was leading reinforcements to aid his brother, he hanged himself at Senonae rather than continue fighting.
Magnentius (303-353) was born in Gaul and served as a commander in the Western Roman army. When the army grew dissatisfied with the rule of Emperor Constans, they proclaimed Magnentius as the new emperor in 350 and killed Constans.<br/><br/> Magnentius quickly gained the loyalty of the provinces of Britannia, Gaul and Hispania, due to his more tolerant attitude towards Christians and Pagans. He also controlled parts of Africa and Italia, but soon faced resistance from the surviving members of the Constantinian dynasty and rival claimants, such as Vetranio, who was elected emperor by his troops in opposition to Magnentius.<br/><br/> Magnentius elected Magnus Decentius, likely his brother, to be co-emperor to aid against Constantius II's forces, and the two armies clashed at the Battle of Mursa Major in 351. Magnentius was said to have personally led his troops into battle, while Constantius was praying in a nearby church. Despite his heroism, Magnentius still lost and retreated to Gaul. He made a final stand in 353 in the Battle of Mons Seleucus, where he committed suicide by falling on his sword after being defeated for the last time.
Pescennius Niger (135/140-194) was born into an old Italian equestrian family, and was the first member to become a Roman senator. He was appointed by Commodus to be imperial legate of Syria in 191, where he was serving when news came of the murder of Pertinax in 193 and the auctioning of the imperial throne to Didius Julianus.<br/><br/> Niger was a well regarded public figure, and the citizens of Rome called out for him to return to Rome and claim the title from Julianus. Consequently, the eastern legions proclaimed Niger as emperor in 193, the second emperor to claim the imperial title after Septimius Severus. The resulting chaos and civil war was known as the Year of the Five Emperors, with claimants all across the Roman Empire vying for the throne.<br/><br/> Niger and Severus fought in the east to see who would become undisputed emperor, though Niger was militarily outmatched and outnumbered. Severus offered Niger the chance to surrender and go into exile, but he refused, and was eventually captured in 194. He was beheaded, with his severed head travelling to Byzantium first in an attempt to cow the city into surrendering, before eventually arriving in Rome where it was displayed for all to see.