Clodius Albinus was born in Africa to a pretty aristocratic family. His father decided to call him Albinus because of how pale he was when he was born. You'd think that his father was being insulting but whiteness was prized in Roman society. Politicians bleached their togas as white as possible when they ran for office. So perhaps it was a compliment. Still a weird name in my opinion.
He entered the army early in life. Marcus Aurelius (the emperor at the time) praised him for helping him with a rebellion. Marcus said that without Clodius the legions in Bithynia would have joined the rebellion as well which would have been trouble.
In those days rebellions and revolutions were mainly about how many legions you could get on your side. Sometimes a well done speech would tip the balance over who was to become the next Emperor or who would stay on the throne.
Now here's a funny chapter in Clodius's life. Coldius was given a command in Britain by the then Emperor Commodus. Now when Commodus died Clodius started denouncing Commodus to his troops. He said the Commodus had been a tyrant (undoubtedly true - nearly all Emperors were tyrants) he also said that the Senate should be given back more power. In fact, though, Commodus wasn't dead it had just been a rumour. Clodius was so well respected by now though that he pretty much got away with it. Despite the Emperor being furious.
Clodius's time came when the Emperor Pertinax was assasinated. Pertinax was unpopular with the Praetorian guard (the Emperors bodyguard.) because he wasn't paying them enough. Now of all the people to be unpopular with, the very people who are supposed to protect you. In fact, they did anything but. They murdered Emperor Pertinax because they hated him that much.
That wasn't the smartest thing to do, but the really stupid thing was what they did next. Because they didn't have a replacement for Pertinax lined up, they just decided to give the post of Emperor to whoever would pay them the most. Effectively auctioning it off.
Didius Julianus was the man that won the auction. But it wasn't going to be that simple for him. Out in the Roman provinces were very powerful men who had vast armies under their command. Quite frankly the way everything had gone down was very uncivilised even for their standards. They were not happy.
So the challengers to the throne were Pescennius Niger in Syria, Septimius Severus in Illyricum and Pannonia and our hero Clodius Albinus in Britain and Gaul.
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