Battle of Lugdunum
| date | 197 ad |
|---|---|
| place | Near Lugdunum |
| output | Victory of Severus |
| consequences | Severus becomes sole ruler of the Roman Empire |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
|
Troops of Septimius Severus |
Troops of Clodius Albinus |
| Commander | |
| Troop strength | |
| allegedly 150,000 | allegedly 150,000 |
| losses | |
|
high |
very high |
In the battle of Lugdunum (today: Lyon ) the troops of the Roman emperor Septimius Severus defeated the adversary for the imperial title Clodius Albinus . Severus then became the undisputed ruler of the Roman Empire .
prehistory
During the brief reign of Didius Julianus , two men on the Roman borders were proclaimed emperor: Pescennius Niger , governor of the province of Syria , and Lucius Septimius Severus , commander of the legions in Pannonia . When Severus finally stood at the gates of Rome, Julianus was murdered on his orders and he moved into the city. After coming to power, he went against his rival Niger, whom he finally defeated at Issus in 194 AD and which the victorious legionaries killed shortly afterwards. While Severus was fighting his rival in the east, he had made Albinus Caesar . What preceded this appointment is unclear. The most serious historian (and contemporary witness) of the rule of the Severus imperial family is Cassius Dio to this day , who reports that Albinus was proclaimed emperor at the same time as Severus and Niger and that Severus could have moved eastwards without him in his back. A relationship between the two could also play a role. In any case, shortly after his victory over Niger, he dismissed Albinus of his role as successor, who had the title of emperor awarded again by his soldiers and marched to Italy to face Severus.
Course of the battle and consequences
After Severus was the first to reach the battlefield near the Roman city of Lugdunum , Albinus arrived there too. Cassius Dio reports of 150,000 men that each of the two military leaders led into battle, but the actual number can only be guessed, since otherwise no other credible sources are available. Presumably, however, Septimius Severus had the greater reserves.
The battle itself contained several turning points and setbacks for each of the adversaries. Albinus 'left wing was defeated and followed by Severus' men into the camp and wiped out there. The right flank of the Albinus, however, lured Severus' attacking troops into pitfalls. Septimius Severus himself led reinforcements there, but could not crush his opponent's forces. Ultimately, there was a mass exodus among Severus' men that he could only avert with great difficulty. Severus' fled troops turned back and overran their pursuers. The Severan cavalry, rushing to help, sealed the outcome of the battle.
After his defeat, Albinus fled the battlefield and took his own life. The victory at Lugdunum made Septimius Severus the sole ruler of the Roman Empire.
swell
- Cassius Dio : Roman History . Translated by Otto Veh , Patmos Verlag / Artemis & Winkler Verlag, Stuttgart / Düsseldorf 1985; ND 2007.
literature
- Anthony R. Birley : Septimius Severus. The African Emperor . 2nd ed., Batsford, London 1988, pp. 124-126.