Battle of Lugdunum

In the Battle of Lugdunum (now Lyon), the troops of the Roman emperor Septimius Severus defeated the counterparty to the title of emperor Clodius Albinus. Severus was then the undisputed ruler of the Roman Empire.

Prehistory

During the short reign of Didius Julianus, two men on the Roman frontiers were proclaimed Emperor: Pescennius Niger, governor of the province of Syria and Lucius Septimius Severus, commander of the legions in Pannonia. When Severus was finally in front of the gates of Rome, Julian was killed on his orders and he moved into the city. After taking power, he moved against his rival Niger, whom he finally defeated 194 AD at Issus and the victorious legionaries killed shortly thereafter. While Severus fought his rival in the East, he had appointed Albinus Caesar. What preceded this appointment is unclear. The most serious historians ( and witness to ) the rule of the Severan imperial family is still Cassius Dio, who reported that Albinus was to proclaim the same time as Severus and Niger to the Emperor, and Severus thus could have moved eastward without having him in the back. Also possibly played a role in a relationship between the two. Anyway, he realized shortly after his victory over Niger Albinus his role as successor from which the title of emperor could be again award by his soldiers and marched to Italy to face Severus.

Flow of battle and consequences

After Severus was the first to reach the battlefield near the Roman city of Lugdunum, also Albinus arrived there. Cassius Dio reports of 150,000 men, which led each of the two military leaders in the battle, but the actual number may only be surmised, since otherwise no other credible sources. Presumably, however, decreed Septimius Severus on the larger reserves.

The battle itself contained several turning points and setbacks for each of the counterparties. Albinus ' left wing was defeated and Severus ' persecuted men to the camp and annihilated there. The right flank of Albinus, however, drew Severus' attacking troops in pitfalls. Septimius Severus himself led reinforcements there, but could not defeat the troops of his opponent. Ultimately resulted in a mass exodus under Severus ' men he could turn away with difficulty. Severus' troops fled returned, and overran their persecutors. The geeilte to help Severan cavalry then sealed the outcome of the battle.

After his defeat Albinus fled from the battlefield and took his own life. The victory at Lugdunum made ​​Septimius Severus for the sole ruler of the Roman Empire.

Swell

• Cassius Dio: Roman History. Translated by Otto Veh, Patmos Verlag / Artemis & Winkler Verlag, Stuttgart / Dusseldorf 1985; ND 2007.