Clodius Albinus AD 193-195 Silver Denarius Rome * British Find*

£165.00

Code: LR642

Clodius Albinus as Caesar AD 193-195 Silver Denarius

Minerva standing left

Rome mint

RCV6144; 17mm, 3.06g.

This coin was found in the vicinity of Beckfoot Roman Fort, Cumbria.

The Roman fort at Bibra formed part of the ‘Western Sea Defences’, a line of forts and watch-towers strung along the north-western coastline of Cumbria; a western extension of Hadrian’s Wall. The fort was seen as cropmarks and mapped from air photographs showing very clear internal details. Roads are seen leading out of the north and south gates for approximately 240 metres in both directions; a shorter length of road (19 metres), is also seen just beyond the expected position of the east gate. To either side of the northern road are the probable remains of the vicus.  Excavation in 1879-80 indicated occupation of the site from the 2nd to the 4th century.

Classical References for Bibra

The sole classical geographical source for the Roman name of the Beckfoot fort is the Bribra entry in the Ravenna Cosmology (R&C#119), which appears between the list entries for Alauna (Maryport) and Maglona (Old Carlisle).

The Bibra Garrison

To date, only one inscribed stone has been uncovered from Roman Beckfoot, which fortunately provides the name of one of its garrison units; Cohors II Pannoniorum, a five-hundred strong infantry unit from the province of Pannonia, the region of the modern Czech Republic.

 

Clodius Albinus

Clodius Albinus, along with Septimius Severus, were natives of North Africa. Born into a prominent family he joined the military where he served with distinction under Marcus Aurelius and Commodus. Serving his first consulship in AD 187 he was afterwards appointed governor of Lower Germany and later of Britain. When Pescenius Niger prepared for his showdown with Septimius Severus Albinus joined forces with Severus accepting the junior rank as Caesar. Although he was later to rebel and proclaim himself Augustus Severus had by this time decided that he wanted to promote his own son Caracalla thus making Albinus’ position untenable. The issue was decided in AD 196 when Severus decisively beat Albinus in a battle fought near Lugdunum in Gaul. Albinus perished but was later beheaded and his head put on display in Rome.

 

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