Select Observations of Roman Emperors, Life 21
Usurpers.
Pescennius Niger,
Clodius Albinus
ENGAGED both in the war against Septimius Severus, Miror Onuphrium Panvinium homi nem alioqui diligentem, adulterina quaedam secutum unmismata, in suis commentariis edidisse, C. PESCENNIUS. NIGERIUS.with like unfortunate event, being both conquered, and having their heads set upon a pole.
Niger had his name à nigra cervice, saith Spartian in his life c. 6. who writeth c. 1. that his Father was, called Annius Fuscus.
Albinus was so called, quod, exceptus utero, Vrsinus in Dionem. p. 1052.contra consuetudinem puerorum qui nascuntur, & solent rubere, esset candidissimus. Capitolinus in his life c. 4. who confirmeth his relation with this passage in an Epistle of Ceionius Posthumius (Father of Albinus) to Aelius Bassianus then Proconsul of Africk: Nigrum Albino adjunximus, quia ambo consortes belli fuerunt contra Severum; etiam Nominis, quod alter ab albedine corporis (qua, infans editus in lucem, caeteris infantibus rubedine obductis) alter a nigredine colli traxit; quin & exitu similes, nam utrorumque caput cruci affixum. Elenchus MS. Numismatum in Bibliotheca Bodleiana.Filius mihi natus est, ita candidus statim toto corpore, ut linteamen quo exceptus est, vinceret. Quare susceptum eum Albinorum Familiae, quae mihi tecum communis est, dedi, Albini nomine imposito.
Fuit candore mirabili, & ut plerique putant, ex eo nomen accepit. Id. ibid. c. 13.
Niger his voice was so lowd and piercing, that it would be heard a mile, unless the wind stood cross, saith Spartian in Nigro. c. 6.
He would have his soldiers when they went to battel, carry neither gold nor silver in their purses, but leave it with the Common-wealth, that the fight being ended they might have it again: or if they dyed, their wives and children might enjoy it. Id. ibid. c. 10.
He was a great admirer of Annibal and Marius; for the Scipio's he thought them rather fortunate than valiant: there was no toil he commanded his soldiers, but himself would bear a part therein, even in carrying of burdens. And yet so far from vaunting, as that when one would have set forth his Acts, he bad him write of theirs who were dead; holding it a vanity to write of those, of whose favour or wrath the inditers stood in hope or fear. Id. ibid. c. 11, 12.
When his Soldiers mutinyed for want of wine, he said to them, What need you wine,Spartianus operae pretium sanè fecit, in colligendis, quae de Nigro & Albino reperiri poteran; caeteri enim sparsim & carptim agunt. Boeclerus in Herodianum. p. 308. that have the River Nile to drink of? Spartianus ubi supra. c. 7.
That water is better than ours; (for it will feed a pace, and therefore the Egyptians would not let their calvish God Apis drink thereof.) Bp. Smith's Sermons, p. 28.
Idem ob unius gallinacei direptionem, decem commanipulones qui raptum ab uno comederant, securi percuti jussit; & fecisset, Praelia Severianorum eum Nigrianis per seriem annotavit Dio. Id. ibid. p. 410.nisi ab omni exercitu prope usque ad motum seditionis esset rogatus: & quum pepercisset, jussit ut denorum gallinaceorum precia provinciali redderent decem qui simul furto convixerant. Spartianus in Nigro. c. 10.
Vir domi forisque conspicuus, Non tantam illi conspicuitatem tribuit Dio, qui modice modesteque de illo loquitur. Salmasius.imperator infaelix. Id. ibid. c. 6.
Niger was overthrown at the first encounter of his party with Severus, through the treachery of Aemilianus his General, as it was thought; and the next fight in which he engaged personally, was totally defeated, near the Bay of Issus, where Alexander the Great vanquished Darius.
Severus having compelled Niger's Captains (whose children he kept as pledges) to betray their Masters affairs, when he had attained his ends, slew them & their children. Herodianus lib. 3. c. 2. &. 5.
Albinus warred with Severus, for withholding the copartner-ship promised him; whom Severus feared as a valiant Soldier, whereas he slighted Iulian & Niger, who were negligent and luxurious.
Armorum strenuus, prorsus ut non male sui temporis Catilina diceretur. Capitolinus in Albino. c. 3.Severus regnavit 18. annos, creatus hoc anno 3. Kalend. Octobr. frustra renitentibus Albino & Pescennio Nigro. Et Niger quidem hoc quoque periit anno. Albinum autem inescaturus Severus, ei partem imperii offert. Jac. Cappellus in Hist. Eccles. 5. Centuriis ad annum Christi. 193.
Albinus did eat so much, as humane reason cannot well comprehend, saith Capitolinus in his life. c. 11. In the morning fasting he dispatcht 500 dryed figs and an 100 Campanian peaches, 10 melons of Ostia, and 20 pound weight of Lavican grapes, besides an hundred gnatnappers and 40 Oisters.
Hoc tamen in eo laudandum, quod aversae Veneris semper fuerit ignarus. Christoph. Adamus Rupertus in Besoldi minorem historiae synopsin. p. 340.
Albinus with the choice Soldiery of Britain entred France and near Lyons took the fi…ld against Severus; but with no better success than Niger had done in Asia the less.
Severus taking Albinus prisoner, commanded him to be slain, caused his body to be laid before his palace, rode over him, & at last cast his mangled corps (the stench whereof could not be endured) into the river Rhosn, with the carkases of his wife and children.
Circa majestatem Imperatoris infamamur, tamen nunquam Albiniani, nec Nigriani, vel Cassiani inveniri potuerunt Christiani. Tertullianus ad Scapulam. cap. 2.
Of the possession of the East by Cassius first against Antonine, and then by Niger against Severus, and of the West by Albinus against the same Severus, and by their respective accomplices Tertullian saith; None of the Christians were ever found to be Albinians, Nigrians, or Cassians. That is, they none of them interested themselves in the causes of Albinus, Niger, or Cassius, or were partakers with, upholders of, or sticklers for them. Mr. Gee in The Magistrates Original illustrated & vindicated. ch. 10. Sect. 7.