Septimius Severus

1. BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS

2. GOOD OR BAD EMPEROR

  • SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS’ CHARACTER:
    • He was Ruthless in achieving his aims.
  • SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS POPULARITY:
    • Popular with the Legions after the civil wars were over.
    • He was popular with the People but hated by the Senate.
  • FAMOUS QUOTES BY SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS:

3. SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS’ EARLY LIFE

Septimius Severus’ Rise to Power

  • He was Commander of the Legions in Pannonia when Commodus was assassinated. Pertinax was then acclaimed Emperor but assassinated by the Praetorian Guard, who then auctioned the position of Emperor, which was bought by Didius Julianus. He was executed by the Roman Senate under instructions from Severus.
  • Severus’ Legions in Carnuntum then proclaimed him Emperor and Severus marched to Rome unopposed.
  • He then had to defeat the rival claims of Pescennius Niger at the Battle of Issus in 194 CE, and of Clodius Albinus at the Battle of Lugdunum in 197 CE.
  • After this Severus ruled the Empire unopposed by the threat of civil war.

Praetorian Guard

  • On arrival in Rome, Severus deposed the Praetorian Legionary cohorts and reformed them with new recruits.
  • In 198 CE to curb the power of the Praetorian Guard, Septimius moved the Legio II Parthica into Rome, garrisoning them in the Castra Albana. They remained there until 312 CE when the Praetorian Guard was finally disbanded.

4. REIGN OF SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS

  • SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS’ RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ROMAN SENATE:
    • In 197 CE, on his arrival in Rome, Severus executed leading Senators for having supported his enemies.
    • In 205 CE, after the execution of the Praetorian Prefect Plautianus, many Senators were executed at the same time.
  • SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS’ MILITARY CAMPAIGNS/ REFORMS:

  • The Legions (193-197 CE)

    • In 197 CE, Severus increased the number of Legions from 30 to 33.
    • He raised the Legionary Pay from 300 Denarii per annum to 400 Denarii p.a.

  • Septimius Severus Parthian Campaign (195-197 CE)

  • Battle of Lugdunum (197 CE)

    • In 197 CE, the Governor of Britannia, Clodius Albinus, rebelled and took his three legions to Gaul intending to take Rome. Septimius met and defeated him at the Battle of Lugdunum (197 CE). Britannia was weakened and the new Governor of Britannia, Senecio, had to buy off a confederation of Scottish tribes.

  • Septimius Severus' Caledonian Campaign (209-211 CE)

    • Britannia was weakened and the new Governor of Britannia between c.205-207 CE, Senecio, had to buy off a confederation of Scottish tribes. Septimius decided an armed response was needed.
    • The invasion started in 209 CE, when Septimius marched north from York, building protective camps each night.
    • Septimius Severus reoccupied the Antonine Wall.
    • He made a bridge of 900 boats and crossed the Firth of Forth at South Queensferry (the present location of the Forth Rail Bridge). Then a second bridge of boats was built across the Tay, from where the Roman legions laid waste to the region.
    • Septimius Severus reoccupied Inchtuthil Legionary Fortress which he used as a base for his Army.
    • A treaty was agreed and the Roman armies withdrew to York.
    • But in 210 CE, rebellion flared again, and Septimius repeated the invasion of 209 CE, but using a devastating scorched earth policy.

  • Africa:

  • SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS’ DOMESTIC POLICY: TAXATION
    • Taxation was increased to pay for the enlargement and improvements to the Legions.
  • SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS’ AND THE PROVINCES:
  • SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS’ RELIGIOUS REFORMS:
  • Severan Persecution (202-211 CE).
    • This was a wave of persecutions against Christianity during the reign of Septimius Severus (193-211 CE). Although no Edicts are recorded, martyrdoms took place, notably in Africa.
  • NOTABLE EVENTS DURING SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS’ REIGN:

5. SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS’ PERSONAL LIFE

  • CHILDHOOD:
  • PERSONAL LIFE:
  • LANGUAGES SPOKEN:
    • Latin
    • Punic (the same language as Hannibal)

6. CONSEQUENCES OF SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS’ REIGN

  • EXPANSION OR CONTRACTION OF THE EMPIRE:
  • ENRICHMENT OR BANKRUPTCY OF THE STATE:
    • Taxation was increased due to the wars and costs of improving the Legions.
    • The Currency experienced the biggest debasement since Nero (54-68 CE).
    • The Silver in the Denarius was reduced from 81.5% to 78.5%. Then again from 78.5% to 68.5%. And again from 68.5% to 54 %.
  • SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS’ MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS:
    • He ended the civil wars, triggered by the death of Commodus in 193 CE.
    • He forced a Peace on Parthia by the Parthian Invasion (195-197 CE), which lasted until 251 CE.
    • He preserved Britannia by invading Caledonia in 209-211 CE.

7. THE SUCCESSION

8. BUILDINGS AND MONUMENTS TO VISIT

  • PALACES AND VILLAS:
    • Severus built a large extension to the southeast of the Flavian Palace also known as the Palace of Domitian.
  • MONUMENTS:
  • STATUES AND COINS:

9. BIBLIOGRAPHY

 

Leptis Magna, Libya

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