Severus II

1. BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS

NAME:
- Flavius Valerius Severus
SEVERUS II’ DATES OF REIGN AS EMPEROR:
- 1 May 305 CE to Summer 306 CE as Caesar in the West, under Constantius I Chlorus
- Summer 306 CE to March-April 307 CE as Augustus in the West
  - competing against Maximian and Constantine I.
SEVERUS II’ DATE OF BIRTH AND DEATH:
- Date of birth unknown. Died 16 September 307 CE.
PLACE OF BIRTH AND DEATH:
- Born in Illyria. Died either at Tres Tabernae or Ravenna.
SEVERUS II’ PREDECESSOR:
- Constantius I Chlorus
SEVERUS II’ SUCCESSOR:
- Maxentius, Licinius
HEIR TO THE THRONE BECAUSE:
- Galerius, Augustus of the East, persuaded Diocletian to proclaim him Augustus in the West instead of Constantine I.
DIED PEACEFULLY OR ASSASSINATED:
- Severus was either killed or forced to commit suicide when his invasion of Italy failed.
WHERE BURIED:
- Unknown.
SEVERUS II WAS FAMOUS BECAUSE:
- Severus was one of the Co-Emperors who formed part of Diocletian‘s Tetrarchy.

Severus rose through the ranks of the Roman Army, and eventually was appointed by Galerius, to be Augustus in the West based at Milan, instead of Constantine I, the son of the previous Augustus Constantius I Chlorus.

When Constantius I Chlorus died, Maxentius, son of the previous Emperor Maximian, rebelled and took over Rome. Severus moved south from Milan, to crush the rebellion. Maxentius then announced his father Maximian had returned to be Co-Emperor, and the besieging army deserted Severus, who was forced to retreat to Ravenna.
Severus was then offered a pardon by Maximian if he would surrender, which he did between March and April of 307 CE.
However, when Galerius invaded Italy, he was considered too dangerous to keep alive. He was either killed or forced to commit suicide, either at Tres Tabernae or Ravenna.