[85], Though his military expenditure was costly to the empire, Severus was a strong and able ruler. Cassius Dio, Roman History: Epitome of Book LXXVII.13. Severus’s greatest achievement was defeating Pescennius Niger and Clodius Albinus to become emperor. Caracalla succeeded him. First he declared his elder son Caracalla to be Caesar and therefore his heir late in AD 195. [67] By 203 the entire southern frontier of Roman Africa had been dramatically expanded and re-fortified. He ruled with vigor and, when he found it useful, a calculated cruelty. The unreliable Historia Augusta claims that Marciana and Severus had two daughters, but no other attestation of them has survived. Nevertheless, the following year he debased the denarius again because of rising military expenditures. [28], Pertinax's successor in Rome, Didius Julianus, had bought the emperorship in an auction. [90] His policy of an expanded and better-rewarded army was criticised by his contemporaries Cassius Dio and Herodianus: in particular, they pointed out the increasing burden, in the form of taxes and services, the civilian population had to bear to maintain the new and better paid army. Its members were stripped of their ceremonial armour and forbidden to come within 160 kilometres (99 mi) miles of the city on pain of death. Severus, having only briefly returned to Rome in AD 196-7, in January AD 197 set out for his power base on the Danube. Born in: Leptis Magna, Libya. Does Jerry Seinfeld have Parkinson's disease? [32], He devoted the following year to suppressing Mesopotamia and other Parthian vassals who had backed Niger. Control of the province was handed over to the Emperor, while the Senate gained temporary control of Sardinia as compensation. The Antonine Wall had never really acted as a perfectly successful barrier to the troublesome barbarians to the north of it. [13] However, he omitted the military tribunate from the cursus honorum and had to delay his quaestorship until he had reached the required minimum age of 25. Afterwards Severus declared his son Caracalla as his successor, which caused Albinus to be hailed emperor by his troops and to invade Gallia. [45], Severus' relations with the Senate were never good. The five men were Pertinax, Didius Julianus, Pescennius Niger, Clodius Albinus and Septimius Severus. [78] Severus prepared for another protracted campaign within Caledonia. After deposing and killing the incumbent emperor Didius Julianus, Severus fought his rival claimants, the Roman generals Pescennius Niger and Clodius Albinus. By this time it had in fact been virtually abandoned, leaving the British provinces vulnerable to attack from the north. The huge armies tentatively met at first at Tinurtium. How long will the footprints on the moon last? [30][31], The legions of Syria had proclaimed Pescennius Niger emperor. Gaius Septimius Severus was his brother. He was unpopular with them from the outset, having seized power with the help of the military, and he returned the sentiment. Julia built "the most splendid reputation" by applying herself to letters and philosophy. In January 205 Caracalla accused Plautianus of plotting to kill him and Severus. [19], Marciana died of natural causes around 186. The Praetorian Guard proceeded to auction off the imperial throne.They wanted to choose a person who will pay the most being promised the support of the Praetorian Guard. He significantly increased the strength of the army to ensure its loyalty and raised the annual salary of soldiers from 300 to 500 denarii. In 202, he campaigned in Africa and Mauretania against the Garamantes, capturing their capital Garama and expanding the Limes Tripolitanus along the southern desert frontier of the empire. To follow up on his success and punish the Parthians, Severus lead a punitive campaign against the Osrhoeni of Mesopotamia and other Parthian vassals across the border. Severus ignored all of Julianus’ threats and pleas, and shortly before his army’s arrival at Rome, Julianus was indeed sentenced to death by the senate and was thereafter killed in his deserted palace. [93] Severus' currency debasement was the largest since the reign of Nero, compromising the long-term strength of the economy. Clodius Albinus meanwhile didn’t have himself hailed emperor, but he was undoubtedly waiting in the wings, preparing for the right moment. It is worth mentioning though that there is a tale by which Caracalla was said to have tried to stab Severus in the back at one point, when Severus and his son were riding ahead of the army. Septimius Severus ruled Rome with his two sons. [17], In 173, Severus' kinsman Gaius Septimius Severus was appointed proconsul of the Province of Africa. 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