Septimius Severus in Roman Biography
Severus, [Fr. Severe, sa'vaiR',j(Lucius Septimius,)
a Roman emperor, born at Leptis, in Africa, in 146 A.D.
He was educated at Rome, and, after filling various
offices, became proconsul of Africa. While commander
of the Pannonian legions in Germany, he heard of the
death of Commodus, upon which he hastened to Rome,
and was proclaimed emperor by the army in 193 A.D.
in opposition to Didius Julianus, who was soon after
assassinated. He next marched against Pescennius
Niger, commander of the Syrian legions, who had lately
been proclaimed emperor by his troops. He defeated
Niger at Issus or Cyzicus in 194, after which he waged
war with success against the Parthians. In 197 he
gained a decisive victory over Albinus (a rival claimant
of the throne) near Lyons. He renewed the war against
Parthia in 198, defeated the Parthians, and took Ctesiphon,
their capital. In 208 he led an army to Britain
to subdue the Caledonians, and built a rampart, called
the wall of Severus, extending across the island. He
died at York in 211 A.D., leaving two sons, Caracalla
and Geta.
See Dion Cassius,
"
History of Rome." books xxiv.-xxvi. :
Gibbon, "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire;" "Nouvelle
Biographie Gdne'iale."
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