Still in Syria, Severus decided to cross the Euphrates during the summer months for a punitive expedition into Mesopotomia against the people of Osrhoene and Adiabene. They had revolted against Niger’s forces holding Nisibis – a Roman strongpoint since the campaigns of Lucius Verus – and had killed or captured…
The stage was now set for the final battle of the Civil War of 193-197. After his general Virius Lupus’ defeat against Albinus, Severus took personal command of his army. His forces engaged those of Albinus near Lugdunum (present-day Lyon in France) on 19 February. Cassius Dio claims that there…
The year started with a decisive Roman victory over the Parthians. Their capital Ctesiphon was taken around 28 January after a short siege. The victorious Roman soldiers looted the entire city and took away thousands of women and children as slaves. Herodianus claims the Romans also captured the Parthian king’s…
Now chronology becomes so confused and uncertain that I will discuss multiple years at once. My reconstruction is in large part based on speculation and there are only a few dates that we know for certain. We know that Septimius Severus became consul for the second time on 1 January…
Back in Rome from his African expedition, Severus probably saw the completion of his Triumphal Arch on the Forum Romanum. He may also around this time have ordered the construction of the Domus Severiana on the Palatine Hill, the remains of which can still be seen today. It was an…
In 208, Septimius Severus launched a large military campaign against the Caledonians in Britannia. Cassius Dio writes that the reason for the invasion was that “his sons were changing their mode of life and that the legions were becoming enervated by idleness”. Herodianus’ explanation is a bit more convincing: the…
Septimius Severus died in Eburacum on 4 February. It had been clear for a while that the emperor had been living with one foot in the grave. Herodianus claims that Caracalla tried to persuade the medical staff to be negligent in treating his father, so that he could get rid…
Now that he was sole emperor, Caracalla removed his brother’s name (and face) from all monuments – including the Arch of Septimius Severus on the Forum – and went on a killing spree, having all of Geta’s friends and supporters murdered. Caracalla killed anyone who had ever even remotely sympathised…
In 213, Caracalla was consul for the fourth time. He left Rome for the northern border provinces, and for the next two years he would fight to keep these safe and even strengthen them against Germanic incursions. Again, as with Severus’ Caledonian campaign, very few details have survived. It seems…
Caracalla left Nicomedia in April, after having held gladiatorial games in honour of his birthday (which was 4 April). He moved on to Antiochia, where according to Cassius Dio he indulged in luxurious living. At the end of the summer the emperor reached Alexandria, probably the second or third city…
Caracalla considered himself to be Alexander the Great, and since Alexander the Great had conquered Persia, Caracalla would conquer Persia’s successor: the Parthian Arsacid Empire. There were good strategic reasons to attack now. In 208, the Parthian king Vologases (Walagash) V had died, leaving the throne to his son, Vologases…
At the beginning of the year, a large Roman army was camped near Edessa in Mesopotamia for a new invasion of the Parthian Empire. The Parthians themselves had not sat still. Artabanus had gathered his forces, and so a violent confrontation seemed imminent. It was not to be so. Before…