Septimius Severus Research Paper

Uneducated and a poor public speaker, he was known for being ambitious yet unconcerned of his own reputation. Marcus Aurelius appointed him senator at the age of 30, and a friend appointed him governor of Upper Pannonia. This friend, Laetus, was involved in the murder of Commodus and the succession of Pertinax as emperor. Then, Pertinax was killed and Julianus bought the throne. Amongst controversy over the method with which Julianus earned the throne, and by portraying himself as Pertinax’s avenger, Severus marched to Rome and seized control. After becoming emperor, Severus promoted his army, especially members of the Dubian league to higher positions of power and raised their pay, earning their gratitude and trust. Before any of the opposing politicians could invade Rome, Severus elevated Albinus’ position to Caesar, appeasing him, so that he could focus on the threat from Niger. After crushing Niger, Severus split Niger’s Syrian province to prevent further upheaval and led a punitive campaign against those he held responsible. Once Niger’s threat was eliminated, Severus focused his efforts on Albinus by giving the Caesarship to his son, stripping Albinus of the title. Albinus met Severus’ challenge, invading Italy from Gaul. Severus narrowly managed to beat Albinus at Lyons. Severus sent Albnius’ head to Rome and disposed of his body, as well as the corpses of his family members, in the Rhine. Severus divided Albinus’ land into Britannia Superior and Inferior. Severus adopted a policy of ruthless retaliation to any opposition and lavish reward for all supporters. This strategy, coupled with winning public favor by restoring buildings throughout the empire, allowed Severus to lead a fruitful and undisputed

Septimius: was Roman emporors from 193 to 211. Severus was born in Leptis Magna in the Roman Province of Africa. Born on April 11, 145 AD. Died on Fe

Gaius Octavius Thurinus is a adopted son of Julius Caesar, He is the first true emperor of the Roman Empire, he was believed to be one of the most important emperor of Roma. In 43 EBC, Octavian gathered his army to kill the senate who planned the assassinate targeting Julius Caesar, his adoptive father. Then, he defeat Mark Antony and Cleopatra who was his allies but later betrayed him. Thus , he ended the war continued for decades and brought the great peace to Rome, In 29 EBC Octavian declared the pax romana, also know as the Roman peace. In 27 BCE, he was bestowed the title of Augustus by the Roman senate which was actually reestablished by Augustus himself. In order to remind the Romans the emperor’s power, Augustus ordered sculptor to sculpt the idealized form of him and send those sculptures to every provinces (Module 5 Session 6). The Augustus of Prima Porta is a great example of them.

Marcus Aurelius was born on April 26th, 121 AD. He was born as Marcus Annius Verus. His family was a very wealthy family who claimed that they were descendants of Numa, The Second King of Rome. His father was Annius Verus and his mother was Domitia Lucilla.

Sejanus rose to fame as commander and chief of the praetorian guard from 14 CE until his death in 31 CE. In the 20s CE Sejanus gradually grew powerful by exerting his influence over Tiberius and eliminating any political opponents. When apparently under Sejanus’ encouragement and instructions Tiberius retired to Capri in 26 CE, Sejanus was left to handle the administration of the empire, his ruling imperium thus becoming authoritative. In 31 CE he became consul and had aspirations of also acquiring tribunician power. But during that same year he swiftly fell from grace amongst general suspicion and accusations of scheming against the life of Tiberius and the future emperor Caligula; he was quickly arrested, trialled in the senate, and executed

Augustus, who was once named C. Octavius, was the grand-nephew of Julius Caesar. Due to Caesar’s death from the uprising in 44 B.C., it was stated from his will, that Octavian was to be adopted as Caesar’s son. So his name was changed to C. Julius Caesar Octavianus (Porter, 2010). Later throughout his political and military career, he controlled Rome under the title Augustus (Brand, 2013). This begins a story of a young man to an emperor of the Roman world.

Alexander advanced gradually and conquered territory by territory until Darius, the Great King of Persia, was forced to come out himself to face Alexander. Alexander was victorious in the two key battles at Issus and Gaugamela, and Darius was murdered by conspirators soon afterward. In the meantime, Alexander also conquered Phoenicia, Egypt, and Babylon, all of which proved to be valuable acquisitions.

Trajan is considered by many historians as one of the greatest Roman emperors. He conquered Parthia and Dacia, expanding Rome’s borders. He was also the first non-Roman emperor in Rome’s history. Trajan was born in Italica, Baetica (modern-day Spain) on September 15th, 53 CE, and he died on either August 8th or August 9th, 117 CE in Selinus, Cilicia (modern-day Turkey). Trajan started his career as a legionary staff tribune in Syria, where his father was governor. After that, he became a praetor, which qualified him for command of a legion in Spain in 89 CE. One day, he was ordered to march his troops to Rome to help a revolt against emperor Domitian, but the revolt was suppressed by the time he arrived. In 91 CE, Domitian allowed him

The following year Sulla ran and was elected as praetor, the second-highest position in the Roman republic. After his term of praetor was up, he returned to the battle field. This time it was against Mithridates, King of Pontus.

his army was completley destroyed at Carrhae by Parthian archers in 53 B.C. during which Crassus was murdered. This left just Pompey and Caesar to rule Rome, and Carssus death created a rivalry between the two that could not be broken.

His second reform was of a long-standing rule that forbids soldiers to marry while still in service. This was to prevent them from settling down and forming roots, which would make them reluctant to want to move if their unit was called. One downfall to this reform was it domesticated the army, making it less effective. “On the other hand, it gave the army a stake in the peaceful governance of Rome’s colonies and further contributed to the decentralization of power” (Cole, pg. 188). Severus spent most of his career with his army, and when he died in 211 at Eboracum, in what is present day York, England, he had been managing a chain of successful negotiations with that of the Pictish tribes.

During the course of his life and reign, Alexander had fought and won many battles and wars, defeating many kings and warlords throughout the ancient world. Perhaps his most recognized conquest was of the Achaemenid Empire of Persia and its ‘King of Kings’ Darius III during the Battle of Issus 1. After defeating the Persians at the Battle

	After nineteen years of ruling Rome, Marcus Aurelius died on March 17, 180 in Vindobona, which is currently Vienna. He died of a plague while in the middle of yet another war to defend the territory of Rome. Aurelius was succeeded by his son, Commodus, who was the polar opposite of his father. Commodus was a corrupt and evil ruler. Apparently, his father was never aware of this fact, for Commodus fooled him into believing they were of the same mind when it came to ruling. Commodus was the first of the bad emperors to Aurelius’ last of the good emperors. This lack of an able ruler cemented the descent of the Roman empire.

For the next few years he would lay siege and conquer many cities and countries and gains control of a vast majority of Asia Minor and Egypt. After Alexander had conquered Babylon he set his sights on Persia. He took Susa, one of the capitals and Persepolis the ceremonial capital. Alexander had set his sights on taking Darius III and pursed him into Media then Parthia. In the year 330BC, Darius was taken prisoner by the Bactrian Satrap Bessus who had Darius stabbed as Alexander approached, He declared himself the new king under the name of Artaxerxes V. Alexander gave Darius a proper burial next to his Achaemenid ancestors and proclaims himself the rightful successor. Though Bessus proclaims himself as King of the Empire, he had no relations to anyone of the royal family, therefore it is generally accepted that the death of Darius the III marked the end of Achaemenid Empire. Much of the remaining Empire falls to Alexander or gains independence for themselves. Alexander succeeded in conquering the Achaemenid Empire because of his great tactical prowess on the battlefield making him and his army a formidable enemy for the generals of the Empire. He conquers many cities and state swiftly, many were willing to submit after seeing what they had done to other armies. In conquering the cities he began to merge Greek language, Greek Culture and Greek population with these conquered areas making the original culture of Persia decline.

His murder in AD 192 was followed by a civil war by rivals to the throne. A series of rulers under what was known as `The Severan Dynasty' ensued. Lucian Septimius Severus who became emperor in AD 193 severely weakened the imperial defenses when he disbanded the Praetorian Guard and replaced them with his own troops. While Rome remained a large empire there was a complete lack of constitution. After Septimus Severus all power derived from the army, which led to corruption in a quest for power. Between 235 and 284 there was a series of insane emperors who were frequently assassinated.