One ancient source called Severus the most warlike of all men who had lived up to that moment in time. The rise of Septimius Severus to power started the dominance of the military in Roman affairs and it was because of this that Septimius’s advice for his sons was nothing less than: 'Be harmonious, enrich the soldiers, and scorn all other men!'

Ilkka Syvanne explains in detail how the African Septimius Severus achieved his position, how he won his wars and battles and how he used his newly gained power to secure his family’s position. He reveals how he reformed the state and its military, and how he used these remodeled forces in wars of conquest to prove his worth as emperor to both the soldiers and the populace. This biography offers the first complete overview of the policies, events and military campaigns of Severus' reign in the fullest detail allowed by the sources. It also explains how and why these contributed to the military crisis of the third century and discusses the legacy he left for his son, Caracalla, who followed him in both his good and bad traits.

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• List of Plates
• List of Maps and Diagrams
• Introduction
• Abbreviations
• Maps
• Chapter 1 The Background
  • 1.1. Roman Society
  • 1.2. Governing the Empire
  • 1.3. The Armed Forces and the Security Apparatus in ca. AD 193
  • 1.3.1. The Basic Structures
  • 1.3.2. The Land Forces
  • 1.3.3. The Tent Group called the Contubernium
  • 1.3.4. Legions
  • 1.3.5. Auxiliaries, National Numeri and Temporary Allies
  • 1.3.6. The Strategic Reserve: Rome and its Surroundings
  • 1.3.7. The Civilian Police Forces and Militias
  • 1.3.8. Strategy
  • 1.3.9. The Roman Army on a Campaign
  • 1.3.10. The Imperial Navy
  • 1.3.11. Siege Warfare
  • 1.4. The Sources
• Chapter 2 Severus’s Career Before 193
  • 2.1. African Background
  • 2.2. Career
• Chapter 3 Pertinax, 1 January–28 March 193
  • 3.1. The Beginning of the Reignx of Pertinax
  • 3.2. Pertinax the Old Campaigner
  • 3.3. The Assassination of Pertinax
• Chapter 4 The Year 193: The Power Struggle between Didius Julianus, Niger, Septimius Severus and Albinus
  • 4.1. The Empire auctioned off to the highest bidder, Didius Julianus, on 28 March 193
  • 4.2. Niger, Septimius Severus and Albinus Enter the Stage in April 193
• Chapter 5 The Civil War Between Septimius Severus and Niger in 193–194
  • 5.1. The Setting of the Stage in 193–194
  • 5.2. The New Infantry Phalanx of Septimius Severus (after Modestus 12–14 and Vegetius 3.14–17)
  • 5.3. Septimius Severus’s Campaign Plans
  • 5.4. The Battles of Hellespont and Cyzicus in the Autumn of 193
  • 5.5. The Battle of Cius and Nicaea in about December 193
  • 5.6. The Severans Exploit their Victory: The Conquest of Asia Minor in 194
  • 5.7. The Battle of Issus in the Spring of 194
  • 5.8. The Siege of Byzantium 193 – late 195 or early 196
• Chapter 6 The Wars in the East 194–195 (or 194–199?)
  • 6.1. The Purge
  • 6.2. The First Stage of the War against the Oshroeni, Adiabeni and Arabs in 194
  • 6.3. The Jewish and Samaritan Insurgencies in 194–195 or ca. 194–199
  • 6.4. The Second Stage of the War against the Oshroeni, Adiabeni and Arabs in 194–195
  • 6.5. The Gothic War that never came in about 194/195
  • 6.6. The Third Stage of the War against the Oshroeni, Adiabeni and Arabs in 195
• Chapter 7 The War between Septimius Severus and Albinus in 195/196–197
  • 7.1. The Gathering of the Storm in 195–197
  • 7.2. The Battles of Tinurtium and Lyon, or the Battle of Tinurtium/Lyon, in February 197
  • 7.3. Payback Time: The Purge of the Supporters of Albinus
• Chapter 8 The Armenian, Parthian and Hatran Campaigns in 197–199
  • 8.1. The Preparations
  • 8.2. The Narrative Sources for the Parthian Campaign
  • 8.3. The Narrative of the Parthian Campaign
  • 8.4. The Two Sieges of Hatra in 198 or 198–199
  • 8.5. The Reorganization of the Eastern Frontier
• Chapter 9 Egypt and the Red Sea in 199–200
  • 9.1. Visit of Egypt and Severus’s Strategic Goals
• Chapter 10 Return to Rome in 200–202
  • 10.1. The Rise of Plautianus
  • 10.2. The Danubian Frontier from 197–202
  • 10.3. At Rome in 202: the Decennial
• Chapter 11 The Return Home: Campaign in Africa in 202–203
  • 11.1. Preparations and Africa before 202
  • 11.2. The Campaign in the Desert
  • 11.3. The Persecution of Christians
• Chapter 12 Conspiracy
  • 12.1. Back in Italy and Rome, 203–204
  • 12.2. The Plautianus Affair in 204–205
• Chapter 13 The Years of Relative Peace in 205–207
  • 13.1. The Loose Living of Antoninus and Geta in 205–207
  • 13.2. The Other Troubles in 205–207
• Chapter 14 The Military Education for the sons: the Campaigns of 207–211
  • 14.1. Britain from 197–207
  • 14.2. The Military Campaigns of Antoninus Caracalla in 207
  • 14.3. The Preparations for the British Campaign in 207–208
  • 14.4. The expedition felicissima Britannica. Campaign Season 1: The year 209–210
  • 14.5. The 210 Campaign by Antoninus and the Death of Severus at York on 4 February 211
  • 14.6. Caracalla’s Campaign in 211 and the End of the British War
• Chapter 15 Septimius Severus, ‘The Most Glorious of the Emperors’
• Appendix 1: Arrian and Roman Battle Tactics
• Appendix 2: Frontinus and Combat Tactics on Land
• Notes
• Select Bibliography
• Plates Section