Emperor Septimius Severus - British Museum, London, UK
N 51° 31.129 W 000° 07.575
30U E 699373 N 5711437
This bust of Emperor Septimius Severus is located just inside the main entrance to the British Museum on the left side.
Waymark Code: WMDH1F
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 01/15/2012
Views: 4
The inscription, on the base of the bust, reads:
"Marble bust of / Emperor Septimius Severus / (AD 146-211) / From the
Palatine Hill, Rome".
The marble bust, dated AD 200-210, shows Septimius wearing military dress. He
has a full beard and matching head of curling hair. His gaze his slightly to the
right. The bust stands 27 inches (c75 centimetres) tall.
"Lucius Septimius Severus, Roman emperor from 193 AD
to 211 AD. Born in Leptis Magna in North Africa, Tripolitania (now Horns,
Libya), 146 AD, and was the only African to become emperor.
After holding various commands under Marcus Aurelius and Commodus he was
appointed commander-in-chief of the army in Pannonia and Illyria.
He held a command on the Danube when in 193 the emperor Pertinax was murdered.
These troops proclaimed him emperor on the death of Pertinax and he marched at
once on Rome. Severus proved an able administrator.
Severus was the victor in the civil wars that followed the death of Emperor
Commodus. To ensure army support of his dynasty, Severus liberalized army rules
and made it possible for the lowest ranks to achieve military and civil office.
Severus spent most of his reign waging war away from Rome, but he added many
monuments to the city, including the Arch of Septimius Severus.
Having secured the throne Severus turned against Pescennius Niger, who had been
saluted emperor by the legions of the east. Niger was defeated near Issus and
put to death soon afterwards (194). Severus next laid siege to Byzantium, which
was not taken until 196; meanwhile he made a successful raid (195) against the
Arabs east of the Euphrates. After the fall of Byzantium Severus returned to
Rome, but set out again almost immediately for Gaul to deal with Clodius
Albinus.
Severus was now undisputed master of the Roman world. Between 199 and 202 he was
in the east repelling the Parthians, who had overrun Mesopotamia. Returning to
Rome in the latter year, he began a persecution of his Christian subjects; but
this was not prolonged, and during the next five years Severus proved himself a
patron of letters, and did much to restore and improve the capital.
In 208 he went to Britain with his two sons, Caracalla and Geta. He did not
return; after nearly three years of successful campaigning and reform he died at
Eboracum (York)."
Source hubpages.com.