What is Septimius Severus known for?

Answer 1

Septimius Severus brought great stability to a teetering Roman Empire after the nightmare reign of Commodus, and the do-nothing man who bought the title of Emperor,

Julius Didianus.

He made the borders of the Empire safe on all sides, from Caledonia in the north of today's U.K. to Mesopotamia in the East, by waging largely successful wars.

He was rarely defeated militarily ; Hatra in today's northern Iraq was a RARE exception.

Septimius commanded his troops in person and thus traveled to areas where previous Roman Emperors had not much visited, such as Syria [then a larger, more powerful province than today's nation of Syria.]

He recouped the massive financial losses of previous irresponsible Emperors.

Septimius was one of the few Emperors to have conscientiously re-filled the Treasury to brimming over.

He even made sure to store up for the populace of the Empire large quantities of Olive Oil, a necessary staple.

Whereas previously there had been two Roman Emperors from the distant province of Spain,

thus far there had not been any from Roman North Africa.

Septimius built up and added to his home town of Leptis Magna, the magnificent ruins of which continue to awe tourists from all over the world to this day.

He also built an amazing complex on the Palatine Hill in Rome

called the Septizodium, which has survived only in paintings and sketches.

He refurbished so many edifices, from the Temple of the Vestal Virgins in the Roman Forum, all the way to Hadrian's Wall in Britain [both much visited today].

He was also a seeker of religious Truth who investigated ancient spiritual

teachings.

He has been thus vastly underrated by historians who seem to be intrigued with the caprices of many other Emperors.

He was a more ascetic type who ate sparingly and fought alongside his troops without demanding special luxuries for himself.

He was one of the VERY FEW Emperors of Rome to have a happy and stable marriage. There was never a whisper of any scandal connected with his family life.

Perhaps this is why European and American historians have taken relatively little interest in his reign. They seem to have preferred gawking at the flamboyant or dangerous types who occupied the imperial throne of Rome.

In contrast, Septimius Severus was stable, careful, sober and hard-working up to the last minute of his life.

His accomplishments should become much better known and studied !