Civil War

Remarkable individual
- Son of freedman
- Becomes school teacher
- Decides to become centurion to make more money
Promoted as officer
- Rises in rank on merit
- Serves as general during M. Aurelius' northern wars
Made senator by M. Aurelius
- Necessary for him to serve as legate
Urban praefect at time of Commodus' assassination
- Proclaimed emperor right after assassination on New Year's Eve in 192
  - Supposedly spur of the moment decision
    - Pertinax says "aw shucks" a little
- In on plot?
- Coup d'état?
Respected by Senate
Praetorians rebel, kill Pertinax (March 28)
Bidding war between two rival candidates for emperor
- M. Didius Julianus wins
- Even praetorians embarrassed by new emperor

Decision in Rome rejected by provincial armies
Three candidates among governors controlling armies
- D. Clodius Albinus (Britain)
- L. Septimius Severus (Danube)
  - Claims to be avenging Pertinax
  - Adopts name of Pertinax
- C. Pescennius Niger (Syria)
Severus descends on Italy (193)
- Easily seizes Rome
- Julianus killed
- Old praetorians cashiered, replaced by Severus' own troops
Severus attacks, defeats Niger (194)
- Eastern legions tend to be less disciplined
Severus launches minor war in East
- Parthian king distracted with internal strife
- Severus annexes kingdom of Osrhoene
  - Put under equestrian-rank governor
- Cheap way to gain military prestige
Severus now has own dynastic pretensions
- Postumously adopts himself into family of Marcus Aurelius
- Eldest son renamed M. Aurelius Antoninus, given title "Caesar"
  - Known by nickname "Caracalla"
- Disowns deal with Albinus
Albinus occupies Gaul (196)
Albinus defeated by Severus' forces (197)

Started for reasons of prestige
Severus reaches Parthian capital of Ctesiphon
New province of northern Mesopotamia annexed
- Put under control of equestrian-rank governor
- Source of permanent strife with Parthians, later Persians
Incident at Hatra shows weakening loyalty of troops

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