Septimius Severus at The Lapidarium, Alba Iulia

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Septimius Severus, also known as Severus, ruled as Roman emperor from 193 to 211. Born in Leptis Magna, Africa, he climbed the ranks under Marcus Aurelius and Commodus through the cursus honorum. After Emperor Pertinax's death in 193, Severus seized power, deposed Didius Julianus, and fought Pescennius Niger and Clodius Albinus. Niger was defeated at Issus in Cilicia in 194, while Severus later waged a brief campaign beyond the eastern frontier, annexing the Kingdom of Osroene as a new province. Three years later, he defeated Albinus at Lugdunum in Gaul. Severus solidified his rule over the western provinces and then waged war against the Parthian Empire, sacking Ctesiphon in 197 and expanding the eastern frontier to the Tigris River. He also fortified the Limes Arabicus in Arabia Petraea. In 202, Severus campaigned in Africa and Mauretania, capturing Garama and expanding the Limes Tripolitanus along the southern border. He later strengthened Hadrian's Wall and reoccupied the Antonine Wall in Britain. In 208, he invaded Caledonia but fell ill and died at Eboracum (York) in 211. Severus was succeeded by his sons Caracalla and Geta, establishing the Severan dynasty, which marked the end of Roman imperial rule before the Crisis of the Third Century.