DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18096#0264
196
Roman Africa
CHAPTER VII
africa under septimius severus
A.D. 193-2 I I
The Roman world had hitherto been governed by Emperors of
European descent. Some were military commanders, others
were statesmen or administrators of the highest rank, while not
a few were invested with the purple at the bidding of a turbulent
populace or to meet the exacting demands of a dissatisfied
soldiery. There had been a time when the watchword Senatus
populusque Romanics represented in all its potency the revered
authority of the Senate in Rome and the will and determination
of the Roman people. But the spell was broken. The rank
and authority of the Senators so distinguished in the brighter
days of the Republic, and once described by the minister of a
foreign potentate as a venerable assembly of kings, ceased to
exist under the despotic rule of the Emperors. As a matter of
courtesy the Senate was appealed to whenever the throne of the
Caesars became vacant, but it was powerless to take independent
action, and ultimately became subservient to the will of the
army established in various parts of the Empire. It was this
assertion of military authority which altered the character of
imperial government, and was the chief cause of the internal
troubles and dissensions which threatened to destroy the Empire
towards the close of the third century.
On the death of Pertinax there were four claimants to the
throne: Didius Julianus, Pescennius Niger, Clodius Albinus,
and Septimius Severus. The first, whose mother was a native
of Africa and of good family, was brought up under the care of
Domitia Lucilla, mother of Marcus Aurelius. He was nominated
by the Senate, and had purchased the support of the Praetorian
guard by offers of large gifts of money. Julianus plays no
part in African history. His assumption of the purple was
followed by a refusal to pay the promised donatives, and after
Roman Africa
CHAPTER VII
africa under septimius severus
A.D. 193-2 I I
The Roman world had hitherto been governed by Emperors of
European descent. Some were military commanders, others
were statesmen or administrators of the highest rank, while not
a few were invested with the purple at the bidding of a turbulent
populace or to meet the exacting demands of a dissatisfied
soldiery. There had been a time when the watchword Senatus
populusque Romanics represented in all its potency the revered
authority of the Senate in Rome and the will and determination
of the Roman people. But the spell was broken. The rank
and authority of the Senators so distinguished in the brighter
days of the Republic, and once described by the minister of a
foreign potentate as a venerable assembly of kings, ceased to
exist under the despotic rule of the Emperors. As a matter of
courtesy the Senate was appealed to whenever the throne of the
Caesars became vacant, but it was powerless to take independent
action, and ultimately became subservient to the will of the
army established in various parts of the Empire. It was this
assertion of military authority which altered the character of
imperial government, and was the chief cause of the internal
troubles and dissensions which threatened to destroy the Empire
towards the close of the third century.
On the death of Pertinax there were four claimants to the
throne: Didius Julianus, Pescennius Niger, Clodius Albinus,
and Septimius Severus. The first, whose mother was a native
of Africa and of good family, was brought up under the care of
Domitia Lucilla, mother of Marcus Aurelius. He was nominated
by the Senate, and had purchased the support of the Praetorian
guard by offers of large gifts of money. Julianus plays no
part in African history. His assumption of the purple was
followed by a refusal to pay the promised donatives, and after