Septimius Severus

Art Historical Puzzle

Research indicated that both the head and the torso could be ancient but it appeared that they were not from the same statue. The statue may depict Septimius Severus in eastern garb as a reference to his victories over the Parthians, according to one scholar. A second possibility was that the head and the torso had both been carved in the 17th. The various parts of the sculpture were examined by X-rays. Researchers have concluded that the head and torso were created in antiquity. This didn’t tell them when the pieces were put together.

Rome was the center of a marble trade. Ancient statues were often made from several pieces of marble or from different types of stone combined together. Some of the marbles were more prestigious. The torso shows a male body in clothes that are similar to those in reliefs from the 2nd century and into the 3rd century. It is not possible to determine who was portrayed without the original arms, legs, or head.

Conservation and Restoration

They worked together on a plan of action. They decided to restore the statue to its 17th-century appearance. It had to be stabilized structurally. Using a variety of spatulas and sculpture tools the new fill materials were shaped and modelled by hand. Septimius Severus was returned to its rightful place in the new galleries once the losses were filled.

Fated to Rule? Omens of Power

The accounts of the rise to power of Severus are notable for his interest in astrology. His decision to marry Julia was motivated by these. The orientalising interests of the emperor and his Syrian wife have contributed to a belief in the corruption of Roman morals.

Marriages

Septimius Severus married a woman from the area. Nothing else is known of her, but her name suggests Punic or Libyan origin. Historia Augusta claims that there were two daughters, but no other proof of that. It appears that the marriage produced no surviving children despite lasting more than ten years of marriage. Julia and Severus had two sons. Julia applied herself to letters and philosophy to build her reputation.

Early life

His mother’s family were from Italy and his father’s family were from Punic. He was in the senate during Marcus Aurelius’ reign. He was made a consul in AD 190.

Rome’s First African Emperor

The first African emperor was Septimius Severus. He fought wars in Scotland and Syria to find stability.

Five Emperors

In rapid succession five different emperors would claim imperial power. The war and bloodshed began after Commodus was killed on New Years Eve.

East and West

Septimius offered Albinus his partner in power and heir in AD 194. The guard who killed the man was panicked and rushed to the capital. He promised to work with the Senate to restore imperial order. He then marched against the other side of the country and launched a campaign against Mesopotamia and other states that supported his rival. Trajan gave the title of Parthicus Maximus to Severus. He would celebrate his eastern victories after returning to Rome.

Legacy

The reign of Septimius Severus ushered in a period of change. He expanded the Empire to its fullest extent, but established a model of rule that placed more emphasis on the provincial armies. He helped the Empire’s cities to be more embellished than any other Empire.

Septimius Severus Conservation

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts had a statue of Septimius Severus. The museum undertook a comprehensive research campaign in 2007 using scientific and art historical methods to determine whether the statue is an ancient art.

Cities Transformed

The last great builder of the 2nd century was Severus. He was a wandering emperor as he was taken to the corners of the empire. He undertook an extensive building programme in Rome. This involved restoration projects.

The Statue’s History

Vincenzo Giustiniani was a famous and innovative collector of the 17th century. His collection included art from his own day and a lot of ancient statuary. An army of technicians made extensive repairs to the works by adding elements to ancient fragments to create complete statues. The Septimius Severus statue was part of the art collection at Williams College in Massachusetts until 1967.

Edges of Empire

The final campaign against the Caledonian tribes began in Scotland. A considerable force went with him ostensibly to restore order to his province. The extent to which Septimius went to fortify this province has been revealed by archaeological evidence. It was a prescient warning of the bloodshed that would follow.

Septimius Severus

Libya is where the birth of the man named Lucius Septimius Severus took place. He became the Roman emperor after a campaign against his rivals. His tenure as emperor was characterised by battling usurpers and brutal army campaigns.

Public service

In around 1601, Severus was looking for a public career in Rome. Marcus Aurelius was recommended by his relative, the emperor, Gaius Septimius Severus. He was granted entry into the senatorial ranks. He is most likely a vigintivir, a person who served in Rome. Septimius Severus’ career advanced more steadily than it otherwise might have been because of the Antonine Plague, which had thinned the senatorial ranks. His father’s death necessitated another return to the area.

Was Nero Responsible for the Great Fire of Rome?

The empire that Severus left behind was the largest it had ever been. His two sons Caracalla and Geta were the ones who took over the throne. The relationship between the two brothers deteriorated to the point that the Praetorian Guard assassinated Geta. CarACalla assumed total control of the emperorship in AD 212 after a purge of all those loyal to Geta. He was portrayed as one of the worst men to have ascended to the throne, ruling savagely and conducting himself like a tyrant.

Africa

In the late 19th century, a campaign was launched in Africa. The southern frontier of Roman Africa was re-fortified by 203. Desert nomads could not safely raid the region’s interior and return to the Sahara.

Relations

The Senate’s relations with Severus were never good. He replaced Senators who were accused of corruption or conspiracy with his favorites. He was popular with the citizens of Rome, having stamped out the rampant corruption of Commodus’ reign. Many of them were put to death after being tried. Julia Domna was his wife and she was the one who advised him after the assassination of Plautianus.

Septimius Severus

The Roman emperor from 192 to 21 was Septimius Severus. He took power after the death of the emperor Pertinax in the Year of the Five Emperors. He captured the capital of the Garamantes in 202 and named his two sons Caracalla and Geta, both of whom were born to his second wife Julia Domna. Hadrian’s Wall was strengthened in the year 207 and the Antonine Wall was reoccupying in the year 207. He invaded Caledonia with an army of 50,000 men but his ambitions were cut short when he died of an infectious disease in the late 20th century. He died at Eboracum in early 21st century and was succeeded by his sons.

Christians

Trajan’s policy toward the Christians was still in force at the beginning of the reign of Severus. Christians were punished if they didn’t worship the emperor and gods, but not if they did. persecution was intermittent, local and sporadic. The need to promote religious harmony was faced by Severus.

Family and education

Publius Septimius Geta and Fulvia Pia were the parents of Severus. A wealthy and distinguished family of equestrian rank. He spoke the local Punic language and was educated in Latin and Greek. His first public address was at the age of 17. He may have taken oratory classes.

Establishing a Dynasty

The desire to establish a dynasty was the reason for the break from Clodius Albinus. Julia Domna married Severus in AD 187 and was a member of the aristocracy and was involved in the cult of the sun deity Elagabalus. Julia came to the attention of Severus after he was told that a Syrian woman would marry a king.

Britain

In the year 206, the British army commander traveled to Britain with the goal of conquering the island of Caledonia. He probably arrived in Britain with a large army. He conquered the Antonine Wall and strengthened Hadrian’s Wall. Despite the tactics of the Caledonians, the campaigning of Severus made gains. The Central Lowlands were granted peace by the Caledonians on condition that they give up control. This is demonstrated by the extensive fortifications of the Severan era.

The history of black Britain

The son of Severus was declared as Caesar. He waged a campaign against the Parthian Empire. He made gains in Scotland and Hadrian’s Wall. The age of the man was 65. His army treatment would become a model future emperors would follow.