Emperor Septimius Severus was born in Leptis Magna. Leptis Magna was once part of the Carthaginian Empire and then became a city of Roman Libya. Septimius Severus ruled between the years 193 and 211. He could become the emperor after defeating Roman general Niger in 194 at Cilicia.
Septimius Severus was Roman emperor from 193 to 211, and several places in today’s Turkey tell his story. He besieged and rebuilt Byzantium, now Istanbul, made Nisibis the capital of the province of Mesopotamia, and is honored on a Roman bridge near Adıyaman.
| Rival | Pescennius Niger, governor of Syria |
|---|---|
| Siege | Byzantium, from 193 to about 196 |
| New province | Mesopotamia, with Nisibis as capital |
| Bridge | Severan Bridge, built around 200 AD near Adıyaman |
Septimius Severus was a supporter of syncretism, and he tried to unite all his people into a mixed religion. He went on persecution of Christians just like the previous emperors. As we know he approved state laws letting local authorities to execute Christians who disobey the rule of offering sacrifices to the emperor cult.
The Roman Empire reached its greatest borders under the reign of Septimius Severus. He died during his military campaign against Caledonians in 211 leaving power into the hands of Caracalla and Geta.
Septimius Severus and the Siege of Byzantium
Byzantium, the first of the historical names of Istanbul, took the side of Pescennius Niger, the governor of Syria whom the eastern legions called emperor in 193. Severus’ armies beat Niger’s forces at Cyzicus and at Nicaea, today’s İznik, but Byzantium would not give up. It was besieged for about three years.
After it fell, Severus later rebuilt the city, he made the walls bigger and started a hippodrome for chariot races. It stood in today’s Sultanahmet Square, and later emperors added the Egyptian obelisk that is still there.
Septimius Severus in Southeastern Turkey
In the east, Severus fought the Parthians and around 198 set up the Roman province of Mesopotamia. Nisibis, today’s Nusaybin, became capital of the new province. I wrote about the Roman province of Mesopotamia and about Nisibis in Turkey.
The Severan Bridge, also called the Septimius Severus Bridge, dates from about 200 AD. Columns on it honor Severus, his wife Julia Domna and their sons Caracalla and Geta. Geta’s column was removed after Caracalla had him killed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Septimius Severus besiege Byzantium?
Byzantium had sided with his rival Pescennius Niger and would not surrender, even after Niger was killed. The siege lasted about three years, and Severus rebuilt the city afterward.
Where can I see Septimius Severus in Turkey?
At Perge near Antalya, where a big fountain building stands beside a square named for him, and the Antalya Museum keeps a marble statue of him found at Perge.
