The Roman Empire was one of the great Empires of history, perhaps the greatest empire of all time and maybe matched only by the Ottoman Empire. It was an empire that straddled 3 continents and reading about this empire makes a fascinating study. Most students in India are not aware of the magnitude and reach of the Roman Empire which lasted for many centuries. The Mughal Empire by contrast was just half the size of the Roman Empire.
The Roman empire was built up by a ceaseless military campaign. At one time the entire Mediterranean Sea was converted into a Roman lake. Many emperors and warriors ruled Rome and many names are famous like Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, Augustus among others.
One of the emperors who fought a ceaseless war all his life was Lucius Septimius Severus. In history he is known as the " campaigning emperor".The future emperor was born in what is known as modern Libya( it was a part of the Roman empire) in 146 AD. He was destined for greatness and though not born an emperor became emperor of Rome. Maybe fate had a hand in his elevation.
Septimius when young joined the Roman army and distinguished himself as a great soldier. He impressed the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius and later the emperor Commodus as well. He was rewarded for his bravery and military acumen and appointed commander in chief of the Eastern wing of the Roman army. The eastern wing consisted of the modern area of the Balkans and Hungary.
Septimius was in the east when he learnt that the emperor Commodus had been killed by the Praetorian guard. The guard had then appointed a Roman businessman named Didius Julianus as emperor. The troops under command of Septimius now chose him as their emperor and the man readily consented. In 193 AD he marched on Rome to assert his right as emperor. The advance of Septimius unnerved the senate and they got Didius executed, leaving the field free for Septimius to become emperor. He ascended the throne in 193 and promptly began to consolidate his rule.
He began by attacking an 'imposter' who had declared himself as emperor as well. He was Pescennius Niger, no mean warrior himself. However in a swift military campaign Septimius was victorious and Niger was captured. The emperor immediately ordered his execution. He was captured at Issus, which is now part of Modern Turkey. After the execution of Niger, the emperor turned his attention to Byzantium . He laid siege to the city which lasted for 2 years and ended with its destruction. Septimius now crossed the river Euphrates ( modern Iraq) and consolidated Roman rule.
The emperor returned to Rome in 197 and learned that another imposter named Albinus had proclaimed himself as emperor in Gaul( Modern France) Septimius had no choice but to start a military campaign in Gaul. He was successful and in a ferocious battle defeated Albinus on 19 September 197 at Lyons( Now in France). The imposter was killed and a victorious Septimius returned to Rome as a great conqueror.
Septimius was, however, not a man who could rest in peace as war was in his blood. He once again left Rome in 198 for a military campaign against the Parthians in Mesopotamia. He continued his military campaigns till 200 when he decided to return to Rome.
In 208, he again got the urge to battle and left Rome for England. His army crossed the English Channel and waylaid the English countryside. This time he took his 2 sins with him namely Caracalla and Geta. In 211, the emperor passed away at York in England. He never returned to Rome. On his death bed, Septimius divided the empire between his sons but the division did not last as Caracalla got Geta killed.
Septimius was a fighting emperor who spent a life time fighting. He ruled for 18 years and is remembered as a man who consolidated the Roman empire. Unfortunately he was so busy fighting that he hardly left any structures or monuments and only a few busts of him are available one of which is in the Louvre Museum at Paris.