Septimius Severus (Roman Imperial Biographies) [Paperback]

Anthony R Birley (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0415165911 | ISBN-13: 978-0415165914 | Publication Date: May 1999 | Edition: 1

In this, the only biography of Septimius Severus in English, Anthony R. Birley explors how 'Roman' or otherwise this man was and examines his remarkable background and career.
Severus was descended from Phoenician settlers in Tripolitania, and his reign, AD 193-211, represents a key point in Roman history. Birley explores what was African and what was Roman in Septimius' background, given that he came from an African city. He asks whether Septimius was a 'typical cosmopolitan bureaucrat', a 'new Hannibal on the throne of Caesar' or 'principle author of the decline of the Roman Empire'?

Editorial Reviews

Review

In this excellent book, [Septimius Severus] is rehabilitated as an able if ruthless leader and a remarkable man.
–The Independent

A Surprisingly rich picture of the emperor's times.
–Ramsey Macmillan, Ancient History

About the Author

Anthony R. Birley is Professor of Ancient History at Heinrich Heine University, Dusseldorf. He was previously Professor of Ancient History at Manchester University. His previous books include three on Roman Britain as well as biographies of Marcus Aurelius and Hadrian.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (May 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415165911
• ISBN-13: 978-0415165914
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #478,226 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best scholarly biography of an Roman emperor I've ever read, June 15, 2000

By 

P. Bartl - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Septimius Severus (Roman Imperial Biographies) (Paperback)

Prof. Birley has written the biographies of three Roman emperors: Marcus Aurelius, Septimius Severus and recently Hadrian. "Septimius Severus: the African Emperor" is his finest work thus far. His fluent narrative and relevant remarks make the life of Severus even more interesting. We follow Severus from his native town of Lepcis Magna (in today's Lybia), the member of a family of Phoenecian origin but Romanized for generations. Severus starts his career in an unremarkable way during the reign of Marcus Aurelius, giving us a glimpse of what life was for individual members of the senatorial class. We then follow Severus's life throughout the reign of Marcus's insane son Commodus, Birley giving the best treatment of his reign that I have ever seen in English. The events leading to the conspiracy to topple Commodus, resulting in civil war and Severus's acession as first Emperor for whom Latin was a foreign language, read like a first-class thriller, all the more fascinating because true. As emperor Severus shows himself to be competent and ruthless, and apparently somewhat disdainful and resentful of the traditional elites of Italian background, which led to his starting to convert the empire into a military dictatorship. On the other hand, his support of the great jurists Papinian and Paul make his reign one of the great ages of Roman jurisprudence, which was to have so much influence on Western law. Severus's military pursuits in Mesopotamia and Scotland are also vividly described. To be sure, the first chapters on the origins of Lepcis Magna are a bit slow, but all the rest is fascinating. I could not recomment this book more.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Biography of one of Rome's most fascinating emperors, May 22, 2001

By 

Sean O'Brien (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Septimius Severus (Roman Imperial Biographies) (Paperback)

Anthony Birley does an outstanding job at presenting the life of a man who survived the insane rule of Commodus and founded a new imperial dynasty. Birley give one of the best accounts of the Empire under Commodus and the consipracy leading to his assassination. The brief rule of Pertinax is also delt with and the following civil war.

The begining section on the origins of Lepcis Magna are a bit slow. However, it provides a wealth of knowledge on what life was like in the Empire outside of Rome and Italy. Very few books manage to do this as well this one.

Showing the reign of Septimius Severus in great detail the reader can get an idea of how the 'Crisis of the Third Century' was to become almost inevitable. Septimius Severus favoring the soldiers over all else and his advise to his sons: "Be good brothers, grease the palm of the army and to hell with the rest."(not an exact translation of course) The life of Septimius Severus gives the reader a glimpse into what may have made Caracalla such a tyrant.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most important emperor you've never heard of, July 19, 2010

By 

Enjolras (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Septimius Severus (Roman Imperial Biographies) (Paperback)

Unfortunately, Septimius Severus will probably go down in history as the most important Roman Emperor you've never heard of. His reign marked several important turning points, including the "barbarization" of Rome's army, the rise of military dictators as emperors, and the decline of the city of Rome as the center of action. Birley's book is aimed for academics but surprisingly lively and action-packed. Severus' rise to power featured several wars and usurpers, and Birley tells the story well. Birley is generally sympathetic towards his subject, but never unduly so.

My only problem with the book is that Severus himself seems a bit distance. Birley sometimes speculates a bit too much about Severus and his motives, sometimes to the point of commenting that "if" Severus was in a particular place or knew a particular person, he might have thought "such and such." I understand the temptation given that we know relatively little about Severus.

Overall, this is probably still the best biography of Septimius Severus out there, and a good addition to any library on Roman history.