Dr. Alex Imrie

But in another telling, he stops at the gates almost and then changes out of his armor into a toga and comes in in a very civil mode of introduction to the Roman capital. The reality is, though, the armies behind them in either case doesn't really matter what he's wearing. There is very little ambiguity about who or where the real power resides.

And so it's no surprise, really, then, that the Senate, I think, opt to support his claim in the year 193. Now, Severus will spend the next four years fighting civil wars. Albinus and Niger will not give up without a fight.

And so it's no surprise, really, then, that the Senate, I think, opt to support his claim in the year 193. Now, Severus will spend the next four years fighting civil wars. Albinus and Niger will not give up without a fight.

And so it's no surprise, really, then, that the Senate, I think, opt to support his claim in the year 193. Now, Severus will spend the next four years fighting civil wars. Albinus and Niger will not give up without a fight.

So he goes against Piscinius, Niger, and Syria first. He spends the first year and a half of his reign waging a war to the east against the Syrian legions, which he manages to conclude relatively swiftly, relatively successfully. And it's at that point that Caracalla becomes really important to our story.

So he goes against Piscinius, Niger, and Syria first. He spends the first year and a half of his reign waging a war to the east against the Syrian legions, which he manages to conclude relatively swiftly, relatively successfully. And it's at that point that Caracalla becomes really important to our story.

So he goes against Piscinius, Niger, and Syria first. He spends the first year and a half of his reign waging a war to the east against the Syrian legions, which he manages to conclude relatively swiftly, relatively successfully. And it's at that point that Caracalla becomes really important to our story.

Well, Caracalla first. It probably changes his life, I would say, more than Geta's in the short term, because he is used by his father to consolidate the Severan dynasty as a nascent regime. He's also really put into the firing line because it is Severus elevating Caracalla to the rank of Caesar in 195 that causes the second civil war that Severus has to fight.

Well, Caracalla first. It probably changes his life, I would say, more than Geta's in the short term, because he is used by his father to consolidate the Severan dynasty as a nascent regime. He's also really put into the firing line because it is Severus elevating Caracalla to the rank of Caesar in 195 that causes the second civil war that Severus has to fight.

Well, Caracalla first. It probably changes his life, I would say, more than Geta's in the short term, because he is used by his father to consolidate the Severan dynasty as a nascent regime. He's also really put into the firing line because it is Severus elevating Caracalla to the rank of Caesar in 195 that causes the second civil war that Severus has to fight.

So at the end of his campaign against Niger, Severus retroactively adopts the entire Severan family into the Antonine household. It's a very bizarre political conceit to kind of retcon the history, which bolts his family onto that of Marcus Aurelius and Commodus. So that he has lines of legitimacy, it seems, going every direction. His rule is unassailable on terms of legitimacy.

So at the end of his campaign against Niger, Severus retroactively adopts the entire Severan family into the Antonine household. It's a very bizarre political conceit to kind of retcon the history, which bolts his family onto that of Marcus Aurelius and Commodus. So that he has lines of legitimacy, it seems, going every direction. His rule is unassailable on terms of legitimacy.

So at the end of his campaign against Niger, Severus retroactively adopts the entire Severan family into the Antonine household. It's a very bizarre political conceit to kind of retcon the history, which bolts his family onto that of Marcus Aurelius and Commodus. So that he has lines of legitimacy, it seems, going every direction. His rule is unassailable on terms of legitimacy.

Now, the problem for Severus is that in doing that, in putting his son to the fore like this, he has basically broken a treaty with Clodius Albinus, the governor of Britain. He had made this treaty in 193 with Albinus to name Albinus his heir apparent, his Caesar, as a way of buying off that rival to the west to allow him to wage a war in the east.

Now, the problem for Severus is that in doing that, in putting his son to the fore like this, he has basically broken a treaty with Clodius Albinus, the governor of Britain. He had made this treaty in 193 with Albinus to name Albinus his heir apparent, his Caesar, as a way of buying off that rival to the west to allow him to wage a war in the east.

Now, the problem for Severus is that in doing that, in putting his son to the fore like this, he has basically broken a treaty with Clodius Albinus, the governor of Britain. He had made this treaty in 193 with Albinus to name Albinus his heir apparent, his Caesar, as a way of buying off that rival to the west to allow him to wage a war in the east.

It's clear that in 195, with Niger defeated, Severus feels no need to hold on to that treaty for any longer. And Caracalla is the vehicle. He is the weapon that is used to signal to Albinus that Albinus is getting no bite of the cake anymore and it's war. And he's less than 10 years older this time, Caracalla. So he is just being used by his dad. Yeah, he's not even 10.

It's clear that in 195, with Niger defeated, Severus feels no need to hold on to that treaty for any longer. And Caracalla is the vehicle. He is the weapon that is used to signal to Albinus that Albinus is getting no bite of the cake anymore and it's war. And he's less than 10 years older this time, Caracalla. So he is just being used by his dad. Yeah, he's not even 10.

It's clear that in 195, with Niger defeated, Severus feels no need to hold on to that treaty for any longer. And Caracalla is the vehicle. He is the weapon that is used to signal to Albinus that Albinus is getting no bite of the cake anymore and it's war. And he's less than 10 years older this time, Caracalla. So he is just being used by his dad. Yeah, he's not even 10.

He's just before his 10th birthday, probably is when he is named the Caesar and the heir apparent. Now, again, that's quite a bold statement to have a child as your heir apparent. And it's exactly that. He's used as a tool to signify that the Severan regime is ready to stand on its own feet and will brook no alliances with other factions anymore. And it triggers a bloody civil war.