Changes

Severus raised the status and influence of the army. However, he ignored and even persecuted members of the old senatorial order. Septimius was aware that he had seized power and was not a constitutional monarch. He knew that the Senate disliked him and saw him as a usurper<ref> Life of Septimius Severus, x </ref>. He tried to marginalize the Senate and the Italian aristocracy who had traditionally played an important role in the government of the Empire. This was no longer the case in the reign of the founder of the Severin dynasty. He would often appoint commoners and non-Italians to high offices and governorships. This infuriated the Senatorial class. However, Severus would not tolerate any opposition and he executed or exiled many Senators.

In subsequent periods, any general with the support of the legions could claim the Imperial throne leading to endemic instability. The development of a ‘military monarchy’ was one of the main reasons for the so-called ‘Crisis of the Third Century’ <ref> Hekster, p. 232</ref>.

====Conclusion====

Septimius Severus was in many ways a successful Emperor and could even lay claim to the title of a great Emperor. He was a successful general and administrator and strengthened and expanded the Empire and established a dynasty. Severus was also a great legal and administrative reformer. However, during his reign, he expanded the army so much that ultimately it undermined the financial health of the Roman economy. The first African born Emperor also established a de-facto military monarchy and he gave the army unprecedented power and privileges and this contributed to the period of near-anarchy known as the Third Century Crisis, during which the Empire almost collapsed.

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