“The youth of Severus had been trained in the implicit
obedience of the camps, and the riper years spent in the despotism of military
command. His haughty and inflexible
spirit could not discover, or would not acknowledge, the advantage of
preserving an intermediate power, however imaginary, between the Emperor and
the army.” – Edward Gibbon, History of
the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume 1, Chapter 5
“Here is one man who overthrew three Emperors after they
were already ruling, and got the upper hand of the Praetorians by a trick…He
prevailed over them all by his courage.
It is not possible to name another like Severus.” – Herodian, History of the Roman Empire from the Death
of Marcus Aurelius to the Accession of Gordian III, Book 3, Chapter 7
Map of the Near East c. 198AD (provinces):
Map of the Near East c. 198AD (cities):