Rome's African Emperor: Septimius Severus

Dan Snow's History Hit

History Hit

History

4.7 • 12.9K Ratings

🗓️ 6 November 2025

⏱️ 42 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

We dive into the life and legacy of the North African-born ruler who rose through the ranks to seize the imperial throne. We discover how Severus transformed the Roman military, led daring campaigns across continents, and left a mark that shaped the empire for generations.

Joining us is Simon Elliott, author of 'The African Emperor: The Life of Septimius Severus'. We weigh his achievements against those of other legendary emperors and ask: Does Severus deserve the title of Rome’s ultimate warrior emperor?

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Augustus, Vespasian, Trasian, Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius, Diocletian, Constantine, Roman emperors,
0:12.0	built and ruled over an empire forged in blood, gold, conquest and ambition. Rome was sustained by powerful men who marched at the head of legions,
0:26.6	they waged wars across continents, and they turned Rome into a superpower of the ancient world,
0:34.6	and maintained it as one.
0:36.6	Today I'm going to have a bit of fun.
0:38.9	Today I'm going to ask that question that we all want to know.
0:41.9	Who was the greatest warrior emperor of them all?
0:45.8	Was it Trajan?
0:47.1	Who crossed the Danube and reached the Persian Gulf?
0:50.1	Constantine, who dragged the Roman Empire back from the brink in the third century,
0:56.2	fighting, well, everyone, everywhere.
0:59.6	These were men who led from the front.
1:02.2	They either expanded the empire's borders,
1:04.2	or they ruthlessly reinforced that they crushed internal opposition with overwhelming force.
1:10.9	Yet there is one man who I think often slips through the cracks of popular memory,
1:15.9	Septimius Severus.
1:18.0	He's a North African senator, a North African general,
1:21.1	who seized power in a brutal civil war.
1:24.3	He reformed the army, he fought across three continents. He rebuilt Rome, and he died
1:32.3	while still on campaign, still chasing the dream of trying to outdo every other emperor.
1:39.6	Was Septimius Severus the greatest warrior emperor of Rome? Or is he just a contender?
1:46.0	In this episode, we're going to dive into the life and the battles and the legacy of Rome's
	...

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