Editing 197 (section)

==== Roman Empire ====
* [[February 19]] &ndash; [[Battle of Lugdunum]]: [[Emperor]] [[Septimius Severus]] defeats the self-proclaimed emperor [[Clodius Albinus]] at [[Lugdunum]] (modern [[Lyon]]). Albinus commits [[suicide]]; [[Roman legionary|legionaries]] sack the town.
* Septimius Severus returns to [[Ancient Rome|Rome]] and has about 30 of Albinus's supporters in the [[Roman Senate|Senate]] executed. After his victory he declares himself the adopted son of the late [[Marcus Aurelius]].
* Septimius Severus forms new [[Roman navy|naval]] units, manning all the [[trireme]]s in [[Italy]] with heavily armed troops for war in the East. His soldiers embark on an artificial [[canal]] between the [[Tigris]] and [[Euphrates]].
* [[Legio I Parthica|Legio I]], [[Legio II Parthica|II]], and [[Legio III Parthica|III ''Parthica'']] are levied by Septimius Severus for his [[Parthia]]n campaign.
* The [[Roman army]] marches east to repel a Parthian invasion of [[Mesopotamia]]; they loot the royal palace at [[Ctesiphon]] and capture an enormous number of its inhabitants as [[slavery|slaves]].
* Septimius Severus reconstitutes the Province of [[Mesopotamia]] under an equestrian [[governor]] commanding two [[Roman legion|legions]].
* Septimius Severus, who had spared the Senate at the beginning of his reign, now excludes it from controlling the [[Roman Empire]] by declaring a military [[dictatorship]].