Editing Septimius Severus (section)

=== War against Parthia ===
{{further|Roman–Parthian Wars}}
[[File:Severus210AD.png|thumb|right|upright=1.2|The Roman Empire in 210 after the conquests of Severus, showing Roman territory (purple) and Roman dependencies (light purple)]]
[[File:Aureus of Septimius Severus, AD 193.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Aureus]] minted in 193 by Severus to celebrate [[Legio XIV Gemina|Legio XIV ''Gemina Martia Victrix'']], the legion that proclaimed him emperor. Inscription: IMP. CAE. L. SEP. SEV. PERT[INAX] AVG. / LEG. XIIII CEM. M. V. – TR. P., CO[N]S.]]

In early 197 Severus left Rome and sailed to the east. He embarked at [[Brundisium]] and probably landed at the port of [[History of Yumurtalık|Aegeae]] in [[Cilicia]],<ref>Hasebroek (1921), p.&nbsp;111.</ref> travelling on to [[Syria (Roman province)|Syria]] by land. He immediately gathered his army and crossed the [[Euphrates]].<ref>"Life of Septimius Severus" in ''Historia Augusta'', 16.1.</ref> [[Abgar IX]], titular King of [[Osroene]] but essentially only the ruler of [[Edessa, Mesopotamia|Edessa]] since the annexation of his kingdom as a Roman province,<ref>Birley (1999), p.&nbsp;115.</ref> handed over his children as hostages and assisted Severus' expedition by providing archers.<ref>Birley (1999), p.&nbsp;129.</ref> King [[Khosrov I of Armenia]] also sent hostages, money and gifts.<ref>Hovannisian, ''The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times, Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiquity to the Fourteenth Century'', p. 71</ref>

Severus travelled on to [[Nisibis]], which his general [[Julius Laetus]] had prevented from falling into [[Parthian Empire|Parthian]] hands. Afterwards Severus returned to Syria to plan a more ambitious campaign.<ref>''Prosopographia Imperii Romani'' L 69.</ref> The following year he led another, more successful campaign against the [[Parthian Empire]], reportedly in retaliation for the support it had given to [[Pescennius Niger]]. His legions sacked the Parthian royal city of [[Battle of Ctesiphon (198)|Ctesiphon]] and he annexed the northern half of [[Mesopotamia]] to the empire;<ref name="Birley 1999, p. 153">Birley (1999), p.&nbsp;153.</ref><ref>Birley (1999), p.&nbsp;130.</ref> Severus took the title ''{{lang|la| Parthicus Maximus}}'', following the example of [[Trajan]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia | article = Ctesiphon | last = Kröger | first = Jens | url = http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/ctesiphon | encyclopedia = Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. IV, Fasc. 4 | pages = 446–448 | year = 1993 | title = Archived copy | access-date = 9 April 2025 | archive-date = 21 April 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200421125348/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/ctesiphon | url-status = live }}</ref> However, he was unable to capture the fortress of [[Hatra]], even after two lengthy sieges—just like Trajan, who had tried nearly a century before. During his time in the east, though, Severus also expanded the ''[[Limes Arabicus]]'', building new fortifications in the [[Arabian Desert]] from [[Qasr Azraq|Basie]] to [[Dumat Al-Jandal|Dumatha]].<ref name="Birley 1999, p. 134">
Birley (1999), p.&nbsp;134.
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