A coalition of Chinese warlords from the east of
Hangu Pass launches a
punitive campaign against the warlord
Dong Zhuo, who seized control of the central government in
189, and held the figurehead
Emperor Xian hostage. After suffering some defeats against the coalition forces, Dong Zhuo forcefully relocates the imperial capital from
Luoyang to
Chang'an. Before leaving, Dong Zhuo orders his troops to loot the tombs of the Han emperors, and then destroy Luoyang by fire, to leave behind nothing for the coalition.
June 1 – Septimius Severus enters the capital, and has Julianus put to death. He replaces the Praetorian Guard with a 15,000-man force from the Danubian legions, and gains control of the
Roman Empire, beginning the
Severan dynasty.
In Britain,
Clodius Albinus allies with Septimius Severus, and accepts the title of
Caesar.
British tribes take advantage of the disorder in the Empire, and damage
Hadrian's Wall. Extensive repairs to the defence work is carried out by the
legionaries.
Counterfeiting workshops begin to appear throughout the Roman Empire.
King
Vologases V and other eastern princes support the claims of
Pescennius Niger. The Roman province of
Mesopotamia rises in revolt with Parthian support. Severus marches to Mesopotamia to battle the Parthians.
The Roman province of
Syria is divided and the role of
Antioch is diminished. The Romans annex the Syrian cities of
Edessa and
Nisibis. Severus re-establish his headquarters and the
colonies there.
Lucius Septimius Bassianus (or Caracalla), age 7, changes his name to Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, to solidify connections with the family of Marcus Aurelius, and is given the title
Caesar.
Clodius Albinus, who had been proclaimed emperor in
Britain, crosses into
Gaul with his legions, while at the same time recruiting new
soldiers. He is soon the head of an army of 150,000 men, according to
Cassius Dio. Severus, still in Mesopotamia, hastily returns to
Rome.
The Xian Emperor returns to war-ravaged
Luoyang and seeks the protection of warlord
Cao Cao. He is advised to move the capital to
Xuchang; the emperor becomes a
pawn in the hands of the Chinese
warlords.
Septimius Severus returns to
Rome and has about 30 of Albinus's supporters in the
Senate executed. After his victory he declares himself the adopted son of the late
Marcus Aurelius.
Septimius Severus forms new
naval units, manning all the
triremes in
Italy with heavily armed troops for war in the East. His soldiers embark on an artificial
canal between the
Tigris and
Euphrates.
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
slaves.
Septimius Severus reconstitutes the Province of
Mesopotamia under an equestrian
governor commanding two
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.
Emperor
Septimius Severus lays siege to the city-state
Hatra in Central-Mesopotamia, but fails to capture the city despite breaching the walls.[11][12]
A coalition of Chinese warlords from the east of
Hangu Pass launches a
punitive campaign against the warlord
Dong Zhuo, who seized control of the central government in
189, and held the figurehead
Emperor Xian hostage. After suffering some defeats against the coalition forces, Dong Zhuo forcefully relocates the imperial capital from
Luoyang to
Chang'an. Before leaving, Dong Zhuo orders his troops to loot the tombs of the Han emperors, and then destroy Luoyang by fire, to leave behind nothing for the coalition.
June 1 – Septimius Severus enters the capital, and has Julianus put to death. He replaces the Praetorian Guard with a 15,000-man force from the Danubian legions, and gains control of the
Roman Empire, beginning the
Severan dynasty.
In Britain,
Clodius Albinus allies with Septimius Severus, and accepts the title of
Caesar.
British tribes take advantage of the disorder in the Empire, and damage
Hadrian's Wall. Extensive repairs to the defence work is carried out by the
legionaries.
Counterfeiting workshops begin to appear throughout the Roman Empire.
King
Vologases V and other eastern princes support the claims of
Pescennius Niger. The Roman province of
Mesopotamia rises in revolt with Parthian support. Severus marches to Mesopotamia to battle the Parthians.
The Roman province of
Syria is divided and the role of
Antioch is diminished. The Romans annex the Syrian cities of
Edessa and
Nisibis. Severus re-establish his headquarters and the
colonies there.
Lucius Septimius Bassianus (or Caracalla), age 7, changes his name to Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, to solidify connections with the family of Marcus Aurelius, and is given the title
Caesar.
Clodius Albinus, who had been proclaimed emperor in
Britain, crosses into
Gaul with his legions, while at the same time recruiting new
soldiers. He is soon the head of an army of 150,000 men, according to
Cassius Dio. Severus, still in Mesopotamia, hastily returns to
Rome.
The Xian Emperor returns to war-ravaged
Luoyang and seeks the protection of warlord
Cao Cao. He is advised to move the capital to
Xuchang; the emperor becomes a
pawn in the hands of the Chinese
warlords.
Septimius Severus returns to
Rome and has about 30 of Albinus's supporters in the
Senate executed. After his victory he declares himself the adopted son of the late
Marcus Aurelius.
Septimius Severus forms new
naval units, manning all the
triremes in
Italy with heavily armed troops for war in the East. His soldiers embark on an artificial
canal between the
Tigris and
Euphrates.
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
slaves.
Septimius Severus reconstitutes the Province of
Mesopotamia under an equestrian
governor commanding two
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.
Emperor
Septimius Severus lays siege to the city-state
Hatra in Central-Mesopotamia, but fails to capture the city despite breaching the walls.[11][12]