Severus II

Severus was of humble birth, born in Northern Illyria around the middle of the third century. A friend of emperor Galerius, he rose to become a senior officer in the Roman army, Diocletian acquiesced and Severus succeeded to the post of caesar on 1 May 305, thus becoming the junior colleague of Constantius I, augustus of the western half of empire. == Augustus, 306–307 ==

mint When Constantius died in Britain in July 306, his son Constantine I was immediately acclaimed emperor by his soldiers. At the same time, Severus was promoted to augustus by Galerius. Lactantius reports that Galerius had done this to promote the older man to the higher office, while accepting the imperial symbols of Constantine and accepting him as a member of the Tetrarchy, albeit with the rank of caesar. When Maxentius, the son of the retired emperor Maximian, revolted at Rome in October, Galerius sent Severus to suppress the rebellion. Severus moved towards Rome from his capital, Mediolanum, at the head of an army previously commanded by Maximian. Despite Maximian's assurance, Severus was nonetheless displayed as a captive and later imprisoned at Tres Tabernae, near the current Cisterna di Latina. One belief is that when Galerius himself invaded Italy to suppress Maxentius and Maximian, the former ordered Severus's death. The position of Western augustus remained officially vacant until the Conference of Carnuntum of November 308, in which Licinius was appointed as new emperor (although his western domains only consisted of the Balkan Peninsula). Severus was survived by his son Flavius Severianus, but he was later executed by Licinius for treason. ==References==