Black In Time

The Romans 27 BCE-476 CE (Septimius Severus)

The Roman Empire was the post-Republican state of ancient Rome and is generally understood to mean the period and territory ruled by the Romans following Octavian's assumption of sole rule under the Principate in 31 BC. It included territory in Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia, and was ruled by emperors.So, the Roman Empire included people from countries that we now call Egypt,Tunisia,Algeria and Morocco - which meant that Black people were Roman citizens.Yeah let that sink in for a moment.

Now historians mostly believe/agree that the Romans have successfully invaded and taken control by 87 CE - so it took awhile! As the Roman Empire spanned so many countries, there was a load of sightseeing and travelling, with people from all over mixing and living together.North Africans would definitely have come to settle in Britain.In fact, there's evidence that the Romans didn't even really view 'race' the same way we do.The colour of your skin didn't mean anything about your place in society that was it - you were separate but equal - no racism, no inequality and no discrimination.So,there you go! The image you could have in your head of an average Roman might not be quite right.It turns out their civilization was pretty multicultural, which is incredible!

To show you more about what I mean, I'm going to tell you about two significant Black people from ancient times who we know little about: Septimius Severus and Ivory Bangle Lady.We don't have heaps of information from around this time that we can be sure of (I suppose they don't call it ancient history for no reason!), but I will do my very best to fill you in on these two amazing people from our past.

Septimius Severus was born in 145 CE - he was around the second century-, in Leptis Magna, one of the three major cities in North Africa (the city would now be in what we know as Libya).His dad's family were known as the Septimii and were Punic - meaning they were descended from Phoeonicians who'd come from what it is known as North Africa.His mum's family are the Fulvio, so she was of Italian Roman ancestry.The whole Septimii family were from well-respected roots and had plenty connections in the senate.

Septimius family was almost certainly a patrician one, and that gave him certain advantages, including an education.He would have learned Greek and Latin, which were both really momentous to the higher ranks of Roman society, and he'd have probably studied poetry,history,geography and other stuff his family would have thought were valuable for his future life, like public speaking or politics.Septimius first wife was a woman called Paccia Marciana who was also from Leptis Magna and that they got married around 175 CE, but sadly she died in 186 CE so in honour of her death Septimius commemorated Paccia with some statues which made me think he must have really loved her.And hey get this! He was a big fan of astrology and according to gossip using astrology was how he actually met his second wife, Julian Domna.She was born in western Syria to an Arab family - now wonder if her astrology forecast said that she'd marry a king!

Now this is how Septimius Severus became emperor. Severus seized power after the death of the emperor Pertinax in 193 during the Year of the Five Emperors. After deposing and killing the incumbent emperor Didius Julianus, Severus fought his rival claimants, the Roman generals Pescennius Niger and Clodius Albinus.

Septimius Severus was famous for his military reforms, which included expanding the total number of legions and reducing the number of legions under the direct control of any single individual. He also famously reduced the amount of silver in the currency to afford to pay his soldiers more.He was the founder of the Severan dynasty, with his descendants ruling the Roman Empire between 211 CE and 235 CE.In conclusion, Septimius Severus had a significant impact in the world we call today because he was the one who erected the famous triumphal arch in the Roman Forum, an important vehicle of political propaganda that proclaimed the legitimacy of the Severan dynasty and celebrated the emperor's victories against Parthia in a lavishly sculpted historical narrative.

Top Five Facts About Septimius Severus:

1.Septimius Severus fought and won three civil wars during his time as emperor. In 193 CE he defeated Didius Julianus, in 194 CE he defeated Pescennius Niger, and in 197 CE he defeated Clodius Albinus.

2.He loved to put his face on coins and minted a few in 208 CE showing soldiers crossing a bridge over a river.

3.He erected the Arch of Septimius Severus in Rome, which you can still see today.

4.He suffered from gout.Gout is a severe pain in your joints - feet,hands,wrists,elbows, or knees.There was no cure at the time.

5.His ashes were placed in a beautiful purple urn and taken back to the Mausoleum of Hadrian in Rome.

A quick summary of Septimius Severus:

Septimius Severus, he was a pretty significant figure in Roman history! He was an emperor who ruled from 193 to 211 AD. One of the notable things about him was that he was the first Roman emperor from Africa. He played a big role in expanding and strengthening the Roman Empire. His reign was marked by military achievements and reforms. Septimius Severus left a lasting impact on the empire, shaping its history and setting the stage for future emperors. It's amazing how one person can have such a profound influence on an entire civilization!

Now there is another Black Brition alive during the Romans (27 BCE-476 CE) but unfortunately we do not know her name but I can give some discoveries about her!The Ivory Bangle Lady is an exciting archaeological discovery from Roman Britain. She was found buried with ivory bangles on her arm, suggesting she had a high status. This discovery provides valuable insights into the lives of people from the past and helps us understand the cultural and social dynamics of Roman Britain. It's incredible how even small artifacts can tell us so much about history!