Featured Augusti & Caesars who campaigned in Britain

I have always considered the campaign conducted by Constantius, accompanied by his son, Constantine, against the warlike tribes in northern Britain to be the largest and most consequential in Roman British history. My assessment has changed after reading the following book. It is a new book and was for me a fascinating and illuminating read. Dr. Elliott is an eminent British historian and archeologist who possess a captivating (to me) writing style. As I have mentioned previously, I was born and grew up on the Lancashire/Yorkshire border (North Yorkshire on my father’s side of the family and Lancashire on my mother’s side) and so it was inevitable that I became interested in the rich Romano-British history of this region. As a teenager I spent many happy hours hiking the adjacent moors where possibly some Roman soldiers had trod. So I can readily relate to the great descriptions of the weather and climate in northern England so colorfully written by Dr. Elliott - and nothing has changed in the passing years - it is still wet, cold and miserable - and that is during summer! (BTW I now live in Tucson, Arizona!).

Anyway I found this book to be an absorbing read and a meticulous account of the Septimius Severus campaigns.

expeditio felicissima Britannica.




Published in 2018 by Greenhill Books, Barnsley, S. Yorkshire.

Simon Elliott quote:

“My view is that we are looking at a combination of factors, presenting all of those involved with a unique set of circumstances which together led to what followed. The warrior confederations north of the border were getting a taste for vast wealth and looking for an opportunity for easy plunder (and may have been hungry), the northern border for some reason was undermanned, and the emperor was on the prowl for war and mindful of his legacy. Whether triggered by the arrival of Senecio’s letter or provincial news in another form (real or engineered), the scene was therefore set for imperial shock and awe writ large, possibly the most devastating campaign ever fought on British soil.”

James

 

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Interesting write-up and some great coins too.

I have a pitted-out Geta as with the Britannia reverse:


Geta Æ As
(210-212 A.D.)
Rome Mint
P SEPTIMIVS GETA PIVS AVG BRIT, laureate head right, slight drapery on left shoulder / VICTORIAE BRITTANICAE Victory seated left on shields, holding shield & palm, SC in ex.
RIC 191b; Akerman Brit p. 68; Sear 7285 var. (bust type).
(8.09 grams / 24 mm)

 

Here is another book by Simon Elliott that compliments his previous book.



A great reference for understanding the role played by the Roman Naval forces.

 

Excellent post @jamesicus

 

I am now a “Kindle reader”! After we spent three days reducing my reference library down to four shelves of “essential” books I promised Beverly “no more books”. So here I am reading (actually re-reading) ……………



…………… on my iPad via Kindle and enjoying it immensely.

I have already learned many things that I didn’t know, or wasn’t sure of, previously:

1. Septimius Severus really did bring his entire Imperial court with him to Britain and set up shop in Eboracum (York) which in effect became the Capital of the Roman Empire until his death.

2. It is apparent that he knew he would very likely not survive this campaign - this would be his final act.

3. He and Caracalla departed Eboracum as field commanders of their legions to commence the Campaign soon after their arrival there.

4. Geta was tasked with running the Empire and was left behind at Eboracum along with his mother Julia Domna.

5. I have not been able to determine so far when, or if, Geta actually led a legion in the field during the campaign.

I think it would be appropriate to post some photos of Julia Domna coins here - I do not own any.

 

Thank you Randy.

 

Antoninus Pius didn't ever go to Britain, but he campaigned there, and built the Antonine Wall north of Hadrian's. His campaign was commemorated on a coin featuring Britannia (I think only the second emperor's coins to do so, after Hadrian's):

 

I am not sure I am following you, John. How could he have campaigned in Britain if he didn’t go there? He did in fact have an earthen wall (named after him) built at his direction in Scotland (Caledonia). Antoninus Pius was never actually in Britain. Septimius Severus and Caracalla did make minor repairs to the Antonine wall during their advance into Scotland (Caledonia).

 

I think that would come down to the definition of 'campaigned'. I don't think you have to be physically present to campaign. Antoninus had his army invade and conquer southern Scotland (I.e. the bit between his wall and Hadrian's). I doubt any emperor actually fought, but as it says on Wikipedia, 'Antoninus was virtually unique among emperors in that he dealt with these crises without leaving Italy once during his reign, but instead dealt with provincial matters of war and peace through their governors.'

 

Very well, John, but I think the commonly accepted usage of “campaign” has always inferred “being in country” and directing a military operation, examples being Claudius dispatching the General Plautius with an advance force to invade Britain and then he himself landing there to take command and thus claim he had campaigned in Britain (he was only there for some sixteen days!) - another example was Augustus never visiting the northern frontier (particularly Germania): I do not believe any historical documents describe him as having campaigned there (that description is usually reserved for the field commanders Germanicus, Nero Drusus and Tiberius). But I do think you have a point John - maybe the time has come to re-define the usage of “campaign” - you are certainly welcome to use your interpretation of its usage here.

However, John, this thread is entitled “Augusti & Caesars who campaigned in Britain” in which I employ the traditional usage of “campaign” as I understand it.

 

Just for general information.

I did a quick online dictionary search:

Campaign: Noun

“A series of military operations intended to achieve a particular objective, confined to a particular area, or involving a specified type of fighting”.

Campaigned: past participle

………………………………………………

If course there are several dictionaries - definitions may differ slightly, but I believe there is a general commonality.

 

I would appreciate postings of any photos of Septimius Severus and Caracalla bronze coins depicting bridges on the reverse. There is a possibility the bridge reverse coins minted in AD 208 were struck to commemorate the building of bridges over the Firth of Forth and/or the River Tay in Scotland during their campaign there. I have never seen any photos of those coins and there is a great deal of controversy as to what bridges are depicted.

 

I agree with your usage. Otherwise you could say that Lincoln campaigned in Georgia, which might confuse a lot of people!

 

Fair enough. Although if we're making a distinction between 'ordered a military campaign from inside the country' and 'ordered a military campaign from outside the country', we should also distinguish 'Britannia' and 'Caledonia', in which case neither Caracalla nor Septimius Severus 'campaigned in Britain.'

(Sorry, I am only joking!)

 

Well played, John! (Off the back foot of course)

 

My example is nowhere near as nice as yours, John:

 

I also posted that request in its own thread here:

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/septimius-severus-caracalla-bridge-reverse-coins.362696/

As you can see from the input of Curtis Clay, the chance of any CT member having such a coin to post here is very unlikely.

There is some other useful information in that thread, however.

 

Hi jamesicus,
you can see photos here. Caracalla's medallion doesn't seem to be available in photographic form online, but the British Museum have a photo of their electrotype copy.

As for the controversy about where the bridges might have been, there's a discussion here. We'll probably never know for sure where they were, or if they even existed at all, but some of the arguments against them being over the Forth or the Tay can be easily countered.

As for Antoninus, or at least the Roman army, campaigning in modern day Scotland, the coins relating to that are standard Victory types. The coins with Britannia on them are not so clear cut. There are reasons to believe they might be celebrating a renewed peace and stability in the province, or that they were just part of a generic "travel" series mimicking Hadrians (although we know he didn't actually travel anywhere). Antoninus minted coins in 139 AD carrying the images of Africa, Alexandria, Asia, Cappadocia, Dacia, Hispania, Italia, Mauretania, Parthia, Phoenicia, Scythia, Sicilia, and Thracia, and minted a second batch in 140 AD consisting of Britainnia, Italia and Mauretania.

More information on this is here.

 

Thank you for doing all that “leg work” @DCCR - and for your very informative comments - it is all much appreciated.

added via edit: after reading, and re-reading, the material via the links you provided @DCCR (together with your own comments) I have a much better understanding about these bridges and the coins possibly associated with them. Thank you again for your help, @DCCR!

 

Maybe a victory coin reprise is in order:



Septimius Severus, Denarius, RIC Vol. IV, No. 335
Obverse Inscription: SEVERVS PIVS AVG BRIT
Reverse Inscription: VICTORIAE BRIT


Caracalla, Denarius, RIC Vol. IV, No. 231a
Obverse inscription: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG BRIT
Reverse Inscription: VICTORIAE BRIT


Geta, Denarius, RIC Vol. IV, No. 91
Obverse Inscription: P SEPT GETA PIVS AVG BRIT
Reverse Inscription: VICTORIAE BRIT