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Death of Emperor Severus

Roman Emperor Severus died at York (Eboracum) on February 4, he was aged about 65. He arrived in Britain in 208 and ran a campaign to subdue rebellion in the North, a mission which died with him. He was survived by his sons, Caracalla and Geta, who returned to Rome as joint Emperors. By December, Caracalla had arranged the murder of his younger brother and took the title of Emperor for himself.

Britain divided

Emperor Caracalla carried out his father's vision for a divided Britain (devised in 197). The country was split in two with the South forming Britannia Superior and the North forming Britannia Inferior. It was Roman policy to name provinces based on their distance from Rome, with the nearer location gaining the higher title. The division, which was effective by 216, was a method of limiting the amount of military power any one Governor could gather in Britain. The southern province housed most of the Roman Army at bases around London. Britannia Inferior was managed by a smaller Roman force based at York, the northern province capital.

The political situation across southern Roman Britain was stable and a period of relative calm began. In the North, attacks continued on Hadrian's Wall but the Romans held the border.