Abstract
THE 208-211 EXPEDITION OF EMPEROR SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS TO BRITAIN IN HISTORIOGRAPHICAL AND NUMISMATIC SOURCES
The expedition emperor Septimius Severus made to Britain in years 208-211 was the last military
campaign in the life of this first representative of the Severus dynasty. Its impact can be found in nu-
merous historiographical, numismatic and inscriptive sources. This article deals with the comparison of
the little source material found in the works of Roman historians Cassius Dio and Herodian with the
information passed on to us by the imperial mint. The campaign had a few objectives. First of all, it
aimed at taming the rebellious Caledonian people living in northern Britain, putting the administration
in Roman Britain in order and rebuilding the local limes. The emperor's desires to strengthen his
image of a victorious leader and to clearly mark his sons Karakalla and Geta as his successors were also
important. The fights with the locals did not have a tangible effect (the Romans failed to subdue the
whole of Britain) but undoubtedly had a propaganda character as planned by the emperor. Septimius
Severus died at the beginning of 211 in Eburacum and not long after his sons ended the campaign and
went back to Rome as equal emperors of Imperium Romanum.