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Festivities on account of Severus's decennial, the marriage of Antoninus and victories (chapter [1] ).
Death of Plautianus (chapters [2], [3], [4] ).
The friends and children of Plautianus are persecuted by Severus (chapters [5], [6], [7], [8], [9] ).
About Bulla Felix, a noble brigand (chapter [10] ).
Severus's campaign in Britain: an account of the Britons (chapters [11], [12] ).
After traversing the whole of Britain Severus makes peace (chapter [13] ).
How Antoninus desired to slay his father (chapter [14] ).
Death of Severus Augustus and a summary view of his life (chapters [15], [16], [17] ).
DURATION OF TIME
L. Septimius Severus Aug. (III), M. Aur. Antoninus Aug.
(A.D. 202 = a.u. 955 = Tenth of Severus, from the Calends of June).
P. Septimius Geta, Fulvius Plautianus (II).
(A.D. 203 = a.u. 956 = Eleventh of Severus).
L. Fabius Septimius Cilo (II), L. Flavius Libo.
(A.D. 204 = a.u. 957 = Twelfth of Severus).
M. Aur. Antoninus Aug. (II), P. Septimius Geta Caesar.
(A.D. 205 = a.u. 958 = Thirteenth of Severus).
Nummius Albinus, Fulv. Aemilianus.
(A.D. 206 = a.u. 959 = Fourteenth of Severus).
Aper, Maximus.
(A.D. 207 = a.u. 960 = Fifteenth of Severus).
M. Aur. Antoninus Aug. (III), P. Septim. Geta Caesar (II).
(A.D. 208 = a.u. 961 = Sixteenth of Severus).
Civica Pompeianus, Lollianus Avitus.
(A.D. 209 = a.u. 962 = Seventeenth of Severus).
M. Acilius Faustinus, Triarius Rufinus.
(A.D. 210 = a.u. 963 = Eighteenth of Severus).
Q. Epid. Ruf. Lollianus Gentianus, Pomponius Bassus.
(A.D. 211 = a.u. 964 = Nineteenth of Severus, to Feb. 4th).
A.D. 202 (a.u. 955)
1
Severus to celebrate the first decade of his reign presented to the entire populace accustomed to receive dole and to the soldiers of the pretorian guard gold pieces equal in number to the years of his sovereignty. He took the greatest delight in this achievement, and, as a matter of fact, no one had ever before given so much to whole masses of people. Upon this gift five hundred myriads of denarii were expended. Another event was the marriage between Antoninus, son of Severus, and Plautilla, the daughter of Plautianus. The latter gave as much for his daughter's dowry as would have sufficed for fifty women of royal rank. We saw the gifts as they were being carried through the Forum into the palace. We were banqueted, likewise, in the meantime, partly in royal and partly in barbarian fashion on whatever is regularly eaten cooked or raw, and we received other animal food also alive. At this time, too, there occurred all sorts of spectacles in honor of Severus's return, the completion of his first decade, and his victories. At these spectacles sixty wild boars of Plautianus upon a given signal began a combat with one another, and there were slain (besides many other beasts) an elephant and a crocotta. [
] The last named animal is of Indian origin, and was then for the first time, so far as I am aware, introduced into Rome. It has the skin of lion and tiger mingled and the appearance of those animals, as also of the wolf and fox, curiously blended. The entire cage in the theatre had been so constructed as to resemble a boat in form, so that it would both receive and discharge four hundred beasts at once, [