Death of Plautianus (chapters 2-4).

The friends and children of Plautianus are persecuted by Severus (chapters 5-9).

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 15-17).

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).

[Sidenote:  A.D. 202 (a.u. 955)] [Sidenote:—­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. [Footnote:  Hesychius says of this beast merely that it is a quadruped of Aethiopia.  Strabo calls it a cross between wolf and dog.  Pliny (Natural History, VIII, 21 (30)) gives the following description: