Britannia Superior
Epigraphical evidence shows that Upper Britain encompassed approximately what is now Wales, southern England and East Anglia.
This civil war was contested by Clodius Albinus in Britain, Septimius Severus in the Danube and Syrian leader Pescinnius Niger.
[7] Following the murder of Pertinax by his own guard on 28 March 193 AD Severus and Albinus swore an alliance as shown on the altar Ostia.
[9] The tension between Severus and Albinus' contest to usurp the Roman Empire's throne resulted in the Battle of Lugdunum (modern day Lyon) on 19 February 197.
[9] According to Cassius Dio's Roman History Severus and Albinus were equally armed with 150 000 soldiers on both sides at Lyon.
The skirmish went back and forth but the decisive collapse of Albinus' left wing turned the battle in favor of a Severus victory.
[10] Once he realized that his defeat was imminent Albinus committed suicide giving Severus total control of the Roman Empire.
This fact reveals Caracella's passive nature of agreement and retreat with the Maetian barbarians beyond the Roman border.
[13] Epigraphical evidence shows that an inscription made during the time of Lucius Julius Julianus between 198-209 AD describes his legions being based at Carleon in what was to become Upper Britain.
Another altar devoted to a southern commander proves that detachments of two Upper Britain legions were serving together on the northern frontier.
This also has created confusion among historians because it has been suggested that during wartime the governor of Britannia Superior would take lead of the northern armies which would vitiate the reasons behind the split in the first place.
[17] What historians can safely agree on is that Roman Britain had very different systems of rule between the imperial reign of Severus and his successor Caracalla.
[17] Severus' influence on the split is that as Emperor he performed this same action of division by separating Roman Syria in 194 AD.
Due to the unsettled Maetae population to the north of Britannia Inferior, Severus decided to rule the entire Roman Empire from Eboracum while trying to regain control of island.
[4] However, the lack of fortifications around smaller villas leads scholars to believe that there was no real threat of peasant revolt at this time even if it was on the mind of Roman elites.
City walls served as a main protector against enemies, but most towns in Britain did not receive much fortification until the late 2nd century.
[30] Historians say this lack of haste could be proof that Albinus had the wall built foreseeing it would be wise to have a better fortified British capital when he withdrew most of his troops toward Rome to fight for the throne in the 190s.
[30] The most prevalent theory states that because Severus was more concerned with the northern instability within Britain, he decided to keep the walls intact.
[30] This also leads researchers to believe Severus would not have planned a Londinium wall to be built before his arrival in the province because the capital was already a stable area.
[32] These smaller walls and gatehouses were also completed in the middle of London's recession, when suburbs such as Walbrook and Southwark lay derelict.
[35] The Governors of Upper Britain were generally of consular rank,[36] including the following: The first rumblings of misfortune for Britannia Superior's prosperity occurred in 260 AD.
With his colleague Asclepiodotus creating a diversion in the Channel, Carausius took advantage of mist to elude enemy fleets and landed near Southampton.
Although Constantius had to return due to bad weather, Alectus was defeated at an inland battle near modern day Silchester.
Observations on South East British settlements during this period show that efforts of globalization could be found in Roman Britain.
