been able by
an expedition in full force to capture Mesopotamia. They also came very
near reducing Nisbis, and would have done so, had not Laetus, who was
besieged there, preserved the place. Though previously noted for other
political and private and public excellences, in peace as well as in wars,
he derived even greater glory from this exploit. Severus on reaching the
aforesaid Nisibis encountered an enormous boar. With its charge it killed
a horseman who, trusting to his own strength, attempted to run it down,
and it was with difficulty stopped and killed by many soldiers,--thirty
being the number required to stop it; the beast was then conveyed to
Severus.

The Parthians did not wait for him but retired homeward. (Their leader was
Vologaesus, whose brother was accompanying Severus). Hence Severus
equipped boats on the Euphrates and reached him partly by marching, partly
by sailing. The newly constructed vessels were exceedingly manageable and
well appointed, for the forest along the Euphrates and those regions in
general afforded the emperor an abundant supply of timber. Thus he soon
had seized Seleucia and Babylon, both of which had been abandoned.
Subsequently he captured Ctesiphon and permitted his soldiers to plunder
the whole town, causing a great slaughter of men and taking nearly ten
myriads alive. However, he did not pursue Vologaesus nor yet occupy
Ctesiphon, but as if the sole purpose of his campaign had been to plunder
it, he thereupon departed. This action was due partly to lack of
acquaintance with the country and partly to dearth of provisions. His
return was made by a different route, because the wood and fodder found on
the previous route had been exhausted. Some of his soldiers made their
retreat by land along the Tigris, following the stream toward its source,
and some on boats.

[Sidenote: A.D. 199(?)] [Sidenote:--10--] Next, Severus crossed
Mesopotamia and made an attempt on Hatra, which was not far off, but
accomplished nothing. In fact, even the engines were burned, many soldiers
perished, and vast numbers were wounded. Therefore Severus retired from
the place and shifted his quarters. While he was at war, he also put to
death two distinguished men. The first was Julius Crispus, a tribune of
the Pretorians. The cause of his execution was that indignant at the
damage done by the war he had casually uttered a verse of the poet Maro,
in which one of the soldiers fighting on the side of Turnus ag