Essential Question:
Evaluate the accomplishments and key events under Septimius' reign and decide whether or not his vicious acts benefitted Rome and why.

This article provides great background information about this important roman emperor

Source: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/536763/Septimius-Severus
Excerpt:
He founded a personal dynasty and converted the government into a military monarchy. His reign marks a critical stage in the development of the absolute despotism that characterized the later Roman Empire.
The son of an equestrian from the Roman colony of Leptis Magna, Severus entered the Senate about 173 and became consul in 190. At the time of the murder of the insane emperor Commodus on Dec. 31, 192, he was governor of Upper Pannonia (now in Austria and Hungary) and commander of the largest army on the Danube River. He remained inactive while the Praetorian Guards murdered Commodus’s successor, Publius Helvius Pertinax (March 193) and auctioned off the imperial title to Marcus Didius Julianus. Then on April 13 Severus was proclaimed emperor by his troops. Declaring himself the avenger of Pertinax, he marched on Rome... Severus also drew on the advice of the renowned jurist Ulpian in making extensive reforms of the laws. Despite his donations to the urban poor and his extensive building campaign, Severus succeeded in maintaining a full treasury.

Having entered the city in this manner, he made us some brave promises, such as the good emperors of old had given, to the effect that he would not put any senator to death; and he took oath concerning this matter, and, what was more, also ordered it to be confirmed by a joint decree, prescribing that both the emperor and anyone who should aid him in any such deed should be considered public enemies, both they and their children. Yet he himself was the first to violate this law instead of keeping it, and made away with many senators; indeed, Julius Solon himself, who framed this decree at his behest, was murdered not long afterwards. There were many things Severus did that were not to our liking, and he was blamed for making the city turbulent through the presence of so many troops and for burdening the State by his excessive expenditures of money, and most of all, for placing his hope of safety in the strength of his army rather than in the good will of his associates in the government.

"Severus bestowed some dignity upon Nisibis and entrusted the city to a knight. He used to declare that he had added a vast territory to the empire and had made it a bulwark of Syria. On the contrary, it is shown by the facts themselves that this conquest has been a source of constant wars and great expense to us. For it yields very little and uses up vast sums; and now that we have reached out to peoples who are neighbour of the Medes and the Parthians rather than of ourselves, we are always, one might say, fighting the battles of those peoples."

This a picture of the Arch of Septimius Severus. Here's a link for additional information on this famous structure:
http://www.ancient.eu.com/article/502/

This is another source, a quote from- http://www.roman-empire.net/decline/sept-severus.html
-"Throughout his reign Severus was one of the outstanding imperial builders. He restored a very large number of ancient buildings - and inscribed on them his own name, as though he had erected them. His home town Lepcis Magna benefited in particular. But most of all the famous Triumphal Arch of Severus at the Forum of Rome bears witness to his reign."

Severus brought many changes to the Roman military. Soldiers' pay was increased by half, they were allowed to be married while in service, and greater opportunities were provided for promotion into officer ranks and the civil service. The entire praetorian guard, discredited by the murder of Pertinax and the auctioning of their support to Julianus, was dismissed. The emperor created a new, larger praetorian guard out of provincial soldiers from the legions. Increases were also made to the two other security forces based in Rome: the urban cohorts, who maintained order; and the night watch, who fought fires and dealt with overnight disturbances, break-ins and other petty crime. These military reforms proved expensive, but the measures may well have increased soldiers' performance and morale in an increasingly unsettled age.

"Despite his cruel nature Septimius Severus was in many respects a useful ruler; strict in the administration of the laws, careful to correct abuses and practised impartiality. Peace returned to the provinces, cities were re-populated and roads were repaired. Rome abounded in provisions, and the people were satisfied. Septimius Severus changed the constitution of the Praetorian Guards, and filled up their ranks with the bravest soldiers of the legions of the frontier. Septimius Severus believed that they would be able to suppress any rebellion that might arise; and he increased the number of the Praetorian Guards to fifty thousand men. The Prefect of the Praetorians, who had at first been a simple soldier, now became the chief minister of the emperor, and was at the head of the finances and even of the law. Septimius Severus despised the feeble Senate and assumed both the legislative and the executive power. Romans began to treat the emperor as the source of all law leading all future Romans to an abject dependence upon their rulers."

1. Severus started a campaign along the eastern frontier, which led to the annexing of the Kingdom of Osroene.

2. Severus successfully took over the capital of the Parthian Empire, Ctesiphon, in a war against the Parthian Empire.

3. He campaigned in Africa and Mauretania against the Garamantes, which led to the capturing of their capital, Garama, and expanding the Limes Tripolitanus along the southern frontier of the empire.

Source: http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Septimius_Severus.html