Septimius Severus (193-211) was the first Roman Emperor from North Africa. He founded the short-lived Severan dynasty (until 235), which brought an upswing of Roman power once again.
The time of the Severans – and specially the reign of Septimius Severus – can be seen as a changeover between two epochs. The stability of the second century AD ended, and the precarious third century began. Economy, culture and religion got in a state of flux during that time, which made the notion of transition even more palpable.