SCP-1732 Septimius Leo - The Lion Emperor: Rome's Secret Ruler
Channel: Eastside Show SCP
Date: 23/04/2016

This SCP Foundation wiki reading is about SCP 1732 "Septimius Leo", who was a male African lion (Panthera leo leo), born in approximately 188 CE, which from 193 CE until its death in 211 CE was recognized as emperor of the Roman Empire under the name Septimius Severus Eusebes Pertinax Augustus (often abbreviated as "Septimius Severus"). The identity of SCP-1732 as Septimius Severus is attested to in several primary documents and histories written during and shortly after its reign, a brief autobiography attested to have been dictated by SCP-1732 itself, and representations on coinage and in civic artworks found throughout Roman territory.

SCP-1732 was sapient and was able to read and speak fluent Latin with an accent described as typical of persons originating in the Roman Empire's provinces in central northern Africa. Historical accounts indicate that SCP-1732 was acquired by the Roman emperor Commodus shortly after its birth as tribute and that, having discovered its anomalous properties, ordered it to be given a full education and declared it commander of the Empire's military forces in the Balkans. Following the assassination of Commodus in 191 CE and the subsequent assassinations of several successors, SCP-1732 is reported to have consolidated its authority among the military and declared itself emperor in 193 CE following a brief civil war.

SCP-1732's reign was marked by a series of military campaigns to consolidate Imperial authority in the Roman Empire's provinces, increased persecution of Christians, and a brief revival of interest in the cult of the Egyptian goddess Bastet. SCP-1732 is documented as having faced stiff opposition from the Roman nobility during its reign due to its species, and from Roman Christians who identified it as an eschatological figure. SCP-1732 died in 211 CE after being poisoned by a political rival during a campaign in Scotland, and was succeeded by its adopted heir Caracalla.

Suppression of historical information regarding SCP-1732's species and origins began in the mid-3rd century under the reign of the emperor Maximinus Thrax, who is reputed in contemporary accounts to have faced threats to his regime from sapient lions descended from SCP-1732, culminating in a series of hunts beginning under Phillip the Arab and ending under Valerian which all but eradicated native populations of lions throughout Roman territory. After the adoption of Christianity as the state religion of Rome in 324 CE, further suppression and destruction of historical monuments to SCP-1732 was organized by the early Catholic Church, which destroyed most remaining copies of historical records directly referring to SCP-1732 as a lion. The Foundation assumed information management of SCP-1732 when the Vatican Holy Office for Secrets and Prophecies (Secretorum Camerus Prophetias) merged with the Foundation in 1964.

SCP-1732's remains were recovered in 2011 from a previously undiscovered tomb located adjacent to the tombs of several contemporaneous Roman emperors beneath the Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome. Following its death, SCP-1732 had been embalmed in a manner similar to classical Egyptian mummification; however, use of inferior techniques has resulted in severe tissue degradation and has left little original tissue for examination or analysis. Full genetic examination of SCP-1732 is pending acquisition of a suitably intact DNA sample from remaining bone marrow.

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