 Number SCP-1732 Object Class Neutralized Safe Special Containment Procedures As SCP-1732's death predates the establishment of the Foundation by more than 1,000 years, direct containment of SCP-1732 is not necessary at this time. Current Foundation priorities regarding SCP-1732 are focused on information management and on archaeological excavation, study, and preservation of SCP-1732's remains and artifacts related to SCP-1732. All primary historical documents and second-hand histories describing the reign of SCP-1732 are to be suppressed and replaced when possible with edited versions describing SCP-1732 as a non-anomalous human being. Comparing the likeness of SCP-1732 are to be described as portraying non-anomalous animals. The Foundation is to liaise with any institutions conducting archaeological excavation of Roman sites, contemporaneous to SCP-1732, and are to monitor their findings for any indication of documents, artifacts, or artwork relevant to SCP-1732. The remains of SCP-1732 are to be stored in a climate-controlled facility at Reliquary 68 upon their removal from the entombment site. Following a full physical examination and DNA analysis, a genetic study of SCP-1732 species is to be conducted to determine whether SCP-1732 has any living descendants, and if so whether any anomalous traits exhibited by SCP-1732 are present within the population. Description SCP-1732 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 Eusebs Pertenax 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 incivic 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 Comedus shortly after its birth as tribute and that having discovered its knowledge properties ordered it to be given a full education and declared a commander of the Empire's military forces in the Balkans. Following the assassination of Comedus in 191 CE and the subsequent assassination 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, increase 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 Maximus Thrax, who is reputed in contemporary accounts to have faith threats to his regime from sapient lions descended from SCP-1732, culminating in a series of hunts beginning under Philip the Arab and ending under Valerian, which all but eradicated native populations of lions throughout Roman territory. Acquired 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, Secretorium Cameras Prophedias 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 Castile Sanctangelo 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 D in a sample from remaining bone marrow. Addendum, the following excerpts regarding SCP-1732 are derived from Caceres, an early 3rd century history of the emperors of Rome by an unknown author. All known extant copies are currently in Foundation custody. It came to pass in the 8th year of his reign that Marcus Aurelius Commodus did pay a call unto the Consul of Africa seeking tribute by which to conduct the Gallic Wars. Gaius Viteus Sabiniatus provided him with 6,000 denarii and with spices and perfumes with jewels, ivory, and with live animals of note a lion cub taken from the southern reaches of the Principate. Marcus was most enamored with the beast's ability to parrot the speech of his keepers, and in a fit of peak proclaimed that he would make of it a finer student of rhetoric than the Consul himself, whereafter he named it Lucius Septimius Severus and mocking reference to the equestrian of the Consul's court and proclaimed it a senator to the consternation of. By the time that poopliest, healthiest, pertinax was murdered in the year of the five emperors, Septimius Leo, as his officers were fond of calling him, had become an accomplished orator and general and panonia. When word reached carnitum of the treason perpetrated by the Praetorians who had murdered pertinax and sold his throne to Marcus Deedius Severus Julianus, the soldiers proclaimed Septimius Leo to be their emperor, outlying himself with his fellow African, Decivious Clodius Septimius Albinius. Septimius Leo marched to Rome. In the fourth year of his reign, Septimius Leo met with a man named Victor, leader of the Christians of Rome. Victor had proclaimed Septimius Leo to be an unholy beast whose earthly reign was a sign at the end of the world, and the coming of the God of the Christians was soon at hand. Having refused to repent of their heresy and treason, Septimius Leo ordered the Christians executed by hanging from a wooden cross, as was their want. For Victor himself, however, Septimius Leo reserved a more ignomious death, challenging him the single combat before the masses at the Flavian Amphitheater, where he rent the bishop limb from limb. Having grown disappointed with his adopted heir, Marcus Aurelius Severus Antonius, Septimius Leo declared his desire to find a queen befitting his stature. Having found no suitable lions in Rome, the emperor ordered 101 fertile lions captured and brought to Rome from Africa. He found none suitable to be his wife, but how many he laid with before they were returned across the sea can only be guessed at, for it is said that a great many fell pregnant. By the 17th year of his reign, many questioned whether Septimius Leo had lost faith in the gods. Rumors spread that he neglected the sacrifice to Jupiter or to Mars, and bequeathed affections only to the cat god of the Egyptians. It is said even in some circles that he intended to replace the worship of our ancient gods entirely without a bastet. It was during the campaign in Britannia that Septimius Leo fell ill while drinking wine and preparing his plans for war against the Picts. Caracalla claimed that his brother, Publius Septimius Getta, was responsible and ordered his death, but Getta's supporters claimed the priest of Jupiter had arranged his poisoning and others still claimed that a spurned lover has sought his revenge against the emperor.