| Severus Alexander | |||||||||
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 Bust, Musei Capitolini | |||||||||
| Roman emperor | |||||||||
| Reign | 13 March 222 – March 235 | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Elagabalus | ||||||||
| Successor | Maximinus Thrax | ||||||||
| Born | Bassianus Alexianus 1 October 208 Arca Caesarea, Phoenicia (modern Akkar, Lebanon) | ||||||||
| Died | March 235 (aged 26) Moguntiacum, Germania Superior (Mainz, Germany) | ||||||||
| Burial | |||||||||
| Spouses | Sallustia Orbiana Sulpicia Memmia | ||||||||
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| Dynasty | Severan | ||||||||
| Father |
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| Mother | Julia Avita Mamaea | ||||||||
| Religion | Syncretism of pagan, Orphic and Christian beliefs | ||||||||
| Roman imperial dynasties | ||
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| Severan dynasty | ||
| Chronology | ||
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193–211 |
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with Caracalla 198–211 |
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with Geta 209–211 |
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211–217 |
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211 |
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Macrinus' usurpation 217–218 |
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with Diadumenian 218 |
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218–222 |
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222–235 |
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| Dynasty | ||
| Severan dynasty family tree | ||
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All biographies |
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| Succession | ||
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Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander[1] (1 October 208 – March 235), also known as Alexander Severus,[2] was Roman emperor from 222 until 235. The last emperor from the Severan dynasty, he succeeded his slain cousin Elagabalus in 222, at the age of 13. Alexander himself was eventually assassinated, and his death marked the beginning of the events of the Crisis of the Third Century, which included nearly fifty years of civil war, foreign invasion, and the collapse of the monetary economy.
Alexander was the heir to his cousin, the 18-year-old Emperor Elagabalus. The latter had been murdered along with his mother Julia Soaemias by his own guards, who, as a mark of contempt, had their remains cast into the Tiber river.[3] Alexander and his cousin were both grandsons of Julia Maesa, who was the sister of empress Julia Domna and had arranged for Elagabalus's acclamation as emperor by the Third Gallic Legion.
Alexander's 13-year reign was the longest reign of a sole emperor since Antoninus Pius.[4] He was also the second youngest sole Roman emperor of a united empire, after Gordian III. Alexander's peacetime reign was prosperous. However, Rome was militarily confronted with the rising Sassanid Empire and growing incursions from the tribes of Germania. He managed to check the threat of the Sassanids. But when campaigning against Germanic tribes, Alexander attempted to bring peace by engaging in diplomacy and bribery. This alienated many in the Roman army, leading to a conspiracy that resulted in the assassination of Alexander, his mother Julia Avita Mamaea, and his advisors. After their deaths, the accession of Maximinus Thrax followed. Alexander's death marked the epoch event for the Crisis of the Third Century.
- ^ Cooley, p. 496.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Alexander Severuswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Dio, 60:20:2
- ^ A handful of emperors since Antoninus Pius reigned for longer than 13 years, but for some or most of their reign they were co-emperors with others and therefore they were sole emperor for less time.