Severus Alexander
● Arca Caesarea (Lebanon)
● Raised by Julia Maesea and Julia Mamaea
○ Both political figure
○ Julia Maesea was the one who gave Elagabalus throne
● Got the throne at 13 after the assassination of Elagabalus
● Stability
○ After Elagabalus’s uncertain government gave return of Roman tradition
○ Restoration of Senate
○ Attempted to govern cooperatively
● During his youth years…
○ His mother Julia Mamaea has been acting as real power behind the throne
● Promoted education, law, public morality
● Encouraged religious tolerance
○ Christianity was respected
● External threats
○ Persian attacked Roman territory
○ Germanic invasion in Rhine
○ Alexander lacked military authority
■ Seemed to have weak army
○ Minimized threat by negotiation and bribery
■ Angered soldiers
○ Mother attempted to influence military strategies
■ Unpopular with generals
■ During the campaign in Germania, Killed by mutinied soldiers
● Followed by Maximinus Thrax
○ Soldier without noble lineage
● Death had started Crisis of Third Century
○ 235~284 CE Role of Julia Maesa
● Macrinus takes over throne after death of Caracalla
● Maesea claims Elagablaus is the rightful successor to the throne
○ Claims to be son of Caracalla
● Aware of instability in the empire, attempts to change emperor to Severus Alexander
○ Carryout Elagabalus’s assassination
● In total, she had managed 2 emperors
○ Elagabalus
○ Alexander
Why kill Macrinus
● Romans better liked the time with Caracalla
○ Raise in salary for soldiers
○ Roman citizenship
● However, next was Elagaballus
○ Even worst
○ Therefore assassinated him to switch to Alexander.