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.