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Recommended References on Severus Alexander
 |
Born as Gessius Bassianus Alexianus |
|
Adopted
as Marcus Aurelius Alexander |
|
Better known as Severus Alexander |
Basic
History
| Born as Gessius Bassianus Alexianus on October
1, 208 |
|
Raised in Syria |
|
Hereditary priest to sun god Baal |
|
Tutored under careful watch of his mother
Mamaea and grandmother Maesa |
| Ulpius Julianus kills a sister of Severus Alexander and her husband in 218. |
|
Appointed Caesar by Elagabalus on July 10, 221 (possibly June 14-30) |
|
Designated Consul with Elagabalus on July 1, 221 |
|
Elagabalus fears Severus Alexander taking over and plots against him |
| Dec 22, 221, 1st plot against Severus Alexander by Elagabalus leads to riot of troops |
| March 12, 222, final plot and riot of troops against Elagabalus |
|
Elagabalus excesses lead to his murder
and Severus Alexander becomes emperor on March 13, 222 |
| Grandmother and Mother strongly influence Severus Alexander and some believe run the empire. |
|
Severus Alexander puts through reforms and tax cuts on June 25, 222 |
| Spring 223 Riot between soldiers and people |
|
Death of grandmother Maesa in
end of 223 or in 224 |
|
Married in 225 to Gnaea Seia
Herennia Sallustia Orba Barbia Orbiana |
|
Father-in-law Senator Sallustius Macrinus
given title of Caesar |
|
Severus Alexander creates Council of
Sixteen in Senate and restores some power to Senate |
|
Severus Alexander passes measures to
appoint talented people into key positions and heavily punish corruption |
| Possible plot by father-in-law to turn the praetorian guards against Severus Alexander and put himself in power. |
|
Divorced in 227 at mothers insistence. |
| Father-in-law executed and wife banished to North Africa for treason. |
|
Praetorians grow dissatisfied with
Severus Alexander and in 228 riot |
|
Discipline diminishes in 229 and
Severus Alexander advises Cassius Dio to spend consulship away from Rome |
|
Persians (Parthians) overrun Roman
Province of Mesopotamia |
|
Severus Alexander leaves Rome Spring of 231
to collect troops. Arrives in
Antioch summer. |
|
Assault on Persians (Parthians) in 232
by Severus Alexander |
|
Indecisive results of battles leads to
more morale problems with troops |
|
Severus Alexander returns to Rome |
|
Germans attack the Rhine area |
|
Severus Alexander musters troops along
Rhineland frontier 234 |
|
Maximinus, a Thracian commander, is named
emperor by some troops. Severus
Alexander and mother murdered at camp on March 12 or 13, 235 at Vicus
Britannicus, on
the Rhine (current Bretzenheim near Mainz, Germany). |
|
Defied by the Senate in 238. |
Relations (by birth and marriage)
| Son
of
Julia Avita Mamaea and Gessius Marcianus |
| Brother to at least one sister? (Theoclia? see Historia Augusta) |
| Husband
of
Sallustia Barbia Orbiana |
| Grandson
of
Julia Maesa and Caius Julius Avitus Alexianus |
| Nephew of Julia Soaemias |
| Cousin of Elagabulus |
| Second-cousin
of Caracalla and
Geta |
| Grand-Nephew of Septimus Severus and Julia Domna |
| Son-in-law to Senator Sallustius Macrinus |
| Brother-in-law to name unknown? |
Caesar from July 10,
221 – March 13, 222 AD
On
adoption by Elagabulus in 221 with rank of Caesar
|
TITLE |
Translation |
|
Imperatori Caesaris Marci Aurelii Antonini Pii Felicis Augusti filius |
Son of emperor Marcus Aurelius Antonius Pius Felix Augustus (Elagabalus) |
|
Divi Antonini Magni Pii nepos |
Grandson of Antonius Magnus Pius (Caracalla) |
|
Divi Severis pronepos |
Great- Grandson of the devine Severus (Septimius Severus) |
|
Marcus Aurelius Alexander Nobilissimus Caesar Imperi et Sacerdotis |
Marcus Aurelius Alexander, most noble Caesar of power and priesthood |
|
Princeps Iuventutis’ |
prince of youth |
From Chris Scarre’s Chronicles of the Roman Emperors.
Augustus (Emperor) from March 13, 222 – March 235
Title
On
Accession to Emperor, March 13, 222
Imperator Caesar Marcus
Aurelius Severus Alexander Pius Felix Augustus
Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander Pius Felix Augustus, Pontifex Maximus, Tribuniciae potestatis XV, Imperator X, Consul III, Pater Patriae
Portraits on coins from youth to young adult
From Caesar as a boy to Emperor just prior to his death. Also see this page for better photos.
Need help on identifying your coin? See my page on Coin Attribution!!
Examples
of Coins of Severus Alexander
From left to right Gold Aureus, Silver Denarius, US Quarter for Size comparison, Bronze Sestertius, and Bronze As.
Common Obverse Coin Legends
|
TITLE |
OBVERSE LEGEND |
DATE RANGE |
|
CAESAR |
M AVR ALEXANDER CAES |
221 - 222 AD |
|
CAESAR |
M AVREL ALEXANDER CAES |
221 - 222 AD |
|
|
|
|
|
AUGUSTUS |
IMP ALEXANDER PIVS AVG |
231 – 235 AD |
|
AUGUSTUS |
IMP CM AVR SEV ALEXAND AVG |
222 – 228 AD |
|
AUGUSTUS |
IMP CAES M AVR SEV ALEXANDER AVG |
222 – 228 AD |
|
AUGUSTUS |
IMP SEV ALEXAND AVG |
228 – 231 AD* *222 AD for coins from Antioch Mint |
|
AUGUSTUS |
IMP SEV ALEXANDER AVG |
228 – 231 AD |
Common Reverse Coin Legends
|
|
Tribunician Power |
Imperatorial Acclamation |
Consulship |
Other Titles |
|
221 |
|
|
|
CAESAR. |
|
222 |
TR.P. |
IMP. |
COS. |
AVGVSTVS.
P.M. P.P. |
|
223 |
TR.P.II. |
|
|
|
|
224 |
TR.P.III. |
|
|
|
|
225 |
TR.P.IIII. |
|
|
|
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226 |
TR.P.V. |
|
COS.II. |
|
|
227 |
TR.P.VI. |
|
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|
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228 |
TR.P.VII. |
|
|
|
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229 |
TR.P.VIII. |
|
COS.III. |
|
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230 |
TR.P.VIIII. |
|
|
|
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231 |
TR.P.X. |
|
|
PIVS. |
|
232 |
TR.P.XI. |
|
|
|
|
233 |
TR.P.XII. |
|
|
|
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234 |
TR.P.XIII. |
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235 |
TR.P.XIIII. |
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|
From David Sear’s Roman Coins and Their Values, p. 131
Table of Severus Alexander Coinage Average Weights
|
Denomination |
Average Weight (gm) |
Number in Sample |
|
Double Aureus |
12.68 |
2 |
|
Aureus |
6.39 |
58 |
|
Aureus
Quinarius |
3.14 |
5 |
|
Denarius
(Rome Mint) |
2.98 |
365 |
|
Denarius
(Antioch Mint) |
2.97 |
53 |
|
Argenteus
Quinarius |
1.38 |
28 |
|
Sestertius |
21.70 |
263 |
|
Dupondius |
11.18 |
50 |
|
As |
11.25 |
114 |
From BMC Vol. VI, page 16.
Comparison of Average Coin Weights to Severus Alexander’s
|
Type of Coin |
Reign |
Weight |
|
Aureus |
Caracalla in 215 AD |
6.55 gm |
|
|
Caracalla later |
6.34 gm |
|
|
Macrinus |
Over 7 gm |
|
|
Elagabalus |
Over 7 gm |
|
|
Severus Alexander |
6.39 gm |
|
|
Maximinus |
6.13 gm |
|
|
Balbinus |
5.75 gm |
|
|
Pupienus |
5.75 gm |
|
|
|
|
|
Denarius |
Official Rate |
3.41 gm |
|
|
Elagabulus |
Under 3 gm |
|
|
Severus Alexander |
Under 3 gm |
|
|
Later |
More than 3 gm |
From BMC Vol. VI
Mints
See also my page on Mints.
Majority of the Imperial coins of Severus Alexander are from the Rome Mint. Examples of Coins from the Rome Mint
Coins were also produced at the Eastern Mint at Antioch
(Syria) for the first two years of his reign (BMC p. 8). Coins from the Antioch
Mint show the following characteristics:
| Star on the reverse field |
| A's in Legends are unbarred especially on obverse (look like upside down V's) |
| Slightly
smaller flan |
| Lettering
more clumsy |
| Use
of unusual letter forms |
| Obverse
shows thin neck, compressed lips, and the annulet (pupil) is more prominent
in eye (looks like eye is looking at you instead of away) |
| Leaves
of the laurel wreath are parallel to each other along center line |
| See Examples of Coins of the Eastern Mint at Antioch |
(see BMC
Vol. VI pp. 24, 83-87 for more information)
Known Modern Forgeries of Severus
Alexander Coins
Noteworthy
Coins Denoting Architecture (by RIC Numbers)
|
Coliseum (The Flavian Amphitheatre)
|
|
Temple of Jupiter Ultor
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