Severe Alexandre

Severe Alexandre ( Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander Pius Felix Augustus, Persicus Maximus (?) ) is Roman Emperor of 222 with 235.

Its beginnings

Born in 208 with Arca (Such Arqa) in Phénicie and named Alexianus, it is raised by his grandmother Julia Mæsa, sister-in-law of Septime Sévère, and by its mother Julia Mamaea, and receives a neat education. He is the small nephew of the emperor Caracalla and succeeds his cousin Élagabal, who chooses it like César in 221. Alexianus takes then the name of Severus Alexander . Élagabal then tries to reconsider its decision but Julia Maesa causes a revolt of the Praetorian which costs the life Élagabal. At once Sévère Alexandre is named Auguste by the Senate. It takes measures active against those of its predecessor, especially in the religious field. Thus, it returns to Émèse the black stone of the solar worship, which was for certain Romans an object of indignation.

Its reign

The new emperor, under the influence of his mother and his grandmother, gives again a big role with the Senate whose twelve members will form a “council of regency or government” around the emperor. He is surrounded eminent advisers the such lawyers Ulpien who becomes Préfet of the court (ordering imperial guard) or Papinien, Herennius, Modestinus. He launches a policy of urbanization with the construction of thermal baths which rise on the Field-of-March, installs peasant-soldiers to protect the borders with obligation for their sons to engage in the army. The death of Julia Maesa in 223 weakens the emperor because this woman had a strong influence including near many officers. The soldiers, precisely, see of a rather evil eye the re-establishment of a political regime dominated by the civilians. A revolt of Praetorian thus costs the life Ulpien, killed under the eyes of the emperor, and the former governor of Pannonia, the historian Dion Cassius prefers to take his retirement in Bithynie his province native.

In foreign politics, the emperor is confronted with the Perse S. Those remade their unit in 227 under the control of the king Ardachîr Ier and plunders the Mésopotamie and the Cappadoce in 231. The emperor with the head of a considerable army undertakes against Persians a campaign which will be only one semisuccess. He is often confronted with sporadic revolts of his troops which fear its irresolution. Of return to Rome in 233, the emperor gives Persian Plays which are not enough however to make it popular. He to him is often reproached the influence of his mother. In 234, it goes to Mainz to push back the Germains, in particular the Alamans, but hesitates to fight and prefers to buy peace. The made indignant legions revolt (235) and the emperor is killed under his tent like his mother. It is the beginning of the military period of anarchy which will last until the reigns of Aurélien and of Dioclétien.

Its figure was grown by the Histoire Auguste .

Successive names

208, is born Gessius Bassianus Alexianus
221, is made César by Héliogabale: Imperatori Caesaris Marci Aurelii Antonini Pii Felicis Augusti Filius Divi Antonini Magni Pii Nepos Divi Severis Pronepos Marcus Aurelius Alexander
222, reaches the Empire: Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander Pius Felix Augustus
235, titulature with its death: Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander Pius Felix Augustus, Pontifex Maximus, Tribuniciae Potestatis XIV, Imperator XIV, Consul III, Lord's Prayer Patriae

See too

Sources

Hérodien, translation of Denis Castlings, History of the Roman Emperors of Gordien Marc-Aurèle III , Beautiful Letters, Collection the Wheel with books, Paris, 1990,
Small Paul, general History of the Roman Empire , Threshold, 1974,
François Zosso and Christian Zingg, the Roman Emperors , edition Wandering, 1995,