Description
Severus Alexander Silver Denarius. 222 AD. IMP C M AVR SEV ALEXAND AVG, laureate, draped bust right / P M TR P COS P P, Jupiter standing left, holding thunderbolt and sceptre.
Severus Alexander was born in Akkar Lebanon.
Alexander was the heir to his cousin, the 18-year-old Emperor Elagabalus. The latter had been murdered along with his mother Julian Seaomais by his own guards, who, as a mark of contempt, had their remains cast into the Tiber river Alexander and his cousin were both grandsons of Julia Measa , the sister of empress Julia Doman who had arranged for Elagabalus's acclamation as emperor by the third Galliac Legion
Alexander's 13-year reign was the longest reign of a sole emperor since Antoninius Pius He was also the second-youngest ever sole legal Roman emperor during the existence of the united empire, the youngest being 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 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