The Severan Dynasty: Lucius Septimius Severus, Caracalla, Elagabalus and Alexander Severus. Effective outline with main things to remember.
Severan Dynasty
The Severan dynasty began with Septimius Severus, whose empire lasted from 193 to 211. In 192 Commodus was assassinated and a new era of military anarchy and civil wars began for Rome, where, precisely, the first emperor of the dynasty prevailed.
Let’s see what are the main events to remember regarding this dynasty.
Lucius Septimius Severus (193-211 AD)
He was the protagonist of a phase of relative recovery of the empire, which was increasingly transforming into a military monarchy.
He repelled a threatening Parthian advance.
He concentrated all his energies on the military field: he implemented a major reform of the army, the only effective instrument for defending the survival of the empire, he increased the soldiers’ wages, distributed them a lot of land in the areas to be garrisoned, and made the prefect of the praetorium a prime minister.
He privileged (also because he was African) relations with the provinces : with him the privileged position of Italy with respect to the rest of the empire definitively disappeared.
Caracalla (211-217 AD)
Son of Lucius Septimius Severus, but less intelligent and energetic.
He increased the soldiers’ pay, to the point of draining the state coffers.
He attempted numerous military enterprises in the East, all with negative results.
In 212 AD, with the Constitutio Antoniniana , he granted citizenship to almost all free inhabitants of the empire, a logical outcome of a trend towards the growth of the provinces.
He was eliminated by a military conspiracy, led by the prefect of the praetorium, Macrinus . Having become emperor, he was also eliminated by a conspiracy hatched by the relatives of the two previous emperors.
Elagabalus (218-222 AD)
Fourteen years old, nephew of Septimius Severus, priest of the solar god Heliogabal from whom he took his nickname (his real name was Varius Avitus).
He wanted to impose this cult as the state religion and left power in the hands of his mother and the courtiers.
This senseless religious policy and widespread corruption weakened his position: he was killed in 222 AD by the Praetorians .
Alexander Severus (222-235 AD)
Cousin of Elagabalus, a man capable of concrete government action. He attempted to restore the institutions of the Roman State, focusing on traditional values and approaching the senatorial aristocracy.
He reduced military spending (the state budget was disastrous). He had to face the Persians and the Alamanni.
It was in Germany, uncertain about how to conduct the war, that he met his death, killed by the Praetorians, following a rebellion in the army .
