The Severans
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The Severan dynasty, which reigned from 193 to 235 AD, represents a pivotal transition in the Roman Empire, moving away from the "Golden Age" of the Antonines toward the chaotic Third Century Crisis. Founded by Septimius Severus after a bloody civil war, the dynasty was characterized by a distinct shift toward military autocracy. Septimius famously advised his sons to "enrich the soldiers and despise everyone else," a philosophy that secured the throne through the army’s loyalty but strained the imperial treasury and alienated the Senate. His successors, including the volatile Caracalla, who granted universal citizenship to increase tax revenue, and the eccentric Elagabalus, struggled to maintain stability. The dynasty’s final ruler, Alexander Severus, attempted a more moderate approach but was eventually assassinated by his own troops for his perceived weakness in handling Germanic threats. While the Severans expanded the empire's borders and oversaw significant legal and architectural developments, their heavy reliance on military bribery and the debasement of the currency ultimately left the Roman state more fragile and prone to systemic instability.. |
Septimius Severus
| LVCIVS SEPTIMIVS SEVERVS, father of Caracalla and Geta, was born in 145 at Leptis Magna in Africa. He pursued a career in government and was Governor of Pannonia when Didius Julianus seized the throne in 193. Severus immediately declared himself Augustus and marched on Rome, where Julianus was soon killed. Severus then marched against his rivals, Clodius Albinus and Pescennius Niger, and Niger's allies, the Parthians. Always victorious, he returned to Rome in 203, staying until British unrest called him there. After a three year campaign he died of natural causes in York on February 4, 211. |
Julia Domna
| IVLIA DOMNA was born at Emesa (Homs) in Syria to a family of priests to the sun-god, worshiped there as Elagabal. In adulthood. she went to Rome and became the wife of Septimius Severus in 187. She was the mother of the future Emperors Caracalla and Geta, born to her in 188 and 189, respectively. Severus became Emperor in 193, and she spent much time traveling with him on his wars until his death in Britain in 211. A year later Caracalla murdered Geta. Domna accompanied Caracalla on his Parthian campaign, where he was murdered in 217. She then committed suicide at Antioch by refusing all food. |
Elagabalus
| VARIVS AVITVS BASSIANVS, born in late 204 or early 205 to Julia Soaemias and Sextus Varius Marcellus, entered the service of the Emesan sun-god, Elagabal, hence his nickname Elagabalus. His maternal grand-aunt was Julia Domna, Caracalla's mother. When Macrinus became Augustus in 217, Soaemias and her mother Julia Maesa rumored that Elagabalus was the illegitimate son of Caracalla. The soldiers revolted, making him Augustus on May 16, 218. However, his reign was one of the most depraved in Roman history, and he and Soaemias were killed by disgusted Praetorians on March 6, 222. |
Caracalla
| CARACALLA was the nickname given to the eldest son of Septimius Severus and Julia Domna born on April 4, 188. He was named Julius Bassianus after his maternal grandfather, but renamed Marcus Aurelius Antoninus when he was made Caesar in 195. He became Augustus in 198, but didn't become sole ruler until his father died in 211 and he murdered his brother Geta in 212. He was married to Plautilla from 202 to 205 but banished and later executed her. He wanted to be another Alexander the Great, but is known as a bloodthirsty and cruel emperor, and was finally assassinated on April 8, 217. |
Geta
| LVCIVS SEPTIMIVS GETA was born in Italy in 189 to Septimius Severus and Julia Domna one year after the birth of their first son, the future Emperor Caracalla. He was named Caesar in 198, and after serving two Consulships, was named Augustus in 209 while serving with his father in Britain. Severus died in York on February 4, 211 and Geta and Caracalla found themselves the joint rulers of the Roman Empire. The mild Geta and the cruel and blood-thirsty Caracalla loathed each other, and within a year of their return to Rome, Geta was assassinated by Caracalla in February, 212 and his followers massacred. |
Severus Alexander
| MARCVS IVLIVS GESSIVS ALEXIANVS BASSIANVS was born in Phoenicia in 208 to Gessius Marcianus and Julia Mamaea. Mamaea's aunt was Julia Domna, Septimius Severus' wife. When Macrinus was murdered in 218, Alexianus' cousin Elagabalus became Emperor. Alexianus was named Caesar in 221, and when Elagabalus was murdered on March 6, 222, he became Emperor as Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander. He ruled extremely well, always under his mother's influence. However, loved by the people but loathed by the legions, Maximinus' soldiers murdered them both near Mainz on March 22, 235 |
Julia Mamaea
| IVLIA AVITA MAMAEA was born in Syria to Julius Avitus and Julia Maesa. Her maternal aunt was Julia Domna, the wife of Septimius Severus. Her older sister was Julia Soaemias, the mother of Elagabalus. Her fourteen-year-old son, Varius Alexianus (renamed Severus Alexander), was declared Augustus (and Mamaea Augusta) on March 6, 222, after Elagabalus' murder. She completely dominated her son, but being wise, intelligent, and of exemplary character, Alexander's reign was very successful. Yet disgruntled soldiers, led by Maximinus, murdered Mamaea and her son on March 22, 235 in Germany. |
