Severus Alexander 222

Severus Alexander 222 - 235 A.D.

Severus Alexander was a beloved cousin of Elagabalus and who was named Caesar while Elagabalus was still emperor. As his popularity grew, Elagabalus recognized in him the growing menace of a future rival and sought to oust him. But this only served to infuriate the army which by now had taken the young Caesar under its wings. Rather than let Elagabalus depose Alexander by civil or violent means they instead mutinied and murdered the emperor clearing the way for Alexander's accession. Alexander went on to rule for thirteen years of relative peace. Not since the time of Marcus Aurelius did Romans enjoy a monarch whose ambitions were for their welfare and the pursuit of the arts. His one singular weakness, which eventually proved to be fatal, was his absolute reverence for his untactful mother. Like no other woman until then, Julia Mamaea styled herself an empress in every sense of the word and the unapologetic exercise of her rule and the incessant meddling in the affairs of state was a constant embarrassment and irritation to the prevailing sensibilities of the army, the Senate and the rest of the Roman citizenry. Hushed whispers grew over time to outspoken protestations to, eventually, open mutiny. The mild-mannered Alexander was either unable or unwilling to rectify the situation by removing his mother from the political limelight and, thus, both were corralled in a mutiny and massacred.