DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18096#0281
Africa under Alexander Severus 213
Heliogabalus and Alexander Severus without being struck with
the extraordinary difference in their mental and moral qualities.
Both of them were of African descent, with little trace of Italian
blood, and both of them passed their early youth as priests in
the gorgeous temple of the Sun at Emesa in Syria,1 where their
great-grandfather Bassianus had ministered during a long life.
It has been said that Soaemias and her son represented the genius
of evil, while Julia Mammaea and her son impersonated the genius
of good.2 This is scarcely borne out by contemporary writers,
and although neither of these remarkable women stands forth as
an exponent of those higher qualities which command the respect
of mankind in our more civilised times, yet the name of
Alexander Severus is as conspicuous for everything that was
good as that of his predecessor is for all that was bad. His
reign of fourteen years was marked by justice to all subjects of
the Empire, honesty in all his transactions, and such regard for
the welfare of his people that not one single life was sacrificed
by his orders in any part of his dominions. Mother and son,
sharing the burdens of state and the desire to ameliorate the
condition of the people in the provinces as well as in Rome,
participated also in the honour of numerous dedicatory inscrip-
tions which time has fortunately preserved. More than sixty
already discovered in North Africa bear ample testimony to the
work of this amiable ruler, whose merits entitle him to the
long array of superlative epithets attached to his name. The
full title of Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander Pius Felix
Augustus is sometimes accompanied by dominus noster, and
such terms as sanctissimus, fortissimus, and super omnes indul-
gentissimus may still be read on several slabs in the local
museums of North Africa.3 According to Lampridius, in his
1 Emesa was a city in Syria, renowned for its magnificent temple of the Sun.
According to Ptolemy the geographer, it stood on the eastern bank of the river
Orontes. Not far from here the memorable battle took place when the army of
Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra, was completely routed by the Emperor Aurelian.
Emesa was made a colonia by Caracalla in honour of his mother's family, and at a
later date became the capital of Phoenicia Libanesia. Vide Eckhel for coins of Cara-
calla, with the temple on the reverse.
2 Les Antonins, vol. iii. liv. 7, p. 342.
3 Herodian says that Alexander Severus was named Alexianus, afterwards
changed to Alexander. Lampridius calls this Emperor Aurelius Alexander, and
adds that he was a native of Arka in Phoenicia, and called Alexander because he was
Heliogabalus and Alexander Severus without being struck with
the extraordinary difference in their mental and moral qualities.
Both of them were of African descent, with little trace of Italian
blood, and both of them passed their early youth as priests in
the gorgeous temple of the Sun at Emesa in Syria,1 where their
great-grandfather Bassianus had ministered during a long life.
It has been said that Soaemias and her son represented the genius
of evil, while Julia Mammaea and her son impersonated the genius
of good.2 This is scarcely borne out by contemporary writers,
and although neither of these remarkable women stands forth as
an exponent of those higher qualities which command the respect
of mankind in our more civilised times, yet the name of
Alexander Severus is as conspicuous for everything that was
good as that of his predecessor is for all that was bad. His
reign of fourteen years was marked by justice to all subjects of
the Empire, honesty in all his transactions, and such regard for
the welfare of his people that not one single life was sacrificed
by his orders in any part of his dominions. Mother and son,
sharing the burdens of state and the desire to ameliorate the
condition of the people in the provinces as well as in Rome,
participated also in the honour of numerous dedicatory inscrip-
tions which time has fortunately preserved. More than sixty
already discovered in North Africa bear ample testimony to the
work of this amiable ruler, whose merits entitle him to the
long array of superlative epithets attached to his name. The
full title of Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander Pius Felix
Augustus is sometimes accompanied by dominus noster, and
such terms as sanctissimus, fortissimus, and super omnes indul-
gentissimus may still be read on several slabs in the local
museums of North Africa.3 According to Lampridius, in his
1 Emesa was a city in Syria, renowned for its magnificent temple of the Sun.
According to Ptolemy the geographer, it stood on the eastern bank of the river
Orontes. Not far from here the memorable battle took place when the army of
Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra, was completely routed by the Emperor Aurelian.
Emesa was made a colonia by Caracalla in honour of his mother's family, and at a
later date became the capital of Phoenicia Libanesia. Vide Eckhel for coins of Cara-
calla, with the temple on the reverse.
2 Les Antonins, vol. iii. liv. 7, p. 342.
3 Herodian says that Alexander Severus was named Alexianus, afterwards
changed to Alexander. Lampridius calls this Emperor Aurelius Alexander, and
adds that he was a native of Arka in Phoenicia, and called Alexander because he was