Graham, Alexander: Roman Africa: an outline of the history of the Roman occupation of North Africa ; based chiefly upon inscriptions and monumental remains in that country (London [u.a.], 1902)

Africa under Alexander Severus 219

aptly expressed by Gibbon, that ' this amiable prince was
hardly equal to the difficulties of his situation, and the firmness
of his conduct was inferior to the purity of his intentions.'

The period of nearly fifty years which followed the death of
Alexander is marked by constantly recurring internal strife and
conspicuous action by the legions in Africa in the cause of order
and good government. From A.D. 235 to A.D. 284 no fewer
than sixteen emperors ascended the throne in rapid succession,
six of them reigning for a few months, the three generations of
Gordians for eight years, and Aurelian and Probus being
allowed, by favour of the army, to rule respectively for the
unusually long periods of five and eight years. With the
exception of the Gordians, who made Africa the battle-field of
the Empire and contributed largely towards the close of their
career to promote the welfare of its citizens, no one of these
emperors appears to have taken an active part in any great
movement in that country, nor, if we are to judge from the
numerous inscriptions which have been fortunately preserved, to
have aroused the enthusiasm which characterised the rule of
Trajan and the Antonines, and, in a lesser degree, of Alexander
Severus. That the Roman world should have been governed
for a period of thirty-eight years by a Syro-Phcenician dynasty,
and that the names of five emperors and four empresses, some
of them born on African soil, should have left their mark in
the history of the Empire, are facts worth recording in treating
of the Roman occupation of North Africa. This dynasty may
be briefly tabulated in the manner set forth in Smith's Dictionary
of Gr. and Rom. Biog. and Mythol, art. ' Caracalla.'

Bassianus,
a Phoenician.

I . I

Julia Domna Augusta Julia Mffisa Augusta,

2nd wife of Sept. Sev. Aug. wife of Julius Avitus.

_!_ _I_

.1.1 l i

M. Aurehus Antoninus L. Sept. Geta Julia Soasmias Augusta, Julia Mammpea Au-
Augustus, commonly Augustus. wife of Varius Marcel- gusta.wife of Gene-
called Caracalla. lus (a Syrian ?) sius Marcianus (a

Phoenician ?)

M. Aurelius Antoninus

Augustus, commonly M. Aurelius Severus

i~ cal.ed Heliogabalus. Alexander Augustus.

The name of Bassianus was specially honoured by his
descendants, for we find it on a dedicatory inscription to his
granddaughter Julia Soaemias, found at Velitrae, a city of
Latium, on the Alban Hills, in 1765.