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The Last of the Serverus Dynasty

The Last of the Serverus Dynasty. By Leo Holtz and Liam Perry. Macrinus Severus (165-218). Background. Born in 165 CE in Caesarea (Algeria) to an equestrian family. Highly educated. Affluent lawyer. Gained prefect of the Praetorian Guard under Caracalla.

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The Last of the Serverus Dynasty

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  1. The Last of the Serverus Dynasty By Leo Holtz and Liam Perry

  2. Macrinus Severus (165-218)

  3. Background • Born in 165 CE in Caesarea (Algeria) to an equestrian family. • Highly educated. • Affluent lawyer. • Gained prefect of the Praetorian Guard under Caracalla. • Stories rumor Macrinus murdered Caracalla on a visit to the Temple of Luna • Macrinus claims the throne several days after Caracalla’s death • Dies 218 CE at 53

  4. Impact • Gained reputation with senate for reforming Caracalla’s tax policies and pardoning political exiles. • Assault by Parthian’s cost Rome 200,000,000 sesterces to negotiate peace. • Revalued Roman currency by increasing purity of silver. • Seen as weak by his army because of his reluctance to engage in warfare. • Unpopular among the commonwealth for never visiting Rome after taking power.

  5. Downfall • Exiles Juila Severan • She begins plotting to put another of her kin in power. • Creates cult claiming her grandchild, Elagabalus, is the true heir of Caracalla • Elagabalus creates a Coup d'état and overthrows Macrinus, who is deserted by his own troops. • Macrinus escapes but is captured and ultimately executed, along with his son.

  6. Elagabalus Severus (218-222)

  7. Background • Born: 203 CE Died:222 CE (18) • Takes power at age of 14. • Married five times throughout his reign. • Some legions quickly regret the overthrow of Macrinus. • Believed to have sexual relationships with the men within his court. • Rumored to have been a prostitute in the Imperial palace.

  8. Impact • Gives out powerful and lucrative political positions to friends and family. • Senators believe his appointments are not worth of their positions, causing irritation. • Devalues currency by decreasing silver denarius purity from 56% to 46.5%. • Eliminates antoninianus from currency • Mother attempts to control the empire from behind the throne, but Elagabalus remains indepentent.

  9. Downfall • Sexual orientation provoked the Praetorian Guard. • Popularity wanes throughout the years. • Grandmother wants him replaced by her other daughter’s son. • Elagabalus elects Alexander Severus as heir and shared the consulship • Elagabalus fears a coup as he notices the Praetorian Guard likes his cousin better. • Attempts to take Alexander’s life but fails. • Strips Alexander of all his titles and powers

  10. Downfall Continued • Elagabalus threatens to kill anyone siding with Alexander • As a result, the Praetorian Guard attacks Elagabalus and his mother, ultimately killing them.

  11. Alexander Severus (222-231)

  12. Background • Born: 208 CE Died: 235 CE (26) • Grandchild of the powerful Julia Masea • Successful military conquest in Persia during the Persian War • Educated in christian doctrines by Origen, a famous father of the Catholic Church. • Unsuccessful Germanic Wars

  13. Impact • Devalues currency further by reducing silver purity in coinage to 46.5% to 43%. • Later revalues it up to 45% and again to 50.5% • Tax reforms caused lighter taxation • Institutes loan offices, carrying a high interest rate. • Desired a temple to Jesus, but is swayed otherwise by the pagan priest • Campaign in Persia hard fought, but ultimately a victory • Weakened military is not successful in driving back Germanic tribes from invading his Roman Empire.

  14. Downfall • Unsuccessful attempts to drive off Germanic tribes causes Alexander to look weak in the eyes of his military. • Attempts to pay off these tribes, further ruining his reputation as a strong leader. • Alexander’s army begins to revolt and slowly falls apart • Alexander and his mother are assassinated during a meeting with his general to secure the throne for Maximinus, the next emperor of Rome.

  15. Bibliography • http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/355339/Macrinus • http://www.luc.edu/roman-emperors/macrinus.htm • http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Historia_Augusta/Severus_Alexander/1*.html • http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/507905/ancient-Rome/26687/Elagabalus-and-Severus-Alexander • https://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Alexander_Severus.html

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