Severus Alexander - The Last Severan Emperor #25 Roman History Documentary Series

[@TetsuShima]

Alexander Severus during his appointment as Emperor in the Senate: "I know that many of you hold me in very low esteem. Some say I'm too young. Others that I am too foreign. And the rest that my infamous family must disappear once for all from the history of Rome. You have every right to hate Septimius for being a butcher, Caracalla for being a barbarian without morals, my cousin Elagabalus for his digusting perversions that will be remembered with great infamy...and even me just for being a Severan. But I will state something very clear. Now I am Rome, and Rome is me. So, if I fall...Rome shall fall too."

[@OptimusPrinceps_Augustus]

🌿😆🌿

[@profaneangel0842]

Severus Alexander's propaganda "spin doctors" presented him as the son of Caracalla, and grandson of Septimius Severus. The epithets used here to describe those two Emperors are all the proof you need that this little speech is pure fiction

[@geordiejones5618]

Its a good speech but it rings hollow, especially given the results of his reign.

[@BygoneUser1]

@@geordiejones5618 Does it though? To me it sounds like it is someone writing in hindsight of the crisis of the third century. It's almost a little too on the nose, 'if I fall... Rome shall fall too', then he is betrayed and assassinated by the military establishment & Rome goes through a 50~ year period of instability from which it will never emerge as quite as great or indisputable a power as it once was. Whatever the case, again in hindsight, it's pretty clear that the Severan dynasty's reforms within the Empire definitely helped stoke the flames of the instability from which it would henceforth suffer. So, yeah, it is hard to view Severus Alexander or, really, any of the Severans with too positive a light in hindsight.

[@ProbusVerus]

I think he had the potential for being a good ruler if he had the time to grow up and become independent of his mother influence. A wasted opportunity.

[@alessandrogini5283]

He Needed a more loyal army

[@naughtiusmaximus3690]

His mother was wise ruler

[@irishpatriotv2575]

@@naughtiusmaximus3690 woman are as capable of ruling as cows are as capable of speaking latin

[@mariusmatei2946]

Well, between the reigns of emperors Caracalla (211-217), and Philip the Arab (244-249), the reign of Emperor Severus Alexander (222-235) was the best one (in fact, the only good/positive one).

[@aaronTGP_3756]

His mother was good, but she had passed her expiration date by the time her son had become an adult.

[@andrewimmer598]

Thank you for your hard and wonderfull work. This videos are amazing good animated and teach more informations than some documentaries and wikipedia do. Greeding from Austria

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

I'm glad you enjoy the content, more is on the way

[@HeliodromusScorpio]

The legions revolted because he lowered their pay to the times of Severus with the excuse that the empire did not have enough to sustain such expenses. Thus when he payed the Alemanni this was a direct insult to the army.

[@alessandrogini5283]

He was right

[@HeliodromusScorpio]

@@alessandrogini5283 He was, but he should have campaigned against the barbarian tribes instead of paying them.

[@alessandrogini5283]

@@HeliodromusScorpio maybe was cheaper,or army was needed in the danube and against ardashir again.. however,there Is a coin where Alexander crossed the rhine, maybe he had fought against alemanni as herodian says

[@HeliodromusScorpio]

@@alessandrogini5283 Well surely it wasnt cheap to campaign in the north for longer, but he should have realised the gravity of his situation. The soldiers were fed up with his military incopetence

[@alessandrogini5283]

@@HeliodromusScorpio could i suggest you two Books? Alexander severus Age of insurrection by MC hugues, and the biography of gordian the third and Philip the Arab that contein a chapter about Alexander severus in details..you Will enjoy about this emperor

[@TetsuShima]

Don't have enough words to express how sad Alexander Severus' tragic life makes me feel. Keep in mind he had a pretty cruel life: first, he had to survive the reign of his degenerate cousin Elagabalus by playing as an inmature and dumb kid incapable of being a threat. Then, the Praetorian Guards made him Emperor at just the age of 14. He was later forced to leave Rome several times in order to fight against the Sassanid and other threats, being unable to recover the economy of the Empire. All of this suffering only resulted with him being murdered along his mother at a pretty young age, bringing with his death the official beginning of the Fall of the Roman Empire. Alexander was a good fruit on the rotten Severan family tree and also very tolerant for his time (he even tried to legalize christianity) and deserves far more respet than what he received during his sad life

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

Yeah he had great potential, if he would've lived just a couple decades earlier he could've become a great ruler

[@alessandrogini5283]

@@TheSPQRHistorian he needed a co emperor

[@alessandrogini5283]

Agree,he Is underrated

[@naughtiusmaximus3690]

The economy was getting better but then he was murdered and shit hit the fan

[@james_giant_peach]

My man, you should have way more subs! I don't know anyone that puts out Roman Emperor videos like you!

[@naughtiusmaximus3690]

One of the most underrated emperors, he did what was necessary to heal the economy and avoid financial crisis, if he had time to grow he could've been the best emperor that ever was, surpassing Trajan, and save Rome from the crisis of the third century before it began

[@aaronTGP_3756]

He was more comparable to Antoninus Pius than Trajan.

[@goethe3116]

YESSSSS! More videos! Happy days!

[@nyxofdarkness7235]

I love your series thank you for the hard work and biographies you post!

[@iexist3919]

This came much faster than I expected. Now it’s Crisis time!

[@OptimusPrinceps_Augustus]

Never let a crisis go to waste

[@hiddenperson3696]

Good work, Mr. SPQR.

[@berkanttahirov1645]

I love this channel and your voice is perfect and very bright to listen. Please do more videos it’s very informative

[@theicepickthatkilledtrotsk658]

Alexander was the Second best Severan emperor for whatever that`s worth.

[@HerculesMays]

Yeah, I guess it doesn't amount to a whole lot when Caracalla had a brutal penchant for mass murder and Elagabalus was the epitome of degeneracy, but I never the less still like Alexander and wish he'd have had the time to grow as an emperor, he had potential.

[@yuanchunjiang7946]

You are amazing! Looking forward to more of your high quality videos

[@beanshady]

Can't wait until your next video.. well done as always! 🙂

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

Thank you :)

[@askindo5466]

Great video man I know this is hard to answer but if all goes well do you plan to do the byzantium era?

[@daviddanyluk535]

I am new to your channel. Keep up the great content. Greetings from Canada.

[@lyrooo326]

Oh wow! this was an amazing video. I'm so happy for finding your channel, I have always been fascinated with Roman history.

[@Sulla-ps3jv]

*The Calm Before The Storm.*

[@OptimusPrinceps_Augustus]

All day, every day

[@anglowarrior7970]

Nice Video as Always ♥, Will the next video be on Maximinus Thrax and The Crisis of The Third Century?

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

Next will be on Maximinus Thrax, and after that I think I will make a short video explaining why the Crisis of The Third Century happened and then continue with the biographies from there

[@anglowarrior7970]

@@TheSPQRHistorian Oh cool

[@NapoleonCalland]

9:42 This version makes no sense. Thrax was nearly killed by archers loyal to the true (deceased) emperor, Severus Alexander, precisely because the young Severus was very popular. Unlike Maximinius Thrax, who ended up assassinated. It's more plausible that Thrax had Severus Alexander murdered by centurions bribed by him, and then blamed the army for the plot to make it look to the Senate as if his hands were clean. 🦁 ☀️ 🐝 ⚡ 🦅 ⚡ 🐝 ☀️ 🦁

[@DrTarrandProfessorFether]

I have many of Severus Alexander coins… no double denarii, only denarius. Most smartly made but a few turn grey fast (not 65% silver but 40%?) and a few very light… 2.0 grams vs 3.1 to 2.8 grams for most of his coins.

[@NateTheGnat]

This is my favorite emperor. He would have been one of the best emperors in history, if he had been able to survive and somehow gain the army's respect. He was a pacifist who did not want to go to war, which is not a good place to be when you have to lead the charge in giant battles. If he had gone to war with the Alamanni, he could have probably easily smashed them and made his soldiers happy.

[@59tothegrave4eva]

I'm assuming you are going to be uploading more often because after this Emperor the Empire goes into crisis and anarchy with many short reigns 😂

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

Yeah Maximinus Thrax video is already done and Balbinus & Pupienus video is like 90% done :)

[@anglowarrior7970]

@@TheSPQRHistorian will u upload it tomorrow?

[@dakkefernet8585]

What if Rome with all of it's adaptions etc and at it's height had horse power?

[@OptimusPrinceps_Augustus]

They did and chariots pulled by horses as well

[@histguy101]

They had 4HP and 8HP vehicles, and they raced them.

[@starkillerdude1914]

Severus is one of the great tragedies of Roman history

[@OptimusPrinceps_Augustus]

You don't say ?

[@alessandrogini5283]

Alexander severus instead,a Golden opportunity

[@Hilversumborn]

To me it seem like he was doing a pretty good job, only the soldiers didn't like it that he favored diplomacy rather then subjugation.

[@OptimusPrinceps_Augustus]

Thrax didn't like that Kid or his Mother 🌿😆🌿

[@alessandrogini5283]

@@OptimusPrinceps_Augustus Alexander severus Is underrated

[@Apaleutos24]

I don’t really think that he had no intervention at all in imperial matters and that his mother exclusively decided for everything or anything whatsoever…More accurately I think that he was taking decisions, however these were “filtered” ultimately by his mother! Had his troops and specifically the Praetorian Guards respected their emperor in a few years as he was approaching his 30s he would have taken matters more seriously in his hands rather than ever before and I think his reign would have been rated way more favourably than it actually is.

[@alessandrogini5283]

Underrated emperor

[@OptimusPrinceps_Augustus]

🌿😆🌿 couldn't even compare to Nerva Trajanus Caesar

[@causantinthescot]

@@OptimusPrinceps_Augustus Domitian, Tiberius and Marcus Aurelius.

[@alessandrogini5283]

@@OptimusPrinceps_Augustus Nerva was a puppet emperor,Trajan had the empire at the peak.. Alexander severus survives multiple attempt of Murder and usurpations, mutiny and he still push back the sassanids and the germans

[@flaviushonoriusemperorofro3903]

underrated mamas' boy

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Fantastic video. I often think it is easy to overlook Alexander with the previous 10 years being dominated by nincompoops, lunatics and bastards, his thirteen year rule must have been quite a breath of fresh air. Although, the domination of his mother, according to Herodian was somewhat overbearing and hardly helped their cause. Nevertheless he was probably the second best emperor of the Severan dynasty only being beaten by his granduncle Septimius.

[@causantinthescot]

Do you think Severus was a good emperor?

[@EasternRomanHistory]

@@causantinthescot Yes, he was an accomplished builder such as the Aqua Alexandrina, defeated Persia, even if the operation was not perfect and even though there were some nasty court politics they did not spill out into the public sphere. He also reigned for some considerable time, which few emperors managed to do in the third century. I don't think he is up there but a good average.

[@causantinthescot]

@@EasternRomanHistory Septimius Severus was underrated like all the Theodosius.

[@arturleperoke3205]

@Eastern Roman History the standards to be second best is pretty low in Severan dynasty ^^ Love your channel btw

[@mariusmatei2946]

Well, it was, both, the previous three (Roman) emperors: Caracalla (211-217), Macrinus (217-218), and Elagabalus (218-222); as well as the following three emperors: Maximinus Thrax (235-238), Gordian (238-244), and Philip the Arab (244-249).

[@Eazy-ERyder]

He must have done SOMETHING right, lasting over a dozen years

[@danielmichaelfleiss2141]

I think Alexander Severus very well could be my ancestor, I mean, look at his facial features, can you see a resemblance?

[@septimiusseverus343]

_And now the thunder, and the lightning, and the rain, will come crashing down..._

[@OptimusPrinceps_Augustus]

Caveat Emptor 🌿😫🌿

[@causantinthescot]

Until Gallienus

[@jei8654]

He looks like he's about to dropped the most disrespectful disstrack so hard that the guy he diss just switch genre and decided to become an goddamn rockstar

[@josephpiskac2781]

It would be great if you would do a similar series on United States and Russian and China Leaders?

[@OptimusPrinceps_Augustus]

An Alzheimer's ridden, International Weakling and Laughingstock from the USA, and 2 Strong Men and Tough Guys ?

[@causantinthescot]

Sometimes, its' sad to see a youth with great potential had been wasted by his troops... The youth was Severus Alexander. Anthemius would receive the same treatment later, despite with a different age.

[@HeliodromusScorpio]

His only potentional was to lead his men to a slaughter like in the eastern campaign, and pay off barbarians he was a useless moppet.

[@alessandrogini5283]

Anthemius could be the second august if he killed ricimer

[@naughtiusmaximus3690]

@@alessandrogini5283 Majorian could've been, at the time of anthemius the empire was already too far gone

[@causantinthescot]

@@alessandrogini5283 But Anthemius' situation was too terrible for him even he had killed Ricimer, because he already had his own Adrianople in 468 AD...

[@jorellgador336]

Some say Severus Alexander is the first Christian Roman Emperor, hundred years before Constantine.

[@خالدابوراس-خ1ح]

He was a great hero of Phoenician origin

[@misaelfraga8196]

Severus showed promise as an able administrator, but lack the strong leadership quality that would of kept the army loyal. He was a bit too aristocratic for them, and of course his mother that made him look like a mama's boy emperor.

[@genosiaproduction7091]

Tbh I thought he was going to be just as bad as his cousin, but I was slightly surprised, nevertheless I knew how it was going to end and how short of a reign he had due to the video’s length. Can’t wait for the next episode!

[@HeliodromusScorpio]

13 years for 3rd century standarts is a lot

[@HeliodromusScorpio]

As a matter of fact he is in the top 4 longest ruling emperors in the 3rd century along with Severus Gallienus and Diocletian.

[@alessandrogini5283]

@@HeliodromusScorpio underrated emperor

[@alessandrogini5283]

I raccomend the vision of syvanne biography of gordian the third and Philip the Arab,that contein a chapter about Alexander severus... underrated emperor,if he had more luck or time, sassanid empire could be vassalized

[@OptimusPrinceps_Augustus]

Woulda, coulda, shoulda

[@histguy101]

You can't vassalize the direct competitor and neighbor empire.

[@causantinthescot]

Conquer parts was possible, but vassalize was impossible. Plus he wasn't Trajan or Gallienus and even Aurelian...

[@alessandrogini5283]

@@histguy101 the neighbor empire was falling to peaces.. ardashir go to every part of Iran to fight rebels in all his reign..while Alexander severus was assassinated, ardashir was in merv,actual Turkmenistan..he could easily exploited the situation if he had more grip on the army or a co emperor that avoided go to dealing in Europe

[@alessandrogini5283]

@@OptimusPrinceps_Augustus ?? It Is the only emperor that was allied with hatra fortress..through hatra,Rome control indirectly central mesopotamia..

[@leondobre7498]

How many emperors after Cezar Rome had ?and how many were killed in 450 years? Someone knows??? Please?

[@truthseeker2033]

Actually it wasn't a change of iranian empire name as it was always known as Iran domestically and it was a dynasty change from Ashkanyan (parthian) to sassanyan (persian)

[@FELIPE8226M]

This is Eminem, the real slim shady

[@michelewyatt439]

The campaign against the Persians needed to be successful. The northern prong set out first to draw ardashir to them with the southern prong setting out later towards Ctesiphon. The idea was that the Sassanids would wheel back towards the south to protect their capital once they received intelligence that it was under attack. The strategy was that the central column, the largest and strongest of the three, would then march out and intercept ardashir on his way south and crush him much the same way that timesitheus did to shapur at resaina in 243 at the opening of Gordian III campaign against the Persians. Instead the central column never left Antioch and allowed the Persians to move south unhindered and maul the southern column. That was directly on the emperor. As the Germans took advantage of the removal of army units to the east under Marcus Aurelius to cause trouble on the northern frontiers, so did history now repeat itself under Alexander. He went to the Rhine and offered subsidies to the Germans to keep the peace. Tribute the legions thought better spent on them as donatives for victory after what they anticipated would be successful campaigning. That effete, dithering lightweight got exactly what was coming to him at vicus brittanicus

[@alessandrogini5283]

If the army didn't leave antioch, Alexander severus was slaughtered before the Battle of southern army.. instead, the central army was hit by illness near hatra

[@alfiansori4003]

Eminem???

[@esathegreat]

The irresponsibility of the military and PG accelerated the fall of the empire.

[@omnione12]

Imagine your cousin get tried for your murder and sentence to death because you went on a long stroll. Hey Guys sorry I'm late what did I mis😅... Sees slain cousin on the ground: 🤨 🤬WTF GUYS Seriously !!! Parliament looking at eachother:😳😰😦😳😲😯 (SHIT, This looks bad) THINK OF SOMETHING: 🤔 Parliament: HAIL AGUSTUS!!! Severus Alexander: 🤨😐😮😃 Parliament:😎😎😎😎😎

[@KekelMyShekel]

1st baby!

[@phenom568]

I find it odd that his body ended up in Rome. If he was killed by his troops in Germany why would they bring his body back to Rome. Seems to be an inconsistency with the story.

[@sleezboy992]

Wasn't he a Mama's boy?

[@AYVYN]

He reminds me of some girls I’ve known, righteous and intelligent, but too naive to subdue real threats.

[@AimonHmz]

Eminem😂😂😂

[@OptimusPrinceps_Augustus]

"Good riddance to this bad rubbish"

[@alessandrogini5283]

Nah

[@Sophiedorian0535]

Transgenderism is not a concept. Not in the sense of cultural phenomenon. It is a fact of nature occurring in all cultures, all through history, that has been given many names over the centuries. The recent concepts responsible for most of the poor understanding of life during the Roman Republic and during the Roman Empire, have all originated in post-reformation European Christianity. The 18th century amateur historian Gibbon springs to mind.

[@noticing33]

Yes such mental illness has always existed

[@johnharvey9546]

Interesting but had to switch off halfway through. The narrators voice is unbearable.