Commodus through Severan Dynasty Flashcards
What Roman emperor was born Lucius Aelius Aurelius, but changed his first two names to math his father’s when he died?
M. Aurelius COMMODUS Antoninus
How long did Commodus rule for?
12 years (of neglect), from 180 to 192AD
Who did Commodus dress up as?
Hercules
Which of Commodus’ freedmen sold 25 consulships in one day?
Cleander
What emperor established a secret police known as the Frumentarii
Commodus
What was Commodus’s secret police called?
Frumentarii
What did Commodus rename Rome?
Colonia Commodiana
Who was Commodus’s wife, and who was his mistriss?
Wife was Crispina, mistress was Marcia
Who was Commodus’s sister, who tried to kill him in 182 AD?
Lucilla
What emperor permanently abandoned the wall of Antoninus in Britain and pulled the boundary back to Hadrian’s wall?
Commodus
Which emperor competed as a gladiator?
Commodus
How did Commodus die?
Strangled by wrestling partner Narcissus in the bath after Marcia, his mistress failed to poison him
When was the year of 5 emperors?
193 AD
Who was the first emperor of 193 AD?
Pertinax
What does Pertinax mean?
Persevering or obstinate
Who helped Pertinax get the throne, but later led the guards who killed him?
Laetus
What did Pertinax do to avoid his family’s murders?
Didn’t give them imperial titles
Which emperor bought the throne in an auction?
Didius Julianus
Who did Didius Julianus outbid for the throne?
Sulpicianus, Pertinax’s father in law
How many sesterces did Didius Julianus bid per guardsman for the throne?
25,000 sesterces
What happened to Didius Julianus?
Killed by Praetorian Guard
Who ultimately was the ruler of 193 AD?
Septimius Severus
Where was Septimius Severus from?
Leptis Magna (modern day Libya)
Who was Septimius Severus’ wife?
Julia Domna
Who did Septimius Severus have to defeat for the throne?
Clodius Albinus and Pescennius Niger
At what battle did Septimius Severus defeat Pescennius Niger?
Battle of Issus (194 AD)
At what battle did Septimius Severus defeat Clodius Albinus?
Battle of Lugdunum (197 AD)
What group people did Septimius Severus defeat, sacking their capital of Ctesiphon?
Parthians
Who were the 5 emperors of 193 AD?
Pertinax, Didius Julianus, Clodius Albinus, Pescennius Niger, Septimius Severus
What does Septimius Severus have to honor his sack of Ctesiphon (one of 5 times Romans sack it)?
An arch in the forum
What emperor in the last year of his reign rebuilt Hadrian’s Wall across Britain?
Septimius Severus
Where and when did Septimius Severus die?
Eboracum (York) in 211 AD
Who were Septimius Severus’ sons?
Geta and Caracalla
What emperor’s real name was Marcus Aurelius Antoninus?
Caracalla
When did Geta and Caracalla rule together?
211 AD
How did Geta die?
Caracalla killed him and “Damnatio Memoriae”d him
Who granted citizenship for everyone in the empire in order to get more tax money?
Caracalla
Where does Caracalla get his name?
From the Gallic cloak that he always wore
What law granted citizenship for everyone in the empire, and who passed it?
Constitutio Antoniniana (212 AD), passed by Caracalla
How did Caracalla die in 217 AD?
Killed when urinating on side of the road in Carrhae
Who probably orchestrated Caracalla’s death and was emperor after him?
Macrinus
Who was the first emperor not of senatorial rank, and what rank was he?
Macrinus, who was of Equestrian rank
Where was Macrinus from?
Mauritania
Who helped plan the execution of Macrinus after being sent back to Emessa, Syria to get her grandson Elagabalus on the throne?
Julia Maesa
Who did Macrinus rule with?
Diadumenianus, his son (only briefly)
Who was emperor after Macrinus?
Elagabalus
After what battle did Macrinus shave his beard to try to go unnoticed, before eventually being discovered and killed?
Antioch
What emperor’s real name was Varius Avitus Bassianus?
Elagabalus
How old was Elagabalus when he was made emperor?
14
Who was Elagabalus’ mother?
Julia Soaemias
What was Elagabalus’ real name?
Bassianus
Which emperor would catapult snakes into a crowd?
Elagabalus
Who did Elagabalus worship?
Elagabal/Helios
What cult was Elagabalus a part of?
Sol Invictus
What emperor worshiped a conical black stone that he had shipped from Syria?
Elagabalus
Who orchestrated the death of Elagabalus?
Julia Maesa (his grandma)
What Syrian city was Elagabalus from?
Emessa
How did Elagabalus die?
Killed when hiding in a latrine, body thrown in Tiber
Who was Elagabalus’ cousin and the last Severan emperor?
Severus Alexander
Who was Severus Alexander’s mother?
Julia Mamaea
Who was Elagabalus and Severus Alexander’s shared grandmother, making them cousins?
Julia Maesa
What empire replaced the Parthian Empire in 224 AD during Severus Alexander’s reign, and who started it?
Ardashir started the Sassanid Empire
Who essentially ruled during Severus Alexander’s reign?
Julia Mamaea and praetorian prefect Ulpian (Ulpian was killed in front of Severus Alexander though)
How did Severus Alexander die in 235 AD?
Maximinus Thrax (8 foot tall Thracian) cut of his head and put it on a spike
Name the Severan emperors
Septimius Severus, Geta, Caracalla, Macrinus, Elagabalus, Severus Alexander
Who was Septimius Severus’ second wife, and mother to Geta and Caracalla?
Julia Domna
