Severan Dynasty Flashcards
How long does the Severan Dynasty last for?
193-235 A.D.
Who is the first emperor of the Severan Dynasty?
Septimius Severus
When does the Severan Dynasty begin?
193 A.D.
When does Septimius Severus begin his reign?
193 A.D.
How long does Septimius Severus reign for?
193-211 A.D.
Where was Septimius Severus born?
Leptis Magna in the province of Africa
In what province was Septimius Severus born in?
Africa
Who was Septimius Severus’s powerful and influential wife?
Julia Domna
Under the rule of Septimius Severus, what changes were made to the Praetorian Guard?
Opened the ranks of the Praetorian Guard to provincials; he also filled up the Praetorian Guard with his own, loyal troops
What rival did Septimius Severus defeat in Syria?
Pescennius Niger
At what battle was Septimius Severus’s rival, Pescennius Niger, defeated?
battle of Issus (194)
In what year did the battle of Issus occur?
194 A.D.
Who was made Caesar while Septimius Severus was fighting Pescennius Niger?
Clodius Albinus
Who defeated Clodius Albinus at Lugdunum in 197 A.D.?
Septimius Severus
In what year was Clodius Albinus defeated by Septimius Severus at Lugdunum?
197 A.D.
In what year did Septimius Severus sack the Parthian capital?
198 A.D.
What Parthian capital did Septimius Severus sack during war with the Parthians?
Ctesiphon
What construction did Septimius Severus build to commemorate his and his sons’ victories over the Parthians?
The Arch of Septimius Severus
In what year was the Arch of Septimius Severus built?
203 A.D.
Who was Septimius Severus’s Praetorian Prefect?
Fulvius Plautianus
Who was Fulvius Plautianus’s daughter?
Plautilla
Who was Plautilla married to?
Caracalla
How did Caracalla feel towards his wife Plautilla?
He hated her
When Caracalla tried to divorce Plautilla what did Fulvius Plautianus threaten to do?
To kill him
What were the consequences of Fulvius Plautianus’s threat to kill Caracalla?
he was killed (205 A.D.)
What Praetorian Prefect was killed in the year 205 A.D. for threatening to kill Caracalla, lest he would divorce his daughter?
Fulvius Plautianus
What former jurist replaced Fulvius Plautianus’s position as Praetorian Prefect?
Aemilius Papinianus
What famous advice did Septimius Severus give to his sons?
“Be harmonious, enrich the soldiers, scorn everybody else.”
Where did Septimius Severus die in?
Eboracum (York)
When did Septimius Severus die?
211 A.D.
In what year did Caracalla begin his reign?
211 A.D.
Who co-ruled with Caracalla in 211 A.D.?
Geta
How long did Caracalla reign for?
211-217 A.D.
Who were Caracalla and Geta’s parents?
Septimius Severus and Julia Domna
Caracalla had whom killed in 211 A.D., leaving him to be sole emperor?
His brother and co-emperor, Geta
In what year was Geta assassinated?
211 A.D.
Parts of Geta’s career are often ambiguous and abridged because he suffered from what punishment?
Damnatio Memoriae
In what year did Caracalla give citizenship to all free men in the Roman Empire?
212 A.D.
What declaration gave all free men in the Roman Empire citizenship?
Constitutio Antoniniana
Caracalla was notorious for what baths?
“Baths of Caracalla”
Where was Caracalla assassinated?
Carrhae
Who assassinated Caracalla?
Martialis probably at the instigation of the praetorian prefect, Macrinus
What Praetorian Prefect (later emperor) may have plausibly been behind the assassination of Caracalla?
Macrinus
When did Caracalla die?
217 A.D.
Possibly a conspirator in the assassination of Caracalla, what Praetorian Prefect was made emperor after the later Caracalla?
Macrinus
When did Macrinus begin his rule?
217 A.D.
How long did Macrinus’s rule last?
217-218 A.D.
Although he is still considered to be part of the Severan Dynasty, Macrinus did not belong to what family?
Severan family
Macrinus was the first non-senator (or was never of senatorial rank), from the Equites ranks to fill what office?
emperor
Who was of “Moorish” decent?
Macrinus
In what year did Macrinus die?
218 A.D.
When did Elagabalus begin his reign?
218 A.D.
How long did Elagabalus reign for?
218-222 A.D.
How was Elagabalus made emperor?
Declared emperor by the troops at Emessa in Syria
What was Elagabalus’s original cognomen?
“Bassianus”
Who was Elagabulus’s mother?
Julia Soaemias, neice of Julia Domna
What god was Elagabulus known to worship?
sun God ‘Sol Invictus’
Elagabulus forced the people to worship a black stone he brought to Rome from where?
Syria
Who killed Elagabulus?
Praetorian Guard
In what year was Elagabulus killed?
222 A.D.
When did Severus Alexander begin his reign?
222 A.D.
What emperor reigned from 222-235 A.D.?
Severus Alexander
Who was the last of the Severan Dynasty?
Severus Alexander
Severus Alexander was cousins with whom?
Elagabulus
What women in the Severan family had great influence and power over Severus Alexander?
grandmother Julia Maesa and his mother Julia Mamaea
Who was the mother of Severus Alexander?
Julia Mamaea
Who was the mother of Julia Mamaea?
Julia Maesa
Who was the Praetorian Prefect under Severus Alexander who was murdered in 228 A.D.?
distinguished jurist Domitius Ulpianus
In what year was the Praetorian Prefect Domitius Ulpianus murdered?
228 A.D.
During Alexander Severus’s reign, the Arsacid Parthian Dynasty was replaced by what other dynasty?
Sassanid Persian Dynasty
Who led the Sassanid Persian Dynasty?
Ardashir (father of Shapur I)
In what year what the Sassanid Persian Dynasty founded?
226 A.D.
Whose soldiers killed Alexander Severus, ushering in the era of the Barracks Emperors?
Maximinus Thrax
When did Alexander Severus die and the Severan Dynasty end?
235 A.D.
