DI-6103 | RIC IV Severus Alexander 125
Alexander Severus
Severus Alexander

Dynasty: Severan
Emperor: Alexander Severus
Authority: Alexander Severus
Date and mint: AD 235 - Rome


Obverse: Bust of Alexander Severus, laureate, draped, right
Legend: IMP ALEXANDER PIVS AVG

Reverse: Sol, radiate, nude excepto with a cloak over left shoulder, walking left, holding a whip in left hand
Legend: P M TR P XIIII COS III P P

Comment: Severan dynasty: founded by Septimius Severus, the dynasty held power in Rome across several generations and relied heavily on military support. Alexander Severus was the nephew of Elagabalus and was proclaimed emperor after his assassination in AD 222. His mother, Julia Mamaea, played a crucial role in government, influencing political decisions and controlling the court. The Severans emphasized centralization and used religion as a tool of legitimacy. Alexander ruled from AD 222 to 235. His reign was marked by attempts to reform the army and revive the imperial economy, but also by tension on the frontiers, especially in Germany. His conciliatory policy and lack of military success eroded legionary support and led to his murder in AD 235, ending the dynasty. The year AD 235 was his last, and his death at the hands of his own troops opened the Crisis of the Third Century. On the obverse, his laureate and draped bust presents him as legitimate and pious; the reverse with radiate Sol, nude except for a cloak and holding a whip, stresses divine light, victory and protection.

Provenance: Gorny & Mosch (2009)
Price: 150 €