🏛️Intro to Ancient Rome Unit 15 – Severan Dynasty & 3rd Century Crisis

Key Figures of the Severan Dynasty

• Septimius Severus founded the Severan dynasty after emerging victorious from the Year of the Five Emperors in 193 AD
• Julia Domna, wife of Septimius Severus, played a significant role in politics and patronized philosophers and artists
• Caracalla, eldest son of Septimius Severus, known for his cruelty and the Constitutio Antoniniana which granted Roman citizenship to all free men in the empire
• Geta, younger son of Septimius Severus, co-ruled with Caracalla until his assassination by his brother in 211 AD
• Elagabalus, controversial emperor known for his eccentric religious practices and disregard for Roman traditions
• Severus Alexander, last emperor of the Severan dynasty, attempted reforms but was assassinated by his own troops in 235 AD

Rise of the Severan Dynasty

• After the assassination of Commodus in 192 AD, the Year of the Five Emperors saw multiple claimants to the throne
• Septimius Severus, a general from North Africa, emerged victorious and established the Severan dynasty in 193 AD
• Severus sought to legitimize his rule by connecting himself to the previous Antonine dynasty
• Strengthened the power of the military and increased their pay and privileges to ensure loyalty
• Implemented a more centralized and authoritarian form of government, reducing the influence of the Senate

Major Events and Policies

• Constitutio Antoniniana (212 AD) granted Roman citizenship to all free men in the empire, increasing tax revenue and military recruitment
• Administrative reforms aimed at improving efficiency and reducing corruption in the bureaucracy
• Persecution of Christians intensified under Septimius Severus, who prohibited conversion to Judaism and Christianity
• Construction of the Septizodium, a grand public monument in Rome, and the restoration of other important buildings
• Expansion of the Praetorian Guard and the establishment of a permanent military presence in Rome

Military Campaigns and Expansions

• Septimius Severus led successful campaigns against the Parthians, expanding Roman territory in Mesopotamia
• Campaigns in Britain aimed at solidifying Roman control and pushing the boundaries of the empire
  • Reconstruction of Hadrian's Wall and the construction of the Antonine Wall in Scotland
• Caracalla's campaign against the Alemanni in Germania and his disastrous invasion of Parthia
• Severus Alexander's military failures against the Sassanids and Germanic tribes contributed to his downfall

Economic and Social Changes

• Debasement of Roman coinage led to inflation and economic instability
  • Reduction of silver content in the denarius
• Increased taxation and the burden on the lower classes to support military spending
• Growth of large estates (latifundia) and the decline of small farmers
• Widening social gap between the wealthy elite and the poor
• Rise of powerful regional leaders and landowners challenging central authority

The Crisis of the Third Century

• Period of political, military, and economic turmoil following the end of the Severan dynasty in 235 AD
• Frequent usurpations and assassinations of emperors, with over 20 emperors ruling in a span of 50 years
• Invasions and raids by foreign tribes (Goths, Franks, Alemanni) along the Roman borders
• Breakdown of central authority and the rise of regional powers and separatist states (Gallic Empire, Palmyrene Empire)
• Economic crisis characterized by hyperinflation, trade disruptions, and the collapse of the monetary system

Legacy and Impact on Roman Empire

• Severan dynasty marked a shift towards a more militarized and autocratic form of government
• Weakening of the Senate's power and the rise of the equestrian class in administrative roles
• Constitutio Antoniniana's impact on the spread of Roman citizenship and cultural homogenization
• Economic policies and military spending contributed to the financial strain on the empire
• Set the stage for the Crisis of the Third Century and the eventual decline of the Roman Empire

Cultural and Artistic Developments

• Septimius Severus' patronage of the arts and literature, promoting a cultural revival
• Julia Domna's circle of philosophers and intellectuals, including Philostratus and Diogenes Laertius
• Caracalla Baths, one of the largest public bath complexes in Rome, commissioned by Emperor Caracalla
• Rise of the Second Sophistic movement, characterized by a renewed interest in Greek culture and rhetoric
• Syncretism of Roman and Eastern religious practices, as exemplified by Elagabalus' promotion of the cult of the Syrian sun god
• Development of the Severan style in sculpture, characterized by a more abstract and stylized approach (Arch of Septimius Severus)