Faces of Roman Emperors: Nerva to the Severan Dynasty (Image Gallery) p. 17

Image Gallery

by Arienne King
published on 22 February 2021

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Alexander Severus (Artistic Facial Reconstruction)

by Daniel Voshart
published on 23 October 2020

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Alexander Severus (Artistic Facial Reconstruction) — View Full-Size Image

Alexander Severus (r. 222-235 CE) was the last of the Severan Dynasty. Like Elagabalus, Alexander Severus was also the priest of the sun god Elagabal, but he downplayed this role as emperor. His rule was threatened by the Sassanian Empire and the Germanic invasions, which threatened Rome’s borders. Cuts to the military budget and poor strategic decisions lost Alexander Severus the support of the Roman army, who assassinated him in 235 CE. A Thracian commander named Maximinus Thrax (r. 235-238 CE) was proclaimed Roman emperor by the army, ending the Severan dynasty.

Pictured alongside the reconstruction are the portraits and statuary used as references. These include the busts from the Archaeological Museum of Dion (top), the State Hermitage Museum (bottom left) and the Capitoline Museum (bottom right).

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