Successit huic Aurēlius Alexander, ab exercitū Caesar, ā senātū Augustus nōminātus, iuvenis admodum; susceptōque adversus Persās bellō Xerxēn eōrum rēgem glōriōsissimē vīcit. Mīlitārem disciplīnam sevērissimē rēxit. Quāsdam tumultuantēs legiōnēs integrās exauctōrāvit. Adsessōrem habuit vel scriniī magistrum Ulpiānum iūris conditōrem. Rōmae quoque favōrābilis fuit. Periit in Galliā mīlitārī tumultū tertiō decimō imperiī annō et diē nōnō. In Mamaeam mātrem suam ūnicē pius.
notes
Alexander Severus Emperor, 222–235 CE
huic: refers to Elagabalus
Aurēlius Alexander: Marcus Aurelius Alexander, generally known as Severus Alexander. He had been adopted by Elagabalus and had been created Caesar. "He was distinguished by justice, wisdom, and clemency in all public transactions, and by the simplicity and purity of his private life" (Hazzard, citing Creighton).
susceptōque adversus Persās bellō: ablative absolute using a perfect passive participle (AG 419)
Xerxēn: Artaxerxes, also known as Sasanian king Ardashir I, who in 224 CE had led a successful coup against his Parthian overlords as client king of Fars. His rule established the Sasanian Empire, which would become one of Rome's bitterest enemies throughout the next four centuries.
exauctōrāvit: "dismissed" (LS exauctoro I.B)
Adsessōrem: "legal advisor" (Hazzard)
scriniī magistrum: "head of the imperial secretariat" (Bird)
conditōrem: "compiler" (Bird)
Ulpiānum: Domitius Ulpianus was one of the most celebrated Roman lawyers. His words are often quoted in the Corpus Iūris Cīvīlis of Justinian. He was assassinated in a mutiny of the soldiers caused by his strict discipline (Hazzard).
Rōmae: "at Rome," locative case (AG 427.3)
tertiō decimō imperiī annō et diē nōnō: Severus Alexander died in 235 CE.
In Mamaeam: see Julia Avita Mamaea
vocabulary
Core Vocabulary | Numbers | Dates
|
succēdō, ere, cessī, cessus |
to come up, advance; succeed, follow |
|
Aurēlius, ī, m. |
the name of a Roman gens. Aurēlius Alexander, Roman emperor, 222–235 A.D. |
|
Alexander, drī, m. |
Alexander the Great, king of Macedonia, the conqueror of Persia; B.C. 356–323 |
|
Caesar, aris, m. |
a family name in the Julian gens. (1) C. Iūlius Caesar, the famous dictator; (2) Sex. Iūlius Caesar, uncle of the dictator. Consul 91 B.C.; (3) C. Octāviānus, the emperor Augustus |
|
Augustus, ī, m. |
a title of honor given to Octavianus in 27 BC and after him to all the Roman emperors |
|
nōminō, āre, āvī, ātus [nōmen] |
to name, call, mention |
|
iuvenis, e, adj., comp. iūnior |
young |
|
admodum [ad + modus], adv. |
up to the full limit, very, exceedingly |
|
Persae, ārum, pl. m. |
the Persians |
|
Xerxēs, is, m. |
a king of the Persians who was conquered by Alexander Severus |
|
glōriōsē [glōria], adv. |
gloriously |
|
mīlitāris, e [mīles], adj. |
military; as subst., a soldier; rēs mīlitāris, the art of war, military operations |
|
sevērē [sevērus], adv., sup. sevērissimē |
strictly, severely |
|
tumultuor, ārī, ātus sum [tumultus] |
to make a disturbance, riot |
|
exauctōrō, āre, āvī, ātus |
to discharge from service, release from the military oath |
|
adsessor, ōris [adsideō, to sit by], m. |
an assistant, aid; legal adviser |
|
scrīnium, ī, n. |
a case, box (especially for books and papers) |
|
Ulpiānus, ī, m. |
(Domitius) Ulpiānus, a celebrated Roman jurist |
|
conditor, ōris [condō], m. |
a founder, inventor, writer |
|
favōrābilis, e [favor], adj. |
favored, in favor; winning favor, pleasing |
|
Gallia, ae, f. |
the country of the Gauls; modern France and the territories on the west bank of the Rhine. The northern part of Italy was settled by Gauls, and was called Gallia Cisalpina; hence the pl. Galliae. |
|
mīlitāris, e [mīles], adj. |
military; as subst., a soldier; rēs mīlitāris, the art of war, military operations |
|
tumultus, ūs, m. |
a disturbance, uproar; rebellion, riot |
|
Mamaea, ae, f. |
(Iūlia) Mamaea, mother of Alexander Severus |
|
ūnicē [ūnicus], adv. |
alone, singly, uniquely |