Editing Severus Alexander (section)

==Early life==

The future emperor Severus Alexander was born on 1 October 208 in [[Arqa|Arca Caesarea]], [[Phoenicia]].<ref>[[Furius Dionysius Filocalus]], ''[[Chronograph of 354]]'', [https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/chronography_of_354_06_calendar.htm Part 3]: "DIVI·ALEXANDRI·KAL·OCT".</ref><ref>[[Herodian]], who lived during his reign, writes that Elagabalus and Alexander were "about fourteen and ten, respectively" in May 218 ([https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/herodian_05_book5.htm 5.3.3]).{{where|date=February 2025}} The ''[[Epitome de Caesaribus]]'' ([https://web.archive.org/web/20220311020340/http://www.roman-emperors.org/epitome.htm 23, 24]), written over a century later, states that "he lived sixteen years", while Alexander died in his "twenty-sixth year" (Elagabalus lived 18 years).</ref>{{sfn|Benario|2023}} Of his birth name, only two [[cognomen|cognomina]] are known, from literary sources: Bassianus ({{langx|grc|Βασσιανός}}) according to the historian [[Cassius Dio]], and Alexianus ({{langx|grc|Αλεξιανός}}) according to [[Herodian]]. "Bassianus" was also borne by several family members, while "Alexianus" was probably later converted to Alexander.{{sfn|Groebe|loc=col. 2526–2527}}

The historian [[Cassius Dio]] thought Alexianus was the son of [[Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus]], but Icks disputes this, saying the latter could not have married the emperor's mother before 212 and that Alexianus must have been fathered by his mother's first husband, who is of unknown name but of certain existence.{{sfn|Icks|pp=57–58}} The priest [[Marcus Julius Gessius Bassianus]] may have been his younger brother.<ref>{{cite book|last=Birley|first=Anthony Richard|title=Septimius Severus: the African emperor|publisher=Routledge|year=1999|page=222|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d7DhHGX6wZkC&pg=PA194|accessdate=2010-01-18 | isbn=978-0-415-16591-4}}</ref>