Alexander Severus

These assassinations secured the throne for Maximinus. He allowed a synagogue to be built in Rome and he gave as a gift to this synagogue a scroll of the Torah known as the Severus Scroll. Although the Principate continued in theory until the reign of Diocletian Severus Alexander's death signalled the beginning of the chaotic period known as the Crisis of the Third Century which brought the empire to near collapse.

Assessment of military conflict against the rising Sassanid Empire is mixed though the Sassanid threat was checked. Alexander was the last emperor of the Severan dynasty. This apparently alienated many in the legions and led to a conspiracy to assassinate and replace him.