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Alexander Severus (or Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander, or Gessius Bassianus Alexianus, or Alexianus Bassianus) was born in 208, in Phoenicia, and died in 235, in Gaul. Severus was emperor of Rome from A.D. 222-235.

Severus had been adopted by the emperor known as Elagabalus a year before he was assassinated.

Elagabalus had been killed on the instigation of Severus' grandmother and Septimius Severus' sister-in-law, Julia Maesa, and Alexander Severus' mother, Julia Mamaea, who was said to have done the real ruling during Alexander Severus' reign.

When Alexander Severus bought peace instead of fighting against the Germanic tribe of Allemani, his troops were outraged. They killed both Alexander Severus and his mother, in 235. The troops then made Gaius Julius Verus Maximinus emperor.

Sources on the period of Alexander Severus include the Historia Augusta, and the historians Herodian and Dio Cassius.

Examples: Alexander Severus' wife's name was Gnaea Seia Herennia Sallustia Barbia Orbiana.