ken up arms to revenge his father's death
and the oppression of the military order. [47]

[Footnote 46: Dion, l. lxxviii. p. 1330. The abridgment of Xiphilin,
though less particular, is in this place clearer than the original.]

[Footnote 461: As soon as this princess heard of the death of Caracalla,
she wished to starve herself to death: the respect shown to her by
Macrinus, in making no change in her attendants or her court, induced
her to prolong her life. But it appears, as far as the mutilated text of
Dion and the imperfect epitome of Xiphilin permit us to judge, that she
conceived projects of ambition, and endeavored to raise herself to the
empire. She wished to tread in the steps of Semiramis and Nitocris,
whose country bordered on her own. Macrinus sent her an order
immediately to leave Antioch, and to retire wherever she chose. She
returned to her former purpose, and starved herself to death.--G.]

[Footnote 462: He inherited this name from his great-grandfather of the
mother's side, Bassianus, father of Julia Maesa, his grandmother, and
of Julia Domna, wife of Severus. Victor (in his epitome) is perhaps the
only historian who has given the key to this genealogy, when speaking
of Caracalla. His Bassianus ex avi materni nomine dictus. Caracalla,
Elagabalus, and Alexander Seyerus, bore successively this name.--G.]

[Footnote 47: According to Lampridius, (Hist. August. p. 135,) Alexander
Severus lived twenty-nine years three months and seven days. As he was
killed March 19, 235, he was born December 12, 205 and was consequently
about this time thirteen years old, as his elder cousin might be about
seventeen. This computation suits much better the history of the young
princes than that of Herodian, (l. v. p. 181,) who represents them as
three years younger; whilst, by an opposite error of chronology, he
lengthens the reign of Elagabalus two years beyond its real duration.
For the particulars of the conspiracy, see Dion, l. lxxviii. p. 1339.
Herodian, l. v. p. 184.]

Whilst a conspiracy of women and eunuchs was concerted with prudence,
and conducted with rapid vigor, Macrinus, who, by a decisive motion,
might have crushed his infant enemy, floated between the opposite
extremes of terror and security, which alike fixed him inactive at
Antioch. A spirit of rebellion diffused itself through all the camps and
garrisons of Syria, successive detachments murdered their officers, [48]
and joined the party of the rebels;