The Emperor's Temperament Was Not All Roses

Alexander's father in law was accused of trying to turn the pretorians against the young emperor. The emperor was heartbroken, but he refused to go against his mother's wishes. This inability to stand up to his mother was the downside of alexander's naturally mild temperament. Alexander's move to try to correct the exorbitant pay of the soldiers was a source of constant concern as uprisings and mutinies broke out. He also could never bring himself to challenge his mother, even when she became a liability.