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Julia Avita Mamaea (14 or 29 August after 180–235) was the second daughter of Julia Maesa
Julia Maesa

Julia Maesa was a Ancient Rome citizenShahid, Irfan . Rome and The Arabs: A Prolegomenon to the Study of Byzantium and the Arabs and daughter of Julius Bassianus, priest of the sun god Heliogabalus , the patron god of Emesa in the Roman province of Syria , and grandmother of both the Roman emperors Elagabalus and Alexander...
, a powerful Roman woman
Women in Rome

Women in ancient Roman society were given considerable Honour, possibly as a result of Treaty between the Ancient Rome and the Sabines from earlier Roman history, and as a result of the emphasis on Pregnancy in a society with high child mortality rates....
 of Syria
Syria

Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is an Arab-majority country in Southwest Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Israel to the southwest, Jordan to the south, Iraq to the east, and Turkey to the north....
n Arab
Arab

An Arab is a person who Identity as such on linguistic or cultural grounds. The plural form, Arabs , refers to the Ethnocultural group at large....
 origin and Syrian noble Julius Avitus
Julius Avitus

Julius Avitus or his full name Gaius Julius Avitus Alexianus, was a Syrian noble that lived in the 2nd century and 3rd century. He originally came from Emesa ....
. She was a niece of empress Julia Domna
Julia Domna

Julia Domna was a member of the Severan dynasty of the Roman Empire. Empress and wife of Roman Emperor Lucius Septimius Severus and mother of Emperors Publius Septimius Geta and Caracalla, Julia was among the most important women ever to exercise power behind the throne in the Roman Empire....
 and emperor
Roman Emperor

The Roman Emperor was the ruler of the Roman Empire during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office: Latin language titles such as imperator , Augustus , Caesar and princeps were all associated with it....
 Septimius Severus
Septimius Severus

Lucius Septimius Severus was a Roman Empire general, and Roman Emperor from April 14 193 to 211. He was born in what is now the Libyan part of Rome's historic Africa Province, making him the first emperor to be born in the Roman province of Africa Province....
 and sister of Julia Soaemias
Julia Soaemias

Julia Soaemias Bassiana was the mother of Roman Emperor Elagabalus and ruled over the Roman Empire during the minority of her son's rule.Julia was the daughter of Julia Maesa, a powerful Women in Rome of Syrian origin, and Syrian noble Julius Avitus....
. She was born and raised in Emesa (modern Homs
Homs

Hims Hims did not emerge into the light of history until the 1st century BCE at the time of Seleucids. It later became the capital of a kingdom ruled by the Royal Family of Emesa who gave the city its name....
, Syria
Syria

Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is an Arab-majority country in Southwest Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Israel to the southwest, Jordan to the south, Iraq to the east, and Turkey to the north....
).

Julia's first husband was a former consul (whose name is unknown) who died. Julia married as her second husband Syrian Promagistrate
Promagistrate

A promagistrate is a person who acts in and with the authority and capacity of a Roman Magistrates, but without holding a magisterial office. A legal innovation of the Roman Republic, the promagistracy was invented in order to provide Rome with governors of overseas territories instead of having to elect more magistrates each year....
 Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus
Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus

Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus was a Syria who lived in the 2nd and 3rd century AD. He originally came from Arca Caesarea . Marcianus' career had advanced to the Equestrian rank and he became a Promagistrate....
. Julia bore Marcianus two children, a daughter called Theoclia (little is known of her) and a son, Marcus Julius Gessius Bassianus Alexianus, later emperor Alexander Severus
Alexander Severus

Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander, commonly called Alexander Severus, was the last Roman Emperors of the Severan dynasty, having succeeded, as heir apparent, his despised cousin, the eighteen year old Elagabalus who had been murdered along with his mother by his own guards—and as a mark of contempt, had their remains cast into...
.






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Julia Avita Mamaea (14 or 29 August after 180–235) was the second daughter of Julia Maesa
Julia Maesa

Julia Maesa was a Ancient Rome citizenShahid, Irfan . Rome and The Arabs: A Prolegomenon to the Study of Byzantium and the Arabs and daughter of Julius Bassianus, priest of the sun god Heliogabalus , the patron god of Emesa in the Roman province of Syria , and grandmother of both the Roman emperors Elagabalus and Alexander...
, a powerful Roman woman
Women in Rome

Women in ancient Roman society were given considerable Honour, possibly as a result of Treaty between the Ancient Rome and the Sabines from earlier Roman history, and as a result of the emphasis on Pregnancy in a society with high child mortality rates....
 of Syria
Syria

Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is an Arab-majority country in Southwest Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Israel to the southwest, Jordan to the south, Iraq to the east, and Turkey to the north....
n Arab
Arab

An Arab is a person who Identity as such on linguistic or cultural grounds. The plural form, Arabs , refers to the Ethnocultural group at large....
 origin and Syrian noble Julius Avitus
Julius Avitus

Julius Avitus or his full name Gaius Julius Avitus Alexianus, was a Syrian noble that lived in the 2nd century and 3rd century. He originally came from Emesa ....
. She was a niece of empress Julia Domna
Julia Domna

Julia Domna was a member of the Severan dynasty of the Roman Empire. Empress and wife of Roman Emperor Lucius Septimius Severus and mother of Emperors Publius Septimius Geta and Caracalla, Julia was among the most important women ever to exercise power behind the throne in the Roman Empire....
 and emperor
Roman Emperor

The Roman Emperor was the ruler of the Roman Empire during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office: Latin language titles such as imperator , Augustus , Caesar and princeps were all associated with it....
 Septimius Severus
Septimius Severus

Lucius Septimius Severus was a Roman Empire general, and Roman Emperor from April 14 193 to 211. He was born in what is now the Libyan part of Rome's historic Africa Province, making him the first emperor to be born in the Roman province of Africa Province....
 and sister of Julia Soaemias
Julia Soaemias

Julia Soaemias Bassiana was the mother of Roman Emperor Elagabalus and ruled over the Roman Empire during the minority of her son's rule.Julia was the daughter of Julia Maesa, a powerful Women in Rome of Syrian origin, and Syrian noble Julius Avitus....
. She was born and raised in Emesa (modern Homs
Homs

Hims Hims did not emerge into the light of history until the 1st century BCE at the time of Seleucids. It later became the capital of a kingdom ruled by the Royal Family of Emesa who gave the city its name....
, Syria
Syria

Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is an Arab-majority country in Southwest Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Israel to the southwest, Jordan to the south, Iraq to the east, and Turkey to the north....
).

Julia's first husband was a former consul (whose name is unknown) who died. Julia married as her second husband Syrian Promagistrate
Promagistrate

A promagistrate is a person who acts in and with the authority and capacity of a Roman Magistrates, but without holding a magisterial office. A legal innovation of the Roman Republic, the promagistracy was invented in order to provide Rome with governors of overseas territories instead of having to elect more magistrates each year....
 Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus
Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus

Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus was a Syria who lived in the 2nd and 3rd century AD. He originally came from Arca Caesarea . Marcianus' career had advanced to the Equestrian rank and he became a Promagistrate....
. Julia bore Marcianus two children, a daughter called Theoclia (little is known of her) and a son, Marcus Julius Gessius Bassianus Alexianus, later emperor Alexander Severus
Alexander Severus

Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander, commonly called Alexander Severus, was the last Roman Emperors of the Severan dynasty, having succeeded, as heir apparent, his despised cousin, the eighteen year old Elagabalus who had been murdered along with his mother by his own guards—and as a mark of contempt, had their remains cast into...
. Unlike her sister, Julia Mamaea was reported to be a virtuous woman, never involved in scandals.

As a member of the Imperial Roman family, she watched closely the death of her cousin Caracalla
Caracalla

Caracalla , born Lucius Septimius Bassianus and later called Marcus Aurelius Antoninus and Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus, was the eldest son of Septimius Severus and Roman Emperor from 211 – 217....
 and the ascent to power of her nephew Elagabalus
Elagabalus

Elagabalus , also known as Heliogabalus or Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, was a Roman Emperor of the Severan dynasty who reigned from 218 to 222....
, the oldest grandson of Julia Maesa and her choice to the throne. Eventually Elagabalus and his mother Julia Soaemias proved incompetent rulers and favour fell on Alexander, Julia's son. He became emperor in 222, following Elagabalus' murder by the Praetorian Guard
Praetorian Guard

The Praetorian Guard was a special force of guards used by Roman empire List of Roman Emperorss. Before being appropriated for the use of the Emperors' personal guards, the title was used for the guards of Roman generals, at least since the rise to prominence of the Scipio family around 275 BC....
. Julia and her mother became regents in the name of Alexander, then 14 years old. Upon adulthood, Alexander confirmed his esteem for his mother and named her consors imperii (imperial consort). It was in this condition that she accompanied her son in his campaigns: a custom started with Julia Domna
Julia Domna

Julia Domna was a member of the Severan dynasty of the Roman Empire. Empress and wife of Roman Emperor Lucius Septimius Severus and mother of Emperors Publius Septimius Geta and Caracalla, Julia was among the most important women ever to exercise power behind the throne in the Roman Empire....
. Thus she travelled to the East, for the campaign against Parthia
Parthia

Parthia is a region of north-eastern Iran, best known for having been the political and cultural base of the Arsacid dynasty, after which the Arsacid Empire is then also known as the 'Parthian Empire'....
 and to the Germania provinces. Julia Mamaea was with Alexander in Moguntiacum (modern Mainz
Mainz

Mainz is a city in Germany and the capital of the Germany States of Germany of Rhineland-Palatinate. It was a politically important seat of the Prince-elector of Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman Empire fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine River and formed part of the northernmost frontier of th...
), capital of Germania Superior
Germania Superior

Germania Superior , so called for the reason that it lay upstream of Germania Inferior, was a Roman province of the Roman Empire. It comprised the area of western Switzerland, the French Jura mountains and Alsace regions and south-western Germany....
, when he was assassinated by his troops. She suffered the same fate.

See also

  • Women in Rome
    Women in Rome

    Women in ancient Roman society were given considerable Honour, possibly as a result of Treaty between the Ancient Rome and the Sabines from earlier Roman history, and as a result of the emphasis on Pregnancy in a society with high child mortality rates....
  • Severan dynasty family tree
    Severan dynasty family tree

    This is a family tree of the Severan dynasty of the Roman Empire.See also*List of family trees* Severan dynasty...


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