Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus

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Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus

Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus was a Syrian

Syria (Roman province)

Syria was a Roman province, annexed in 64 BC by Pompey, as a consequence of his military presence after pursuing victory in the Third Mithridatic War....
who lived in the 2nd and 3rd century AD. He originally came from Arca Caesarea (modern Arqa

Arqa

Arqa is a village near Miniara in the Akkar district of northern Lebanon, 22 km northeast of Tripoli, Lebanon, near the coast. It is significant for the Tell Arqa, an archaeological site that goes back to Neolithic times, and during the Crusades there was a strategically significant castle....
, Lebanon

Lebanon

Lebanon , officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic , is a country in Western Asia, on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea....
). Marcianus' career had advanced to the Equestrian rank (see Equestrian (Roman)

Equestrian (Roman)

The Roman equestrian order constituted the lower of the two aristocratic classes of ancient Rome, ranking below the Roman senate Order . A member of the order was known as an eques , which in Latin has the general meaning of any person mounted on a horse , but in this context carries the specific meaning of "knight"....
) and he became a 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....
.

Marcianus married Julia Avita Mamaea

Julia Avita Mamaea

Julia Avita Mamaea was the second daughter of Julia Maesa, a powerful Women in Rome of Syrian Arab origin and Syrian noble Julius Avitus. She was a niece of empress Julia Domna and Roman Emperor Septimius Severus and sister of Julia Soaemias....
, as her second husband. She was the second daughter of the powerful Roman Syrian woman 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...
and the 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 ....
. Her maternal aunt was Roman 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....
; her maternal uncle in marriage was Roman emperor Lucius 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....
; her maternal cousins were Roman emperors 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 Publius Septimius Geta

Publius Septimius Geta

Publius Septimius Geta , was a Roman Emperor co-ruling with his father Septimius Severus and his older brother Caracalla from 209 to his death....
and Julia was the maternal aunt to Roman emperor 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....
.

Mamaea 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...
(208-235).