- Julia Soaemias
Severan dynasty
caption=Julia Soaemias, on a coin celebrating JunoRegina .Julia Soaemias Bassiana (
180 -March 11 222 ) was the mother ofRoman Emperor Elagabalus and ruled over theRoman Empire during the minority of her son's rule.Julia was the daughter of
Julia Maesa , a powerful Roman woman of Syrian origin, and Syrian nobleJulius Avitus . Julia was born and raised in Emesa (modernHoms ,Syria ). She was a niece of empressJulia Domna and emperorSeptimius Severus and a sister ofJulia Avita Mamaea . Her husband wasSextus Varius Marcellus , a Syrian Roman of an Equestrian family. As members of the imperial Roman family, they lived in Rome, where their numerous children were born.In 217, her cousin, Emperor
Caracalla , was killed andMacrinus ascended to the imperial throne. Julia's family was allowed to return to Syria with the whole of their financial assets. They would not allow the usurper to stand unopposed. Together with her mother, Julia plotted to substitute Macrinus with her sonElagabalus . To legitimise this plot, Julia and her mother spread the rumour that the thirteen-year-old boy was Caracalla's illegitimate son. In 218 Macrinus was killed and Bassianus became emperor with the name of Elagabalus.Julia became the "
de facto " ruler of Rome, since the teenager was concerned mainly with religious matters. Their rule was not popular and soon discontent arose, mainly because of the strange sexual behaviour and the eastern religious practices of Elagabalus. Julia Soaemias and Elagabalus were killed by thePraetorian Guard in 222. Julia was later declared public enemy and her name erased from all records.ee also
*
Women in Rome
*Severan dynasty family tree External links
* [http://www.livius.org/jo-jz/julia/julia_soaemias.html Livius.org: Julia Soaemias]
* [http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/julia_soaemias/t.html coinage of Julia Soaemias]References
"Scriptores Historiae Augustae",
Julius Capitolinus , "Opellius Macrinus ix"; Aelius Lampridius, "Antoninus Heliogabalus i-ii, iv, xvii-xviii.
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
