- Julia Avita Mamaea
Severan dynasty
caption=Julia Avita Mamaea (14 or 29 August after 180–235) was the second daughter of
Julia Maesa , a powerful Roman woman ofSyria nArab origin and Syrian nobleJulius Avitus . She was a niece of empressJulia Domna and emperorSeptimius Severus and sister ofJulia Soaemias . She was born and raised inEmesa (modernHoms ,Syria ).Julia's first husband was a former consul (whose name is unknown) who died. Julia married as her second husband Syrian
Promagistrate Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus . Julia bore Marcianus two children, a daughter called Theoclia (little is known of her) and a son, Marcus Julius Gessius Bassianus Alexianus, later emperorAlexander Severus . 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 and the ascent to power of her nephewElagabalus , 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 thePraetorian Guard . 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 withJulia Domna . Thus she travelled to the East, for the campaign againstParthia and to the Germania provinces. Julia Mamaea was with Alexander in Moguntiacum (modernMainz ), capital ofGermania Superior , when he was assassinated by his troops. She suffered the same fate.References
ee also
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Women in Rome
*Severan dynasty family tree External links
* [http://www.livius.org/jo-jz/julia/julia_mamaea.html "Julia Mamaea" at livius.org]
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