Julia Avita Mamaea
Encyclopedia
Julia Avita Mamaea was the second daughter of Julia Maesa
, a powerful Roman woman
of Syrian origin and Syrian noble Julius Avitus
. She was a niece of empress Julia Domna
and emperor
Septimius Severus
and sister of Julia Soaemias
. She was born and raised in Emesa (modern Homs
, Syria
).
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 emperor Severus Alexander. Unlike her sister, Julia Mamaea was reported to be a virtuous woman, never involved in scandals.
Julia was attentive to the education of her son, Alexander, who she prepared adequately for becoming emperor of Rome
. Severus thought much of his mother's advice and followed what she told him to do.
and the ascent to power of her nephew Elagabalus
, 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
. Julia and her mother became regents in the name of Alexander, then 14 years old. He never managed to escape her maternal domination, but at first Julia ruled very effectively. She reversed all Elagabulus' scandalous policies, chose 16 distinguished senators as advisers and relied heavily on the famous Lawyer Ulpian
, who was also from Syria. Ulpian
was made head of the Praetorian Guard
. However, he was unable to control the Praetorians and was murdered by them in AD 228. 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
.
Meanwhile, Julia had become madly jealous of her son's wife, Barbia Orbiana
, whom Alexander married in AD 225, and whose father had been made Caesar or co-ruler. Julia had Barbia thrown out of the palace and had her father executed.
Julia called on Origen
, the Alexandrian Christian leader, to provide her with instruction in Christian doctrine.
as emperor in AD 235. Troops sent to kill Alexander found him clinging to his mother in a tent. Mother and son were butchered together, so ending the Severan dynasty
Julia Maesa
Julia Maesa was a Roman citizen and daughter of Julius Bassianus, priest of the sun god Heliogabalus, the patron god of Emesa in the Roman province of Syria...
, a powerful Roman woman
Women in Rome
Freeborn women in ancient Rome were citizens , but could not vote or hold political office. Because of their limited public role, women are named less frequently than men by Roman historians. But while Roman women held no direct political power, those from wealthy or powerful families could and did...
of Syrian 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 CE. He was born in 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 Geta and Caracalla, Julia was among the most important women ever to exercise power behind the throne in the Roman Empire.- Family background...
and emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Septimius Severus
Septimius Severus
Septimius Severus , also known as Severus, was Roman Emperor from 193 to 211. Severus was born in Leptis Magna in the province of Africa. As a young man he advanced through the customary succession of offices under the reigns of Marcus Aurelius and Commodus. Severus seized power after the death of...
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....
. She was born and raised in Emesa (modern Homs
Homs
Homs , previously known as Emesa , is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is above sea level and is located north of Damascus...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
).
Marriages and children
Julia's first husband was a former consul (whose name is unknown) who died. Julia married as her second husband Syrian PromagistratePromagistrate
A promagistrate is a person who acts in and with the authority and capacity of a magistrate, 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...
Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus
Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus
Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus was a Syrian who lived in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. He originally came from Arca Caesarea . Marcianus' career had advanced to the Equestrian order 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 Severus Alexander. Unlike her sister, Julia Mamaea was reported to be a virtuous woman, never involved in scandals.
Julia was attentive to the education of her son, Alexander, who she prepared adequately for becoming emperor of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Severus thought much of his mother's advice and followed what she told him to do.
Regency of Alexander
As a member of the Imperial Roman family, she watched closely the death of her cousin CaracallaCaracalla
Caracalla , was Roman emperor from 198 to 217. The eldest son of Septimius Severus, he ruled jointly with his younger brother Geta until he murdered the latter in 211...
and the ascent to power of her nephew Elagabalus
Elagabalus
Elagabalus , also known as Heliogabalus, was Roman Emperor from 218 to 222. A member of the Severan Dynasty, he was Syrian on his mother's side, the son of Julia Soaemias and Sextus Varius Marcellus. Early in his youth he served as a priest of the god El-Gabal at his hometown, Emesa...
, 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 force of bodyguards used by Roman Emperors. The title was already used during the Roman Republic 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. He never managed to escape her maternal domination, but at first Julia ruled very effectively. She reversed all Elagabulus' scandalous policies, chose 16 distinguished senators as advisers and relied heavily on the famous Lawyer Ulpian
Ulpian
Gnaeus Domitius Annius Ulpianus , anglicized as Ulpian, was a Roman jurist of Tyrian ancestry.-Biography:The exact time and place of his birth are unknown, but the period of his literary activity was between AD 211 and 222...
, who was also from Syria. Ulpian
Ulpian
Gnaeus Domitius Annius Ulpianus , anglicized as Ulpian, was a Roman jurist of Tyrian ancestry.-Biography:The exact time and place of his birth are unknown, but the period of his literary activity was between AD 211 and 222...
was made head of the Praetorian Guard
Praetorian Guard
The Praetorian Guard was a force of bodyguards used by Roman Emperors. The title was already used during the Roman Republic for the guards of Roman generals, at least since the rise to prominence of the Scipio family around 275 BC...
. However, he was unable to control the Praetorians and was murdered by them in AD 228. 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 Geta and Caracalla, Julia was among the most important women ever to exercise power behind the throne in the Roman Empire.- Family background...
.
Meanwhile, Julia had become madly jealous of her son's wife, Barbia Orbiana
Barbia Orbiana
Barbia Orbiana was Augusta of the Roman Empire from 225 AD - 227 AD. Her full name was Gneaea Seia Herennia Sallustia Barbia Orbiana. She was the wife of Alexander Severus. The emperor married her in late 225, following the death of his grandmother. Severus was around sixteen years of age at this...
, whom Alexander married in AD 225, and whose father had been made Caesar or co-ruler. Julia had Barbia thrown out of the palace and had her father executed.
Julia called on Origen
Origen
Origen , or Origen Adamantius, 184/5–253/4, was an early Christian Alexandrian scholar and theologian, and one of the most distinguished writers of the early Church. As early as the fourth century, his orthodoxy was suspect, in part because he believed in the pre-existence of souls...
, the Alexandrian Christian leader, to provide her with instruction in Christian doctrine.
Betrayal and death
After an inconclusive expedition to repel a Persian invasion in AD 232, mother and son were sent north to deal with a German attack. Alexander so alienated the Rhine legions by his lack of military prowess and his inflexibility towards pay that the troops proclaimed the giant Maximinus ThraxMaximinus Thrax
Maximinus Thrax , also known as Maximinus I, was Roman Emperor from 235 to 238.Maximinus is described by several ancient sources, though none are contemporary except Herodian's Roman History. Maximinus was the first emperor never to set foot in Rome...
as emperor in AD 235. Troops sent to kill Alexander found him clinging to his mother in a tent. Mother and son were butchered together, so ending the Severan dynasty
Severan dynasty
The Severan dynasty was a Roman imperial dynasty, which ruled the Roman Empire between 193 and 235. The dynasty was founded by the Roman general Septimius Severus, who rose to power during the civil war of 193, known as the Year of the Five Emperors....