Everything about Julia Domna totally explained
Julia Domna (
170-
217) 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
Julia was of
Arab origin and from Emesa. Like her elder sister
Julia Maesa, Julia was a daughter of
Julius Bassianus, priest of the sun god
Heliogabalus, the patron god of Emesa (modern
Homs) in the
Roman province of Syria.
Reign
In the late 180s, Julia married future Emperor
Septimius Severus. Legend says that Severus, then governor of
Gallia Lugdunensis, specifically asked for her to be his bride despite the fact that he didn't know either Julia or her family, due to the forecast of her
horoscope that promised she'd become a queen. The marriage proved to be a happy one and Severus cherished his wife and her political opinions, since she was very well read and keen on philosophy.
Together, they'd two sons, Lucius Septimius Bassianus (
Caracalla) in
188 and
Publius Septimius Geta in
189.
Civil War
When Severus became emperor in
193 he'd a civil war waiting for him, against rivals such as
Pescennius Niger and
Clodius Albinus. Julia accompanied him in his campaigns in the East, an uncommon event in a time when women were expected to wait in Rome for their husbands. Nevertheless, she remained with the emperor and among the several proofs of affection and favour are the minting of coins with her portrait and the title
mater castrorum (mother of the camp).
Julia now had complete power and ruled behind the Roman Empire. Many early Romans disliked the fact of her ruling over the throne when Septimius Severus was at war.
Controversy and Transition of Power
As empress, Julia was often involved in intrigues and had plenty of political enemies that accused her of treason and adultery. None of these accusations were proven, Severus continued to favour his wife and insisted on her company in the campaign against the Britons that started in
208. When Severus died, in
211 in
York, Julia became the mediator between their two sons.
Caracalla and
Geta who were to rule as joint emperors, according to their father's wishes expressed on his will. But the two young men were never fond of each other and quarrelled frequently. Geta was murdered by Caracalla's soldiers in the same year.
Caracalla was now sole emperor, but his relations with his mother were difficult, as attested by several sources, probably due to his involvement in Geta's murder. Nevertheless, Julia accompanied Caracalla in his campaign against the
Parthian empire in
217. During this trip, Caracalla was assassinated and succeeded (briefly) by
Macrinus. On hearing about the rebellion, Julia chose to commit suicide. She was later deified.
Further Information
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