Julia Avita Mamaea or Julia Mamaea (14 or 29 August around 182[1] – 235) was a Syrian noble woman and member of the Severan dynasty. She was the mother of Roman emperor Alexander Severus and remained one of his chief advisors throughout his reign. She was killed in 235 by rebel soldiers alongside her son.
Julia Avita Mamaea was the second daughter of Julia Maesa, a powerful Roman woman of Syrian origin, and Syrian noble Gaius Julius Avitus Alexianus. She was a niece of empress Julia Domna, emperor Lucius Septimius Severus, and sister of Julia Soaemias Bassiana. She was born and raised in Emesa (modern Homs, Syria), where her family was very powerful.
Julia's first husband was an unknown former consul who died. Her only undisputed child, Severus Alexander, whom she gave birth to on October 1, 208 in Arca Caesarea, may have been from this marriage instead of her second as Dio claimed.[2] She then married her second husband, a Syrian Promagistrate named Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus from Arca Caesarea (Arqa in Lebanon). She may have had a son named Marcus Julius Gessius Bassianus[3] and a daughter named Theoclia with him.
When her cousin, emperor Caracalla, was killed near Carrhae, Macrinus proclaimed himself emperor. Mamaea's mother Maesa and sister Soaemias organized a revolt against Macrinus to declare Soaemias' son, Varius Avitus Bassianus (Elagabalus), as emperor. As a response, Macrinus's camp killed a number of individuals with connections to Elagabalus, including Mamaea's husband Gessius, around 218.[4][5] Julia provided education of her son Alexander, before his becoming emperor of Rome. Alexander thought much of his mother's advice and followed what she told him to do.[6]
As a member of the imperial Roman family, under the authority of her aunt Julia Domna, she closely watched the death of her cousin Caracalla and the ascension of her nephew Elagabalus: the oldest grandson of Julia Maesa and initially, her favorite. When Elagabalus successfully overthrew Macrinus and reigned as emperor, Mamaea and her son are described as being present at the imperial court, where her mother Julia Maesa and sister Julia Soaemias, the mother of Elagabalus, also lived. Due to his unorthodox behavior, Elagabalus and Julia Soaemias alienated the Praetorian Guard and their favor instead fell on Alexander, Mamaea's son. Mamaea distributed gold to the Praetorians to usher up support for her son, and guarded him against plots devised by the increasingly desperate Elagabalus.[7] Elagabalus' continued machinations against Alexander spurred Praetorians to murder Elagabalus, and Alexander became emperor in 222.[8]
The reign of Alexander
Julia Mamaea and her mother Maesa played an instrumental role in the imperial accession of Alexander, then 13 years old, by securing the Praetorians' loyalty to him. They remained influential figures during his reign. Julia Mamaea attained the title Augusta immediately following his acquisition of the throne.[9] When Maesa died in 224, Mamaea took over the state affairs alongside an advisory board.[10]
The two women had collaborated in choosing 16 distinguished senators to form this advisory board and relied heavily on the lawyer Ulpian, who was also from Syria. This created a court environment in which the advisory board ran the Roman Empire with Alexander as the mere figurehead. The new regime garnered the approval of surviving historical sources for overturning Elagabalus' measures and reinstating a more traditional form of government.[11][12]Ulpian, who held influence during Alexander's early reign, was made head of the Praetorian Guard. However, he was unable to control the Praetorians, who eventually rebelled. Despite the swift flight to the palace under the protection of Julia Mamaea and Severus Alexander, Ulpian was murdered[13] around 223 or 228.
Upon reaching adulthood, Alexander confirmed his esteem for his mother and listened to her advice. She accompanied her son in his campaigns, and like her aunt Julia Domna, she too held many titles in addition to Augusta: mater augusti nostri et castrorum et senatus et patriae ("mother of the emperor, the camp, the senate and the country") and mater universi generis humani ("mother of the all humanity"). The historian Herodian and text Historia Augusta characterize Alexander as a mama's boy who never managed to escape her maternal domination but that he resented her love of money.[14] Mamaea's influence over him led some sources to call him Alexander Mamaeae.[15] Though she was credited with her son's principled upbringing and the stability during his early reign,[16] Alexander's military shortcomings were attributed to Mamaea by the army and ancient historians. By preventing his exposure to battles as a protective measure, Mamaea may have contributed to her son's deteriorating relationship with the army.[17]
According to Herodian, Julia had become jealous of her daughter-in-law, Sallustia Orbiana, whom Alexander married in 225, and whose father Seius Sallustius had been possibly made caesar, because she disapproved that there was another Augusta. Julia Mamaea had Barbia expelled from the palace and had her father executed, against the will of Alexander Severus, because his mother had too much influence over him and he obeyed all her orders. However, the same historian conflictingly credits Julia for selecting Sallustia Orbiana as an Augusta.[18] The downfall of Orbiana's father, a result of his hostile relation with Mamaea, and the murder of Ulpian are two episodes which demonstrate the prevalence of political intrigues in Alexander's early reign.[19]
Julia called on Origen, the Alexandrian Christian leader, to provide her with instructions in Christian doctrine.[20]
Death
After an inconclusive expedition to repel a Persian invasion in 232, Julia Mamaea and Alexander went north to deal with a German attack. Alexander alienated the Rhine legions by his lack of military prowess and his inflexibility towards pay demands, leading to the troops proclaiming Maximinus Thrax emperor in 235. The army also blamed Mamaea for Alexander's passiveness and stinginess. On March 21st, troops sent to kill Alexander found him clinging to Mamaea in a tent, where he is said to have been blaming her for his upcoming death. The mother and son were murdered together, ending the Severan dynasty.[21] The following regime placed them under damnatio memoriae.
Etching showing the sarcophagus of Severus Alexander and his mother Julia Avita Mamaea.
Buried together, the sarcophagus of Mamaea and Alexander was found within the Monte Del Grano by excavators, and later installed in 1590 to the courtyard of the Palazzo Dei Conservatori.[22] Today, the sarcophagus can be found in the Capitoline Museums in Rome.
Dark green indicates an emperor of the Severan dynasty
Notes:
Except where otherwise noted, the notes below indicate that an individual's parentage is as shown in the above family tree.
^Birley, Anthony R. (1999). Septimius Severus: The African Emperor. London: Routledge. p. i.
^Burrell, Barbara (2004). Neokoroi: Greek Cities and Roman Emperors. p. 216.
^Burrell, Barbara (2004). Neokoroi: Greek Cities and Roman Emperors. p. 247.
^Icks, Martijn (2011). The Crimes of Elagabalus: The Life and Legacy of Rome's Decadent Boy Emperor. London: I.B. Tauris & Co. Ltd. p. 57–58. ISBN978-1-84885-362-1.
^ abGibbon, Edward; Smith, William (1889). The Student's Gibbon: The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. pp. 45–47.
Bibliography:
Birley, Anthony R. (1999). Septimius Severus: The African Emperor. London: Routledge. ISBN0415165911.
Gibbon, Edward; Smith, William (1889). The Student's Gibbon: The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. London: Murray. OCLC 993285639.
^Cleve, R. L. (1982). Severus Alexander and the Severan Women (dissertation). ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, Los Angeles, California.
^Icks, Martijn (2011). The Crimes of Elagabalus: The Life and Legacy of Rome's Decadent Boy Emperor. London: I.B. Tauris & Co. Ltd. p. 57–58. ISBN978-1-84885-362-1.
^Birley, Anthony Richard (1999). Septimius Severus: the African emperor. Routledge. p. 222. ISBN978-0-415-16591-4. Retrieved 2010-01-18.
^Birley, Septimius Severus: The African Emperor, p.217&222
^Davenport, Caillan (2011). "Iterated Consulships and the Government of Severus Alexander". Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik. 177: 287. JSTOR 41291183.
^HERODIAN OF ANTIOCH (2021). HERODIAN OF ANTIOCH'S HISTORY OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. [S.l.]: UNIV OF CALIFORNIA PRESS. ISBN0-520-36642-5. OCLC 1154422939.
^Painter, Kenneth; Whitehouse, David (1990). "THE DISCOVERY OF THE VASE". Journal of Glass Studies. 32: 85–102. ISSN 0075-4250.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Julia Avita Mamaea.
Julia Mamaea's article at livius.org
December 30, 2022
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This article is about the Emesene aristocrat who was the mother of the Roman emperor Alexander Severus For the Emesene princess who married Polemon II of Pontus see Julia Mamaea wife of Polemon II of Pontus Julia Avita Mamaea or Julia Mamaea 14 or 29 August around 182 1 235 was a Syrian noble woman and member of the Severan dynasty She was the mother of Roman emperor Alexander Severus and remained one of his chief advisors throughout his reign She was killed in 235 by rebel soldiers alongside her son Julia Avita MamaeaAugustaBust of Julia Mamaea LouvreAugusta of the Roman EmpireReign13 March 222 19 March 235PredecessorJulia Soaemias and Julia MaesaSuccessorCaecilia PaulinaCo AugustaeJulia Maesa 222 224 Sallustia Orbiana 226 227 BornAround 182 192 ADEmesa SyriaDied235 ADGermania SuperiorSpouseUnknown consul 1st husband Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus 2nd husband IssueAlexander SeverusMarcus Julius Gessius Bassianus possibly Theoclia possibly NamesJulia Avita MamaeaRegnal nameJulia Avita Mamaea AugustaDynastySeveranFatherGaius Julius Avitus AlexianusMotherJulia Maesa Contents 1 Family 2 Reign of Elagabalus 218 222 3 The reign of Alexander 4 Death 5 Severan dynasty family tree 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksFamily Edit Antoninianus of Julia Maesa Antoninianus of Julia Mamaea Julia Avita Mamaea was the second daughter of Julia Maesa a powerful Roman woman of Syrian origin and Syrian noble Gaius Julius Avitus Alexianus She was a niece of empress Julia Domna emperor Lucius Septimius Severus and sister of Julia Soaemias Bassiana She was born and raised in Emesa modern Homs Syria where her family was very powerful Julia s first husband was an unknown former consul who died Her only undisputed child Severus Alexander whom she gave birth to on October 1 208 in Arca Caesarea may have been from this marriage instead of her second as Dio claimed 2 She then married her second husband a Syrian Promagistrate named Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus from Arca Caesarea Arqa in Lebanon She may have had a son named Marcus Julius Gessius Bassianus 3 and a daughter named Theoclia with him When her cousin emperor Caracalla was killed near Carrhae Macrinus proclaimed himself emperor Mamaea s mother Maesa and sister Soaemias organized a revolt against Macrinus to declare Soaemias son Varius Avitus Bassianus Elagabalus as emperor As a response Macrinus s camp killed a number of individuals with connections to Elagabalus including Mamaea s husband Gessius around 218 4 5 Julia provided education of her son Alexander before his becoming emperor of Rome Alexander thought much of his mother s advice and followed what she told him to do 6 Reign of Elagabalus 218 222 Edit Bust of Julia Mamaea Pushkin Museum As a member of the imperial Roman family under the authority of her aunt Julia Domna she closely watched the death of her cousin Caracalla and the ascension of her nephew Elagabalus the oldest grandson of Julia Maesa and initially her favorite When Elagabalus successfully overthrew Macrinus and reigned as emperor Mamaea and her son are described as being present at the imperial court where her mother Julia Maesa and sister Julia Soaemias the mother of Elagabalus also lived Due to his unorthodox behavior Elagabalus and Julia Soaemias alienated the Praetorian Guard and their favor instead fell on Alexander Mamaea s son Mamaea distributed gold to the Praetorians to usher up support for her son and guarded him against plots devised by the increasingly desperate Elagabalus 7 Elagabalus continued machinations against Alexander spurred Praetorians to murder Elagabalus and Alexander became emperor in 222 8 The reign of Alexander EditJulia Mamaea and her mother Maesa played an instrumental role in the imperial accession of Alexander then 13 years old by securing the Praetorians loyalty to him They remained influential figures during his reign Julia Mamaea attained the title Augusta immediately following his acquisition of the throne 9 When Maesa died in 224 Mamaea took over the state affairs alongside an advisory board 10 The two women had collaborated in choosing 16 distinguished senators to form this advisory board and relied heavily on the lawyer Ulpian who was also from Syria This created a court environment in which the advisory board ran the Roman Empire with Alexander as the mere figurehead The new regime garnered the approval of surviving historical sources for overturning Elagabalus measures and reinstating a more traditional form of government 11 12 Ulpian who held influence during Alexander s early reign was made head of the Praetorian Guard However he was unable to control the Praetorians who eventually rebelled Despite the swift flight to the palace under the protection of Julia Mamaea and Severus Alexander Ulpian was murdered 13 around 223 or 228 Upon reaching adulthood Alexander confirmed his esteem for his mother and listened to her advice She accompanied her son in his campaigns and like her aunt Julia Domna she too held many titles in addition to Augusta mater augusti nostri et castrorum et senatus et patriae mother of the emperor the camp the senate and the country and mater universi generis humani mother of the all humanity The historian Herodian and text Historia Augusta characterize Alexander as a mama s boy who never managed to escape her maternal domination but that he resented her love of money 14 Mamaea s influence over him led some sources to call him Alexander Mamaeae 15 Though she was credited with her son s principled upbringing and the stability during his early reign 16 Alexander s military shortcomings were attributed to Mamaea by the army and ancient historians By preventing his exposure to battles as a protective measure Mamaea may have contributed to her son s deteriorating relationship with the army 17 According to Herodian Julia had become jealous of her daughter in law Sallustia Orbiana whom Alexander married in 225 and whose father Seius Sallustius had been possibly made caesar because she disapproved that there was another Augusta Julia Mamaea had Barbia expelled from the palace and had her father executed against the will of Alexander Severus because his mother had too much influence over him and he obeyed all her orders However the same historian conflictingly credits Julia for selecting Sallustia Orbiana as an Augusta 18 The downfall of Orbiana s father a result of his hostile relation with Mamaea and the murder of Ulpian are two episodes which demonstrate the prevalence of political intrigues in Alexander s early reign 19 Julia called on Origen the Alexandrian Christian leader to provide her with instructions in Christian doctrine 20 Death EditAfter an inconclusive expedition to repel a Persian invasion in 232 Julia Mamaea and Alexander went north to deal with a German attack Alexander alienated the Rhine legions by his lack of military prowess and his inflexibility towards pay demands leading to the troops proclaiming Maximinus Thrax emperor in 235 The army also blamed Mamaea for Alexander s passiveness and stinginess On March 21st troops sent to kill Alexander found him clinging to Mamaea in a tent where he is said to have been blaming her for his upcoming death The mother and son were murdered together ending the Severan dynasty 21 The following regime placed them under damnatio memoriae Etching showing the sarcophagus of Severus Alexander and his mother Julia Avita Mamaea Buried together the sarcophagus of Mamaea and Alexander was found within the Monte Del Grano by excavators and later installed in 1590 to the courtyard of the Palazzo Dei Conservatori 22 Today the sarcophagus can be found in the Capitoline Museums in Rome Severan dynasty family tree EditvteSeveran family treeSeptimius MacerGaius Claudius Septimius AperFulvius PiusLucius Septimius SeverusPublius Septimius AperGaius Septimius AperFulvia PiaPublius Septimius GetaSeptimia PollaJulius BassianusSeptimiusPublius Septimius GetaSeptimia OctavillaPaccia Marciana 1 Septimius Severus r 193 211 i Julia Domna 2 Julia MaesaGaius Julius Avitus AlexianusGaius Septimius Severus AperFulvia PlautillaCaracalla r 197 217 ii Geta r 209 211 iii Julia SoaemiasSextus Varius MarcellusJulia Avita MamaeaUnknown iv 2 Julia Cornelia Paula 1 Aquilia Severa 2 and 4 Elagabalus r 218 222 v Annia Faustina 3 Sallustia OrbianaSeverus Alexander r 222 235 v 1 1st spouse 2 2nd spouse 3 3rd spouse 4 4th spouse Dark green indicates an emperor of the Severan dynastyNotes Except where otherwise noted the notes below indicate that an individual s parentage is as shown in the above family tree Birley Anthony R 1999 Septimius Severus The African Emperor London Routledge p i Burrell Barbara 2004 Neokoroi Greek Cities and Roman Emperors p 216 Burrell Barbara 2004 Neokoroi Greek Cities and Roman Emperors p 247 Icks Martijn 2011 The Crimes of Elagabalus The Life and Legacy of Rome s Decadent Boy Emperor London I B Tauris amp Co Ltd p 57 58 ISBN 978 1 84885 362 1 a b Gibbon Edward Smith William 1889 The Student s Gibbon The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire pp 45 47 Bibliography Birley Anthony R 1999 Septimius Severus The African Emperor London Routledge ISBN 0415165911 Gibbon Edward Smith William 1889 The Student s Gibbon The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire London Murray OCLC 993285639 See also EditWomen in Ancient Rome Severan dynasty family treeReferences Edit Cleve R L 1982 Severus Alexander and the Severan Women dissertation ProQuest Dissertations Publishing Los Angeles California Icks Martijn 2011 The Crimes of Elagabalus The Life and Legacy of Rome s Decadent Boy Emperor London I B Tauris amp Co Ltd p 57 58 ISBN 978 1 84885 362 1 Birley Anthony Richard 1999 Septimius Severus the African emperor Routledge p 222 ISBN 978 0 415 16591 4 Retrieved 2010 01 18 Birley Septimius Severus The African Emperor p 217 amp 222 Cassius Dio 78 31 4 A Cyclopedia of Female Biography Julia Mamea Henry Gardiner Adams editor Kessinger Publishing 2007 Pg 426 Herodian 5 8 2 3 Cassius Dio 80 20 Cassius Dio Epitome of Book LXXX Fragment Kosmetatou Elizabeth 2002 The Public Image of Julia Mamaea An Epigraphic and Numismatic Inquiry Latomus 61 2 398 414 ISSN 0023 8856 Herodian 6 1 1 4 Cassius Dio Epitome of Book LXXX Fragment Cassius Dio 80 4 2 Herodian 6 1 8 Kosmetatou Elizabeth The Public Image of Julia Mamaea An Epigraphic and Numismatic Inquiry in Latomus 61 2002 pp 398 399 Herodian 6 1 5 Herodian 6 5 8 Herodian 6 1 9 Davenport Caillan 2011 Iterated Consulships and the Government of Severus Alexander Zeitschrift fur Papyrologie und Epigraphik 177 287 JSTOR 41291183 The Emergence of Christianity Cynthia White Greenwood Press 2007 Pg 14 HERODIAN OF ANTIOCH 2021 HERODIAN OF ANTIOCH S HISTORY OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE S l UNIV OF CALIFORNIA PRESS ISBN 0 520 36642 5 OCLC 1154422939 Painter Kenneth Whitehouse David 1990 THE DISCOVERY OF THE VASE Journal of Glass Studies 32 85 102 ISSN 0075 4250 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Julia Avita Mamaea Julia Mamaea s article at livius org Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Julia Avita Mamaea amp oldid 1125805497, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
