Julia Soaemias

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Roman imperial dynasties
Severan dynasty
Septimius Severus alone
Julia Soaemias, on a coin celebrating Juno Regina.

Children
Geta
Caracalla
Septimius Severus, with Geta and Caracalla
Geta and Caracalla
Caracalla alone
Interlude, Macrinus
Elagabalus
Children
Alexander Severus, adoptive
Alexander Severus

Julia Soaemias Bassiana (180 - March 11, 222) was the mother of Roman Emperor Elagabalus and ruled over the Roman 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 noble Julius Avitus. Julia was born and raised in Emesa (modern Homs, Syria). She was a niece of empress Julia Domna and emperor Septimius Severus and a sister of Julia Avita Mamaea. Her husband was Sextus 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 and Macrinus 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 son Elagabalus. 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 the Praetorian Guard in 222. Julia was later declared public enemy and her name erased from all records.