Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus

Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus also known as Gessius Marcianus^[1] (flourished second half of the 2nd century & first half of the 3rd century, died 218^[2]) was a Syrian Roman Aristocrat.

Background

Little is known on the origins of Marcianus. He originally came from Arca Caesarea^[3][4] (modern Arqa, Lebanon). He was an Equestrian officer^[5] who became a Promagistrate.^[6] No more further details are known on the political career of Marcianus^[7] and he was murdered on the orders of Roman emperor Macrinus in 218^[8] in Emesa, Syria.

Family & Issue

Marcianus married the Roman Syrian noblewoman Julia Avita Mamaea, as her second husband.^[9] Mamaea was the second daughter of the powerful Roman Syrian nobles Julia Maesa and Gaius Julius Avitus Alexianus. Her maternal aunt was the Roman empress Julia Domna, her maternal uncle-in-marriage was the Roman emperor Lucius Septimius Severus; her maternal cousins were Roman emperors Caracalla and Publius Septimius Geta and Mamaea was the maternal aunt to Roman emperor Elagabalus.^[10]

Marcianus married Mamaea sometime after 200. The marriage of Marcianus and Mamaea may have strengthened Septimius Severus’ power base in the Roman Eastern provinces.^[11] Mamaea bore Marcianus the following children:

• Possible son, Marcus Julius Gessius Bassianus^[12]
• Daughter,^[13] Theoclia^[14]
• Son, Marcus Julius Gessius Bassianus Alexianus,^[15] who became the Severan Roman emperor Alexander Severus who ruled from 222 until 235

References

Sources

• Augustan History, The Two Maximini
• A.R. Birley, Septimius Severus: The African Emperor, Routledge, 2002
• Julia Avita Mamaea’s article at Livius.org
• Alexander Severus (A.D. 222–235) - De Imperatoribus Romanis by H.W. Benario