JVLIA DOMNA
Wife of Septimius Severus and mother of Caracalla and Geta
AVGVSTA: A.D. 194-217
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IVLIA DOMNA
was born around 170 A.D. as the younger of two daughters to
Julius
Bassianus, priest of the sun god Heliogabalus, the patron god of Emesa
in the Roman province of Syria. Destined to greatness from
birth because of a prophecy, she became one of the most
influential women of the Roman Imperial period after her marriage to
the later Emperor Septimius Severus in 188 A.D. When her husband had consolidated his power around 195 A.D., Domna became the power behind the throne, holding this position for more than 20 years. While exercising great political and cultural influence at the Severan court, one of her main concerns was to try and reconcile her squabbling sons Caracalla and Geta. But in the end she failed in this quest and Geta was murdered in her presence by Caracalla's guards in late 211. Julia remained a powerful force and became even more influential during the sole reign of her surviving son. When Caracalla was assassinated during a campaign against the Parthians on April 8, 217, Domna, who had returned to her native Antioch, initially tried to plot the overthrow of the new Emperor Macrinus, but when her military situation became unsustainable she committed suicide. (Contributed by Jan de Veen). |
The Sestertii
