Background
She was the youngest daughter of the high-priest Gaius Julius Bassianus and her eldest sister was Julia Maesa.
She was the youngest daughter of the high-priest Gaius Julius Bassianus and her eldest sister was Julia Maesa.
Julia was from a Syrian family of the city of Emesa (Homs today). Her ancestors were Priest Kings of the famous temple of Elagabalus (syr Ilāh hag-Gabal). The family had enormous wealth and was promoted to Roman senatorial aristocracy.
In the late 180s, Julia married future Emperor Septimius Severus, usually considered to be of Punic background.
She was very wellread and keen on philosophy. They had two sons, Lucius Septimius Bassianus (Caracalla) in 188 and Publius Septimius Geta in 189.
Because of her love of philosophy, Julia protected philosophers and helped philosophy to flourish in Rome. Civil War
When Severus became emperor in 193 (known as "Year of the Five Emperors"), he had a civil war waiting for him, against rivals such as Pescennius Niger and Clodius Albinus.
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).
Controversy and transition of power
As empress, Julia was often involved in intrigues and had plenty of political enemies, who accused her of treason and adultery. None of these accusations was proven. 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 because of 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. Julia chose to commit suicide after hearing about the rebellion, perhaps a decision hastened by the fact that she was suffering from breast cancer.
Her body was brought to Rome and placed in the Sepulcrum C. et L. Caesaris (perhaps a separate chamber in the Mausoleum of Augustus).
She was later deified. If it were not for Julia, we would have very little information today about the legendary of Tyana. lieutenant was at the behest of Julia that Philostratus wrote his now famous Life of Julia is thought to have died before Philostratus could finish his work of eight volumes.