This biography, written by Gabby Storey, is shared with permission from Team Queens, an educational history blog run by a collective of historical scholars. All rights reserved; this material may not be republished without the author’s consent.
Born: 160 (circa), Syria
Died: 217
Country most active: Italy
Also known as: NA
Julia Domna (c. 160-217) was born in Emesa, Syria, to an Arab family that was part of the Ermesan dynasty. Her father was Julius Bassianus, and prior to her marriage she had inherited the estate of her great-uncle Julius Agrippa, a centurion. The circumstances of her marriage are difficult to ascertain, but she married the future emperor Septimus Severus in 187, in Lugdunum, France.
Julia gave birth to two sons, Lucius Septimius Bassianus, in 188, and Publius Septimius Geta in 189. After Commodus’ death in 192, Severus vied for the imperial throne, overthrew the second emperor in the Year of Five Emperors, Didius Julianus, and focussed on quelling the two other imperial rivals and claimed the title of emperor in 193. Julia was established as empress by 197.
She accompanied Severus on his military campaigns, and was granted several official titles, including Mater Augustus. She was also depicted on several medallions and coins, and appears to have acted as a mediator and adviser during Severus’ reign. Upon his death in 211, she would depend upon these mediation skills as their two sons, Caracalla (Lucius) and Geta, were to co-rule but did not have a harmonious relationship.
Caracalla had Geta murdered later in 211, and spent much of his early reign outside Rome and on campaign, to which Julia also accompanied him. Whilst on campaign in Parthia in 217, Caracalla was assassinated by the orders of Macrinus, a prefect of the Praetorian Guard who then succeeded Caracalla as emperor. Julia allegedly committed suicide upon hearing about the rebellion, perhaps in part due to suffering with breast cancer as well.
Recommended Reading
Barbara Levick, Julia Domna: Syrian Empress (Abingdon: Routledge, 2007)
David S. Potter, The Roman Empire at Bay AD 180-395 (Abingdon: Routledge, 2004)
Drora Baharal, “The Portraits of Julia Domna from the Years 193-211 AD and the Dynastic Propaganda of L. Septimius Severus,” Latomus 51 (1992) 110-118.
From Woman: Her Position, Influence and Achievement Throughout the Civilized World. Designed and Arranged by William C. King. Published in 1900 by The King-Richardson Co. Copyright 1903 The King-Richardson Co.:
Julia Mamaea, afterwards famous as Julia Domna, became the wife of Lucius Septimius Severus between 185 and 190 A.D. She had two sons, Alexander (known as Caracalla) and Geta. The former succeeded to the throne after the murder of Elagabalus.
Julia trained her son for the throne and did it well, for he proved to be a ruler of noble character and administrative ability. His reign of thirteen years was a calm in the storm, an oasis in the desert, a pure breeze in a fetid atmosphere, a pause in the downward rush of Roman degeneracy, and for most of this the word is indebted to his mother, Julia. Hers was the power behind the throne.
Under the counsel of his mother, Alexander encouraged a general reform in all departments of his government. To the shame of Rome be it related that one of the causes leading to his death was the enmity aroused by his attempt to eliminate corruption from civil military circles. He conciliated the professors of Christianity by adopting the golden rule and having it inscribed in letters of gold in many parts of his palace.
Alexander and his mother were assassinated while on a campaign in Germany to drive back the invaders. The mother tried to save her son as the assassins entered the tent to slay him. She received the death blow, but it did not save him. As we have intimated, they were the martyrs of the reforms they instituted. The corrupt soldiery was unaccustomed to the leadership of a pure and wise sovereign.