Julia Soaemias Bassiana (180 – 11 March 222) was a Syrian noblewoman and the mother of Roman emperor Elagabalus, who ruled over the Roman Empire from 218 to 222. She was one of his chief advisors, initially with the support and accompaniment of her mother Julia Maesa. She and her mother guided the young emperor until growing unrest and a family division led to her son's replacement by her nephew Severus Alexander. Julia Soaemias was killed along with her son by the Praetorian Guard.
Julia Soaemias was born and raised in Emesa, Syria and through her mother was related to the Royal family of Emesa, and through marriage, to the Severan dynasty of Ancient Rome.
Early life
Name
Julia's name is recorded differently by ancient historians. Cassius Dio and Herodian gives "Σοαιμίς" (Soaemis), Eutropius "Symiasera", Paeanius "Symia Severa", Aurelius Victor "Soemea", and the Historia Augusta "Symiamyra" in the biography of Elagabalus, but "Symiamira" in the biography of Macrinus. Of the Latin sources only Victor gives a name that is close to her common name Soaemias. Historian Andrew Scott notes that her name is similar to that of Gaius Julius Sohaemus but that any relation is uncertain.
On coins the forms Soaemias, "Σοαιμίς" (Soaemis), "Σουαιμίς" (Souaimís), "Συαιμίς" (Syaimís), "Suemis", "Σοαιμία" (Soaimía), "Συαιμία" (Syaimía), are also attested. Julia bore Marcellus at least two children: only one is known by name, Sextus Varius Avitus Bassianus, who became the Roman emperor Elagabalus. The tombstone has two preserved bilingual inscriptions Back in Emesa, her son, Bassianus, ascended as the chief priest of the Syrian deity Elagabalus. Elagabalus and his mother saw this as an opportunity to install Elagabal as the chief deity of the Roman pantheon. The god was renamed Deus Sol Invictus, meaning God of the Undefeated Sun, and was honored even above Jupiter.
Elagabalus and his entourage spent the winter of 218 in Bithynia at Nicomedia, where the emperor's religious beliefs first presented themselves as a problem. The contemporary historian Cassius Dio suggests that Gannys was killed by the new emperor because he pressured Elagabalus to live "temperately and prudently". To help Romans adjust to having an oriental priest as emperor, Julia Maesa (Soaemias's mother) had a painting of Elagabalus in priestly robes sent to Rome and hung over a statue of the goddess Victoria in the Senate House.
The duo attempted to gain popularity with Roman religion, and as a token of respect, joined either Astarte, Minerva, or Urania to Elagabal as his consort. Julia Soaemias and her mother feature in literary accounts of Elagabalus's reign, and were credited with exercising much influence. Julia Soaemias and her mother significantly assisted the emperor, and appeared in the Senate beside Elagabalus during his adoption of Severus Alexander. She assumed the senatorial title of clarissima and also held a "Women's Senate" deciding on matters of fashion and protocol. When Elagabalus' grandmother Julia Maesa perceived that popular support for the emperor was waning, she decided that he and his mother, who had encouraged his religious practices, had to be replaced.
Death
After failing in various attempts to slay his cousin, Elagabalus decided to strip Alexander of his titles and revoked his consulship. Elagabalus then invented the rumor that Alexander was near death, in order to see how the Praetorians would react.