Julia Soaemias

Julia Soaemias Bassiana (180 – March 11, 222) was the mother of Roman Emperor Elagabalus and ruled over the Roman Empire during the minority of her son's rule.

Julia was the daughter of Julia Maesa, a powerful Roman woman of Syrian origin, and Syrian noble Julius Avitus. Julia was born and raised in Emesa (modern Homs, Syria). She was a niece of empress Julia Domna and emperor Septimius Severus and a sister of Julia Avita Mamaea. Her husband was Sextus Varius Marcellus, a Syrian Roman of an Equestrian family. As members of the imperial Roman family of the Severan dynasty, they lived in Rome, where their numerous children were born.

In 217 her cousin Emperor Caracalla was killed, and Macrinus ascended to the imperial throne. Julia's family was allowed to return to Syria with the whole of their financial assets. They would not allow the usurper to stand unopposed. Together with her mother, Julia plotted to replace Macrinus with her son Varius Avitus Bassianus. To legitimise this plot, Julia and her mother spread the rumour that the thirteen-year-old boy was Caracalla's illegitimate son. In 218 Macrinus was killed and Bassianus became emperor with the name of Elagabalus.

Julia became the de facto ruler of Rome, since the teenaged emperor was concerned mainly with religious matters. Their rule was not popular, and soon discontent arose, mainly because of the strange sexual behaviour and the eastern religious practices of Elagabalus. Julia Soaemias and Elagabalus were killed by the Praetorian Guard in 222. Julia was later declared public enemy and her name erased from all records.