Julius Bassianus (born in the second half of the 2nd century, died 217) was an

Arab The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...

high priest of

Elagabalus Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (born Sextus Varius Avitus Bassianus, 204 – 11/12 March 222), better known by his nickname "Elagabalus" (, ), was Roman emperor from 218 to 222, while he was still a teenager. His short reign was conspicuous for s ...

at the ''

Temple of the Sun A sun temple (or solar temple) is a building used for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, dedicated to the sun or a solar deity. Such temples were built by a number different cultures and are distributed around the ...

'' in Emesa,

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

, where this solar deity was worshipped in a shape of a black stone. The name Elagabalus derives from ''Ilāh'' (a Semitic word for "god") and ''gabal'' (an

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...

word for "mountain"), resulting in "the God of the Mountain," the Emesene manifestation of the deity. Bassianus was a member of the Royal family of Emesa (modern

Homs ar, حمصي, Himsi , population_urban = , population_density_urban_km2 = , population_density_urban_sq_mi = , population_blank1_title = Ethnicities , population_blank1 = , population_blank2_t ...

), which was a part of the Arab aristocracy in this client kingdom of the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings aro ...

. The beginning of his priesthood is unknown, but by 187 he was a high priest at Emesa. Bassianus was a son of a Julius and his paternal uncle was

Julius Agrippa Julius Agrippa was a Syrian nobleman from the Royal family of Emesa who lived in the 2nd century. Agrippa was an Emesene nobleman who was a direct descendant of the Emesene Roman Priest-Client King Sohaemus of Emesa, also known as Gaius Julius S ...

, who served as a Primipilaris (a former leading

Centurion A centurion (; la, centurio , . la, centuriones, label=none; grc-gre, κεντυρίων, kentyríōn, or ) was a position in the Roman army during classical antiquity, nominally the commander of a century (), a military unit of around 80 ...

).Levick, ''Julia Domna: Syrian Empress'', p.18 Future emperor Lucius

Septimius Severus Lucius Septimius Severus (; 11 April 145 – 4 February 211) was Roman emperor from 193 to 211. He was born in Leptis Magna (present-day Al-Khums, Libya) in the Roman province of Africa. As a young man he advanced through the customary suc ...

had visited Emesa, based on a promising horoscope that he would find his future wife in Syria. Bassianus introduced Severus to his two daughters. Bassianus' wife is unknown. His elder daughter

Julia Maesa Julia Maesa (7 May before 160 AD – AD) was a member of the Severan dynasty of the Roman Empire who was the grandmother of emperors Elagabalus and Severus Alexander, elder sister of empress Julia Domna, and mother of Julia Soaemias and Julia ...

was married to a Syrian noble Gaius Julius Avitus Alexianus and they had two daughters: Julia Soaemias Bassiana and Julia Avita Mamaea. His younger daughter

Julia Domna Julia Domna (; – 217 AD) was Roman empress from 193 to 211 as the wife of Emperor Septimius Severus. She was the first empress of the Severan dynasty. Domna was born in Emesa (present-day Homs) in Roman Syria to an Arab family of priests ...

was not married. Severus and Domna married not so long after. Domna bore Severus two sons, Lucius Septimius Bassianus (

Caracalla Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (born Lucius Septimius Bassianus, 4 April 188 – 8 April 217), better known by his nickname "Caracalla" () was Roman emperor from 198 to 217. He was a member of the Severan dynasty, the elder son of Emperor ...

, 4 April 188-8 April 217) and

Publius Septimius Geta Publius Septimius Geta ( ; 7 March 189 – 19/26 December 211) was Roman emperor with his father Septimius Severus and older brother Caracalla from 209, when he was named ''Augustus'' like his brother, who had held the title from 198. Severus d ...

(7 March 189-19 December 211). Caracalla and Geta would become future Roman Emperors and heirs to their father. After Caracalla's death, Julia Maesa's grandson became emperor,

, whom she prevailed to adopt another grandson, the son of Julia Avita Mamaea, who took the name

Alexander Severus Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander (1 October 208 – 21/22 March 235) was a Roman emperor, who reigned from 222 until 235. He was the last emperor from the Severan dynasty. He succeeded his slain cousin Elagabalus in 222. Alexander himself wa ...

and eventually became emperor himself. Julius Bassianus is a possible descendant of

Gaius Julius Alexion Gaius Julius Alexion ( el, Γάϊος Ἰούλιος Άλεξίων, flourished 1st century) was a Syrian Prince and Roman Client Priest King of Emesa. He was the son of Syrian king Sohaemus and Queen Consort Drusilla. Family Alexion was born ...

Severan dynasty family tree

References

Sources

* *

External links

Cleopatra Selene of Mauretania

Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...

* https://www.livius.org/jo-jz/julia/julia_maesa.html * http://www.roman-emperors.org/sevjulia.htm * https://www.livius.org/ei-er/emperors/emperors03.html * http://www.roman-emperors.org/sepsev.htm {{DEFAULTSORT:Julius Bassianus, Gaius 2nd-century Romans 3rd-century Romans 2nd-century Arabs 3rd-century Arabs Severan dynasty People of Roman Syria 3rd-century deaths Emesene dynasty Bassianus, Gaius Year of birth unknown 3rd-century clergy

Severan dynasty family tree

See also

References

Sources

External links