The Emesene (or Emesan) dynasty, also called the Sampsigeramids or the Sampsigerami or the House of Sampsigeramus ( ar, آل شمسيغرام, translit=ʾĀl Šamsīġirām), were a
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
client dynasty of
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, ...
priest-kings known to have ruled by 46 BC from
Arethusa and later from
Emesa
ar, حمصي, Himsi
, population_urban =
, population_density_urban_km2 =
, population_density_urban_sq_mi =
, population_blank1_title = Ethnicities
, population_blank1 =
, population_blank2_t ...
,
Syria, until between 72 and 78/79, or at the latest the reign of Emperor
Antoninus Pius
Antoninus Pius ( Latin: ''Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Pius''; 19 September 86 – 7 March 161) was Roman emperor from 138 to 161. He was the fourth of the Five Good Emperors from the Nerva–Antonine dynasty.
Born into a senatori ...
(138–161).
Iamblichus, the famous
Neoplatonist
Neoplatonism is a strand of Platonic philosophy that emerged in the 3rd century AD against the background of Hellenistic philosophy and religion. The term does not encapsulate a set of ideas as much as a chain of thinkers. But there are some id ...
philosopher of the third century, was one of their descendants, as was empress
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 ...
, matriarch of the
Severan dynasty
The Severan dynasty was a Roman imperial dynasty that ruled the Roman Empire between 193 and 235, during the Roman imperial period. The dynasty was founded by the emperor Septimius Severus (), who rose to power after the Year of the Five Empero ...
.
Onomastics
Most modern sources declare the family to be of
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, ...
origin. Roman sources such as
Herodian
Herodian or Herodianus ( el, Ἡρωδιανός) of Syria, sometimes referred to as "Herodian of Antioch" (c. 170 – c. 240), was a minor Roman civil servant who wrote a colourful history in Greek titled ''History of the Empire from the Death o ...
describe the family as
Phoenician by
genos
In ancient Greece, a ''genos'' ( Greek: γένος, "race, stock, kin", plural γένη ''genē'') was a social group claiming common descent, referred to by a single name (see also Sanskrit " Gana"). Most ''gene'' were composed of noble families& ...
or stock.
Some members of the family such as
Julius Bassianus
Julius Bassianus (born in the second half of the 2nd century, died 217) was an Arab high priest of Elagabalus at the ''Temple of the Sun'' in Emesa, Syria, where this solar deity was worshipped in a shape of a black stone. The name Elagabalus de ...
, father of
Julia Domma, are described in Roman sources as "a priest of the Sun, whom the Phoenicians, from whom he sprang, call Elagabalus". Writer
Heliodorus of Emesa
Heliodorus Emesenus or Heliodorus of Emesa ( grc, Ἡλιόδωρος ὁ Ἐμεσηνός) is the author of the ancient Greek novel called the ''Aethiopica'' () or ''Theagenes and Chariclea'' (), which has been dated to the 220s or 370s AD.
Ide ...
, a descendant of the family, identified himself as "a Phoenician, from the race of the Sun". Since Emesa was never part of historical
Phoenicia
Phoenicia () was an ancient thalassocratic civilization originating in the Levant region of the eastern Mediterranean, primarily located in modern Lebanon. The territory of the Phoenician city-states extended and shrank throughout their histor ...
, modern historians consider the use of "Phoenician" in these sources a pseudo-ethnic label; one that arose from the political creation of
Syria Phoenice by
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 ...
in 194.
Some authors believe that Kings Sampsigeramus and
Iamblichus had
Aramaic
The Aramaic languages, short Aramaic ( syc, ܐܪܡܝܐ, Arāmāyā; oar, 𐤀𐤓𐤌𐤉𐤀; arc, 𐡀𐡓𐡌𐡉𐡀; tmr, אֲרָמִית), are a language family containing many varieties (languages and dialects) that originated in ...
names, while other historians state their names are Arabic. The name Samsigeramus is derived from Shams, meaning sun, while ''geram'' comes from the Arabic root ''k-r-m'', meaning "to venerate". Other kings, such as
Aziz
Aziz ( ar, عزيز, , is an Arabic male name. The feminine form of both the adjective and the given name is Aziza.
''Aziz'' in Arabic is derived from the root ''ʕ-z-z'' with a meaning of "strong, powerful" and the adjective has acquired its m ...
us and
Sohaemus, had clear
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 ...
names.
Iamblichus was referred to as "
Phylarch
A phylarch ( el, φύλαρχος, la, phylarchus) is a Greek title meaning "ruler of a tribe", from '' phyle'', "tribe" + ''archein'' "to rule".
In Classical Athens, a phylarch was the elected commander of the cavalry provided by each of the ...
of the
Arabs
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, ...
" by
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the esta ...
and "King of an Arabian tribe" by Cassius Dio. In any case, it is agreed upon that
Emesa
ar, حمصي, Himsi
, population_urban =
, population_density_urban_km2 =
, population_density_urban_sq_mi =
, population_blank1_title = Ethnicities
, population_blank1 =
, population_blank2_t ...
and its surrounding had a strong presence of Arabic-speaking people at the time.
In Emesa, Aramaic and
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
were commonly spoken languages and, during the Roman Empire,
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
was probably commonly spoken in the city.
Religion
![Elagabalus Aureus Sol Invictus](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Elagabalus_Aureus_Sol_Invictus.png)
Emesa was recorded by
Herodian
Herodian or Herodianus ( el, Ἡρωδιανός) of Syria, sometimes referred to as "Herodian of Antioch" (c. 170 – c. 240), was a minor Roman civil servant who wrote a colourful history in Greek titled ''History of the Empire from the Death o ...
to have been by the 3rd-century the centre of a worship of the ancient pagan god
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 ...
, the original name of which is posited to have been ''El-Gabal'' or Ilah Jabal ("إله جبل"). The deity's Latin name, Elagabalus, is a Latinized version of the
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 ...
''Ilāh al-Jabal'', from ''ilāh'' ("god") and ''jabal'' ("mountain"), meaning "God of the Mountain". In Emesa, the religious "lord", or
Ba'al
Baal (), or Baal,; phn, , baʿl; hbo, , baʿal, ). ( ''baʿal'') was a title and honorific meaning "owner", "lord" in the Northwest Semitic languages spoken in the Levant during antiquity. From its use among people, it came to be applied t ...
, was the cult of Elagabalus. This cult is assumed to have existed already at the time when the dynasty was still ruling (it is believed, as priest-kings), although there might have been originally two separate cults. The deity Elagabalus successfully preserved Arab characteristics both in his names, and in his representations.
History
Sampsiceramus I to Sampsiceramus II
Sampsiceramus I
Sampsiceramus I ( arc, 𐡔𐡌𐡔𐡂𐡓𐡌, Šamšigeram; died 48 BC) was the founding Priest-King of the Emesene dynasty who lived in the 1st century BC and was a tribal chieftain or Phylarch.
Biography
The ancestors of Sampsiceramus I were ...
( arc, 𐡔𐡌𐡔𐡂𐡓𐡌, Šamšigeram) was the founding Priest-King of the Emesene dynasty who lived in the 1st century BC and was a tribal chieftain or
Phylarch
A phylarch ( el, φύλαρχος, la, phylarchus) is a Greek title meaning "ruler of a tribe", from '' phyle'', "tribe" + ''archein'' "to rule".
In Classical Athens, a phylarch was the elected commander of the cavalry provided by each of the ...
. The ancestors of Sampsiceramus I were
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, ...
s who had travelled the Syrian terrain, before deciding to settle in the Orontes Valley and South of the
Apamea region. Sampsiceramus I, his family and his ancestors in Syria had lived under the Greek rule of the
Seleucid Empire. Sampsiceramus I was a son of Aziz (Azizus, c. 94 BC); paternal grandson of Iamblichus (c. 151 BC) and there was a possibility he may have had a brother called Ptolemaeus (c. 41 BC) who may have had descendants through his son. Through the rule and influence of the Seleucid dynasty and Greek settlement in the Seleucid Empire, the area was assimilated into the Greek language and culture of the
Hellenistic period
In Classical antiquity, the Hellenistic period covers the time in Mediterranean history after Classical Greece, between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the emergence of the Roman Empire, as signified by the Battle of Actium in ...
. Hence, Sampsiceramus I and his ancestors became Hellenized through the Greek rule of Syria and the surrounding territories.
Sampsiceramus I was an ally to the last Seleucid Greek Monarchs of Syria. By this time, the
Seleucid Empire had become very weak and always appealed to the
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic ( la, Res publica Romana ) was a form of government of Rome and the era of the classical Roman civilization when it was run through public representation of the Roman people. Beginning with the overthrow of the Roman Ki ...
to help solve political or succession problems. Around 64 BC, the Roman General and Triumvir,
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (; 29 September 106 BC – 28 September 48 BC), known in English as Pompey or Pompey the Great, was a leading Roman general and statesman. He played a significant role in the transformation of ...
had reorganised Syria and the surrounding countries into
Roman province
The Roman provinces (Latin: ''provincia'', pl. ''provinciae'') were the administrative regions of Ancient Rome outside Roman Italy that were controlled by the Romans under the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire. Each province was rule ...
s. Pompey had installed client kings in the region, who would become allies of Rome. Among these was Sampsiceramus I (whose name is also spelt ''Sampsigeramus''). The Roman politician Marcus Tullius
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the esta ...
, nicknamed Pompey ‘Sampsiceramus’ to make fun of Pompey's pretensions as an eastern
potentate
Potentate may refer to:
* Imperial Potentate, the title of the head of the Shriners
Shriners International, formally known as the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (AAONMS), is an American Masonic society established in ...
. At the request of Pompey, Sampsiceramus I captured and killed in 64 BC, the second last Seleucid King
Antiochus XIII Asiaticus
Antiochus XIII Philadelphus, (Greek: Ἀντίοχος ΙΓ' Φιλάδελφος) known as Asiaticus, (Ἀσιατικός) was the penultimate ruler of the Seleucid kingdom.
Biography
He was son of king Antiochus X Eusebes and the Ptolemaic ...
. After the death of Antiochus XIII, Sampsiceramus I was confirmed in power and his family was left to rule the surrounding region under Roman suzerainty. Client rulers such as Sampsiceramus I could police routes and preserve the integrity of Rome without cost to Roman manpower or to the Roman treasury; they were probably paid for the privilege.
![Ash_Shmemis_castle](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Ash_Shmemis_castle.jpg)
Emesa was added to the domains of Sampsiceramus I, but the first Emesene capital was
Arethusa, a city north of Emesa, along the
Orontes River. The kingdom of Sampsiceramus I was the first of Rome's client kingdoms on the desert's fringes. The kingdom's boundaries extended from the
Beqaa Valley in the West to the border of
Palmyra
Palmyra (; Palmyrene: () ''Tadmor''; ar, تَدْمُر ''Tadmur'') is an ancient city in present-day Homs Governorate, Syria. Archaeological finds date back to the Neolithic period, and documents first mention the city in the early secon ...
in the East, from
Yabrud in the South to Arethusa in the North and
Heliopolis. During his reign, Sampsiceramus I built a castle at
Shmemis on top of an extinct volcano and rebuilt the city of
Salamiyah which the Romans incorporated in the ruled territory. In time, Sampsiceramus I established and formed a powerful ruling dynasty and a leading kingdom in the
Roman East. His Priest-King dynasty ruled from 64 BC until at least 254.
![Bronze-Uranius Antoninus-Elagabal stone-SGI 4414](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/Bronze-Uranius_Antoninus-Elagabal_stone-SGI_4414.jpg)
When Sampsiceramus I died in 48 BC, he was succeeded by son,
Iamblichus I. In his reign, the prominence of Emesa grew after Iamblichus I established it as the new capital of the Emesene dynasty. The economy of the Emesene Kingdom was based on agriculture. With fertile volcanic soil in the Orontes Valley and a great lake, as well as a dam across the Orontes south of Emesa, which provided ample water, Emesa's soil was ideal for cultivation. Farms in Emesa provided wheat, vines and olives. Emesa in antiquity was a very wealthy city. The city was a part of a trade route from the East, a route that went via Palmyra and passed through Emesa on its way to the coast. An example on how wealthy Emesa was, ancient pieces of jewellery have been found at the necropolis of Tell Abu Sabun, suggests that the engineering work demanded to be constructed along the lake. Apart from
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes (; grc-gre, Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου, ''Antiókheia hē epì Oróntou'', Learned ; also Syrian Antioch) grc-koi, Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου; or Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπ ...
, a very important city for the Romans, this port city, prospered under its Roman vassal rulers.
Prior to succeeding his father, Iamblichus I was considered by Cicero in 51 BC (then Roman Governor of
Cilicia
Cilicia (); el, Κιλικία, ''Kilikía''; Middle Persian: ''klkyʾy'' (''Klikiyā''); Parthian: ''kylkyʾ'' (''Kilikiyā''); tr, Kilikya). is a geographical region in southern Anatolia in Turkey, extending inland from the northeastern coa ...
), as a possible ally against Parthia. Shortly after Iamblichus I became priest-king, he had become prudent and supported the Roman politician
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, ...
in his
Alexandria
Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandri ...
n war against Pompey. Iamblichus I sent troops to aid Caesar. Pompey was the patron for the family of Iamblichus I, who was later defeated and killed. The Emesene dynasty had proven from the late Republic into the Imperial era that the dynasty were loyal to the Roman state.
After the death of Julius Caesar, for a brief period Iamblichus I supported the Roman Governor of Syria who was one of Julius Caesar's assassins. In the period of the
Roman civil wars
This is a list of civil wars and organized civil disorder, revolts and rebellions in ancient Rome ( Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic, and Roman Empire) until the fall of the Western Roman Empire (753 BCE – 476 CE). For the Eastern Roman Empire or ...
, Iamblichus I supported the Roman Triumvir
Octavian
Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pr ...
. Iamblichus I became suspect to Roman Triumvir
Mark Antony
Marcus Antonius (14 January 1 August 30 BC), commonly known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general who played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic from a constitutional republic into the au ...
. Antony encouraged Iamblichus I's brother
Alexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
, to usurp his brother's throne and had Iamblichus I executed. Octavian, after defeating Antony and reorganising the Eastern Roman provinces, had Alexander executed for treason in 31 BC. From 30 BC until 20 BC, the Emesene Kingdom was dissolved and became an autonomous community free of dynastic rule though under the supervision of the Roman governor of Syria.
Later in 20 BC, Octavian, now as the
Roman emperor Augustus
Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pr ...
, restored the Emesene Kingdom to
Iamblichus II
Iamblichus (; grc-gre, Ἰάμβλιχος ; Aramaic: 𐡉𐡌𐡋𐡊𐡅 ''Yamlīḵū''; ) was a Syrian neoplatonic philosopher of Arabic origin. He determined a direction later taken by neoplatonism. Iamblichus was also the biographer of ...
, the son of Iamblichus I. Iamblichus II was the first in his family to receive the
Roman citizenship
Citizenship in ancient Rome (Latin: ''civitas'') was a privileged political and legal status afforded to free individuals with respect to laws, property, and governance. Citizenship in Ancient Rome was complex and based upon many different laws, t ...
from Augustus, as the Emesene dynasty took the
Roman gentilicium Julius
The gens Julia (''gēns Iūlia'', ) was one of the most prominent patrician families in ancient Rome. Members of the gens attained the highest dignities of the state in the earliest times of the Republic. The first of the family to obtain the ...
to be added to their Aramaic, Arabic, Greek and later Latin names in tomb inscriptions in the 1st century AD. Iamblichus II ruled as a Priest-King from 20 BC to 14. Iamblichus II's reign was stable and from it emerged a new era of peace, known as the
Golden Age
The term Golden Age comes from Greek mythology, particularly the '' Works and Days'' of Hesiod, and is part of the description of temporal decline of the state of peoples through five Ages, Gold being the first and the one during which the G ...
of Emesa. Iamblichus II died in 14 and his grandson
Sampsiceramus II succeeded him as priest-king. Sampsiceramus II ruled from 14 until his death in 42. According to a surviving inscription at the
Temple of Bel
The Temple of Bel ( ar, معبد بعل), sometimes also referred to as the "Temple of Baal", was an ancient temple located in Palmyra, Syria. The temple, consecrated to the Mesopotamian god Bel, worshipped at Palmyra in triad with the lunar g ...
in
Palmyra
Palmyra (; Palmyrene: () ''Tadmor''; ar, تَدْمُر ''Tadmur'') is an ancient city in present-day Homs Governorate, Syria. Archaeological finds date back to the Neolithic period, and documents first mention the city in the early secon ...
, dating from the years 18/19 he may have acted as an intermediary between Palmyra and Rome. In the inscription he is mentioned alongside the Roman general
Germanicus, the adoptive son and nephew of the Roman emperor
Tiberius
Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus (; 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37) was the second Roman emperor. He reigned from AD 14 until 37, succeeding his stepfather, the first Roman emperor Augustus. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC. His father ...
. Emesa was closely linked for its prosperity with its neighbour Palmyra. Before he died, Sampsiceramus II was convened by the
Herodian King Agrippa I at
Tiberias
Tiberias ( ; he, טְבֶרְיָה, ; ar, طبريا, Ṭabariyyā) is an Israeli city on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. A major Jewish center during Late Antiquity, it has been considered since the 16th century one of Judaism's F ...
.
Sampsiceramus II is also known from other surviving inscriptional evidence. In one inscription dating from his reign, Sampsiceramus II with his wife
Iotapa are known as a ''happy couple''. Posthumously Sampsiceramus II is honoured by his son,
Sohaemus in an honorific
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
inscription dedicated to his son while he was a Patron of Heliopolis during his reign as King. In this inscription, Sampsiceramus II is honored as a ''Great King''
egis Magni[Temporini, ''2, Principat: 9, 2, Volume 8'', p.213] Sampsiceramus II ruled as a Great King at least in local parlance.
Azizus, Sohaemus and afterwards
After the death of Sampsiceramus II, his first son
Azizus succeeded him. He reigned from 42 until 54. Little is known of the reign of Azizus, except for his childless marriage to the Herodian Princess
Drusilla. Azizus married Drusilla in 53, on the condition that he was to be circumcised. She was briefly married to Azizus and Drusilla ended their marriage. She divorced him because she fell in love with Marcus
Antonius Felix
Antonius Felix (possibly Tiberius Claudius Antonius Felix, in Greek: ὁ Φῆλιξ; born circa 5–10) was the 4th Roman procurator of Judea Province in 52–60, in succession to Ventidius Cumanus.
Life
Felix was the younger brother of t ...
, a
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
Freedman who was the
Roman Governor of Judea, whom she later married.
When Azizus died in 54, he was succeeded by his brother Sohaemus who reigned from 54 until his death in 73. Under the rule of Sohaemus, Emesa's relations with the government of Rome grew closer. In 70, in the
Roman Siege of Jerusalem, Sohaemus sent Emesene archers to assist the Roman army. He also assisted the Roman emperor
Vespasian
Vespasian (; la, Vespasianus ; 17 November AD 9 – 23/24 June 79) was a Roman emperor who reigned from AD 69 to 79. The fourth and last emperor who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors, he founded the Flavian dynasty that ruled the Empi ...
, in 72, in annexing the Client State of the
Kingdom of Commagene
Commagene ( grc-gre, Κομμαγηνή) was an ancient Greco-Iranian kingdom ruled by a Hellenized branch of the Iranian Orontid dynasty that had ruled over Armenia. The kingdom was located in and around the ancient city of Samosata, which s ...
.
Sohaemus died in 73 and was succeeded by his son,
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 ...
. Despite the fact that the Emesene dynasty were loyal allies to Rome, for unknown reasons the Roman State reduced the autonomous rule of the Emesene dynasty. Sohaemus was apparently the last king of the Emesene Kingdom and after his death in 78, the Kingdom most probably was absorbed by the Roman Province of Syria, but there is no explicit evidence of this occurring.
Gaius Julius Sampsigeramus ( 78 or 79 AD)
[.]), "from the Fabia tribe, also known as Seilas, son of Gaius Julius Alexion," was the builder of the so-named
Tomb of Sampsigeramus
The Tomb of Sampsigeramus ( ar, ضريح شمسيغرام, translit=Ḍarīḥ Shamsīghirām) was a mausoleum that formerly stood in the necropolis of Emesa (modern-day Homs, Syria). It is thought to have been built in 78 or 79 CE by a relative ...
that formerly stood in the necropolis of
Tell Abu Sabun, as recorded on an inscription said to have belonged to the monument. According to
Maurice Sartre
Maurice Sartre (born 3 October 1944) is a French historian, an Emeritus professor of ancient history at the François Rabelais University, a specialist in ancient Greek and Eastern Roman history, especially the Hellenized Middle East, from Alexand ...
, the owner's Roman citizenship, attested by his ''
tria nomina
Over the course of some fourteen centuries, the Romans and other peoples of Italy employed a system of nomenclature that differed from that used by other cultures of Europe and the Mediterranean Sea, consisting of a combination of personal and fa ...
'', strongly supports relatedness to the royal family.
The lack of allusion to royal kinship is best explained if the dynasty had been deprived of its kingdom shortly before the mausoleum was built and the said kingdom had been annexed to the
Roman province of Syria
Roman Syria was an early Roman province annexed to the Roman Republic in 64 BC by Pompey in the Third Mithridatic War following the defeat of King of Armenia Tigranes the Great.
Following the partition of the Herodian Kingdom of Judea into tetr ...
, which occurred very likely between 72 and the construction of the mausoleum.
As worded by Andreas Kropp, "what the builder was really keen on stressing is that he was a Roman citizen bearing the ''tria nomina''."
Between 211 & 217, the Roman emperor
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 S ...
, made Emesa into a
Roman Colony
A Roman (plural ) was originally a Roman outpost established in conquered territory to secure it. Eventually, however, the term came to denote the highest status of a Roman city. It is also the origin of the modern term ''colony''.
Character ...
, as this was partly due to the Severan dynasty's relations with and connections to Emesa. Partly due to the influence and rule of the Emesene dynasty, Emesa had grown and became one of the most important cities in the Roman East. Despite the Emesenes being a warlike people; they exported
wheat
Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...
, grapes and
olives throughout the Roman world, and the city was part of the Eastern trade route which stretched from the mainland to the coast, which benefited the local and the Roman economy. The Emesenes sent men into the Roman legions and contributed their archers to the auxiliaries of the imperial army. In modern Syria, Emesa has retained its local significance as it is the market centre for surrounding villages.
Archaeology
The royal family of Emesa is imperfectly known.
[Ptolemaic Genealogy – Cleopatra Selene, Footnote 10](_blank)
/ref> What is known about the Emesene dynasty and their kingdom is from surviving archaeological evidence, as the ancient Roman historical sources do not provide a lot of information about them. It is from surviving inscriptions that we know the names of the Emesene Priest-Kings; the Emesene Priests, their known relatives and the limited information about them. As a capital of a Roman Client Kingdom, Emesa shows attributes of a Greek city-state
A city-state is an independent sovereign city which serves as the center of political, economic, and cultural life over its contiguous territory. They have existed in many parts of the world since the dawn of history, including cities such as ...
and traces of Roman town planning remain.
Archaeological evidence remains from the Emesene dynasty in the city of Salamiyah which was rebuilt by Sampsiceramus I. Surviving monuments built by the Emesene dynasty includes the castle at Shmemis which is on top of an extinct volcano built by Sampsiceramus I and the Emesene dynastic tomb. Among those who are buried there is Alexander, Sohaemus and Julius Alexander. The remains of the Tomb of Sampsigeramus
The Tomb of Sampsigeramus ( ar, ضريح شمسيغرام, translit=Ḍarīḥ Shamsīghirām) was a mausoleum that formerly stood in the necropolis of Emesa (modern-day Homs, Syria). It is thought to have been built in 78 or 79 CE by a relative ...
were blown up with dynamite by the Ottoman authorities 1911, in order to make room for an oil depot.
Coins have survived from the Emesene dynasty; the earliest known ones being issued for celebrating the cult of El-Gebal under the Roman emperor Antoninus Pius
Antoninus Pius ( Latin: ''Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Pius''; 19 September 86 – 7 March 161) was Roman emperor from 138 to 161. He was the fourth of the Five Good Emperors from the Nerva–Antonine dynasty.
Born into a senatori ...
, 138-161. They depict an eagle perched on a black stone and an elaborate monumental altar being shown. Two superimposed row of niches, between two pilasters stand on a massive base; with statues in each of the six niches. Above is a smaller altar, surmounted by the great stone itself, ornamented with mysterious markings.
List of members
Priest-Kings
The known Emesene Priest-Kings were:
* Sampsiceramus I
Sampsiceramus I ( arc, 𐡔𐡌𐡔𐡂𐡓𐡌, Šamšigeram; died 48 BC) was the founding Priest-King of the Emesene dynasty who lived in the 1st century BC and was a tribal chieftain or Phylarch.
Biography
The ancestors of Sampsiceramus I were ...
(''Šamšigeram''), reigned 64 BC–48 BC, son of Aziz (''Aziz'', c. 94 BC) and paternal grandson of Iamblichus (''Yamliḵu'', c. 151 BC)
* Iamblichus I (son of Sampsiceramus I and brother of Alexander), reigned 48 BC–31 BC
* Alexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
(brother of Iamblichus I and another son of Sampsiceramus I). Usurper
A usurper is an illegitimate or controversial claimant to power, often but not always in a monarchy. In other words, one who takes the power of a country, city, or established region for oneself, without any formal or legal right to claim it as ...
to the Emesene throne in 31 BC and executed in the same year by Octavian
* The Emesene kingdom dissolved from 30 BC to 20 BC and becomes an autonomous community under the supervision of the Roman governor of Syria
* Iamblichus II
Iamblichus (; grc-gre, Ἰάμβλιχος ; Aramaic: 𐡉𐡌𐡋𐡊𐡅 ''Yamlīḵū''; ) was a Syrian neoplatonic philosopher of Arabic origin. He determined a direction later taken by neoplatonism. Iamblichus was also the biographer of ...
(son of Iamblichus I), reigned 20 BC–14
* Gaius Julius Sampsiceramus II, also known as Sampsiceramus II (grandson of Iamblichus II), reigned 14–42
* Gaius Julius Azizus
Gaius, sometimes spelled ''Gajus'', Kaius, Cajus, Caius, was a common Latin praenomen; see Gaius (praenomen).
People
* Gaius (jurist) (), Roman jurist
*Gaius Acilius
*Gaius Antonius
*Gaius Antonius Hybrida
*Gaius Asinius Gallus
*Gaius Asinius P ...
or Asisus (son of Sampsiceramus II), reigned 42–54
* Gaius Julius Sohaemus Philocaesar Philorhomaeus
Gaius Julius Sohaemus Philocaesar Philorhomaeus ( el, Γάιος Ιούλιος Σόαιμος Φιλοκαίσαρ Φιλορωμαίος, ''Gaius Julius Sohaemus, lover of Caesar, lover of Rome'') also known as Sohaemus of Emesa and Sohaemus o ...
(brother to Azizus and second son to Sampsiceramus II), reigned 54–73
* 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 ...
(son of Sohaemus[Settipani, ''Continuité gentilice et continuité familiale dans les familles sénatoriales romaines à l’époque impériale'']), reigned 73–78
Reign uncertain
* Gaius Julius Sampsigeramus ( 78/79)
Usurpers (kinship uncertain)
* Uranius Antoninus, usurper 210–235: "it seems that Uranius Antoninus styled himself as a new Sampsigeramid king of Emesa"
* Uranius Antoninus, usurper 235–254: claimed that he was related to the Sampsigeramids"
Other
* C. (Iulius?) Longinus Sohaemus ("son of Sampsigeramus"), fl. 110
* Commagenean Princess Iotapa, married Sampsiceramus II. Iotapa bore Sampsiceramus II four children: two sons, Gaius Julius Azizus
Gaius, sometimes spelled ''Gajus'', Kaius, Cajus, Caius, was a common Latin praenomen; see Gaius (praenomen).
People
* Gaius (jurist) (), Roman jurist
*Gaius Acilius
*Gaius Antonius
*Gaius Antonius Hybrida
*Gaius Asinius Gallus
*Gaius Asinius P ...
and Gaius Julius Sohaemus Philocaesar Philorhomaeus
Gaius Julius Sohaemus Philocaesar Philorhomaeus ( el, Γάιος Ιούλιος Σόαιμος Φιλοκαίσαρ Φιλορωμαίος, ''Gaius Julius Sohaemus, lover of Caesar, lover of Rome'') also known as Sohaemus of Emesa and Sohaemus o ...
and two daughters, Iotapa who married the Herodian Prince Aristobulus Minor
Aristobulus Minor or Aristobulus the Younger (flourished 1st century BC and 1st century AD, died after 44) was a prince from the Herodian Dynasty. He was of Jewish, Nabataean and Edomite ancestry.
He was the youngest son born to prince Aristobul ...
and Mamaea
* Mamaea married the Roman Client King Polemon II of Pontus, who through this marriage became Roman Client Queen of Pontus, Cilicia and Colchis.
* Julia Urania
Ptolemy of Mauretania ( grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος, ''Ptolemaîos''; la, Gaius Iulius Ptolemaeus; 13 9BC–AD40) was the last Roman client king and ruler of Mauretania for Rome. He was the son of Juba II, the king of Numidia and a member ...
Queen of Mauretania, who may have been a minor Emesene Princess and married Roman Client King Ptolemy of Mauretania
Ptolemy of Mauretania ( grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος, ''Ptolemaîos''; la, Gaius Iulius Ptolemaeus; 13 9BC–AD40) was the last Roman client king and ruler of Mauretania for Rome. He was the son of Juba II, the king of Numidia and a member ...
* Drusilla, Mauretanian princess from North Africa, who was the daughter of Ptolemy of Mauretania and Julia Urania, married Gaius Julius Sohaemus Philocaesar Philorhomaeus, son of Sampsiceramus II and Iotapa. Drusilla and Sohaemus had a son called 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 ...
* Sohaemus of Armenia also known as Gaius Julius Sohaemus King of Armenia
This is a list of the monarchs of Armenia, for more information on ancient Armenia and Armenians, please see History of Armenia. For information on the medieval Armenian Kingdom in Cilicia, please see the separate page Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia.
...
from 144 until 161, then again in 163 to perhaps up to 186
* Julius Alexander
Julius Alexander also known as Julius Alexander of Emesa was prince from the Royal family of Emesa who lived in the 2nd century.
Although Alexander was a nobleman from Emesa, little is known of his origins. He may have been the son of Sohaemus of ...
, an Emesene nobleman who could be the possible son of Sohaemus of Armenia who died in c. 190 and is a contemporary of the Roman emperor Commodus
* 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 ...
, an Emesene nobleman who served as a ''Primipilaris'' or a former leading centurion son of a Julius and paternal uncle of the Emesene High Priest Gaius Julius Bassianus
Julius Bassianus (born in the second half of the 2nd century, died 217) was an Arab high priest of Elagabalus at the ''Temple of the Sun'' in Emesa, Syria, where this solar deity was worshipped in a shape of a black stone. The name Elagabalus de ...
* The Emesene High Priest Gaius Julius Bassianus
Julius Bassianus (born in the second half of the 2nd century, died 217) was an Arab high priest of Elagabalus at the ''Temple of the Sun'' in Emesa, Syria, where this solar deity was worshipped in a shape of a black stone. The name Elagabalus de ...
, son of a Julius and nephew of Julius Agrippa and a possible descendant of Drusilla of Mauretania and Gaius Julius Sohaemus Philocaesar Philorhomaeus. He married an unnamed woman by whom was the father of 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 ...
and her younger sister, the Roman Empress 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 ...
* 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 ...
, second wife of Roman 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 ...
; mother of the Severan
The Severan dynasty was a Roman imperial dynasty that ruled the Roman Empire between 193 and 235, during the Roman imperial period. The dynasty was founded by the emperor Septimius Severus (), who rose to power after the Year of the Five Empero ...
Roman emperors 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 S ...
(born as Lucius Septimius Bassianus) 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 ...
* 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 ...
, wife of the Syrian Roman politician Gaius Julius Avitus
Gaius Julius Avitus AlexianusHazel, ''Who's who in the Roman World'', p. 34 (died 217) was a Syrian nobleman who had an impressive Roman military and political career.
Background and career
Although Alexianus was a Roman citizen who was born and ...
Alexianus by whom had two daughters: Julia Soaemias
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 ...
Bassiana and Julia Avita Mamaea
Julia Avita Mamaea or Julia Mamaea (14 or 29 August around 182 – 235) was a Syrian noble woman and member of the Severan dynasty. She was the mother of Roman emperor Alexander Severus and remained one of his chief advisors throughout his ...
* Julia Soaemias
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 ...
Bassiana, wife of the Syrian Roman politician Sextus Varius Marcellus by whom she had one unnamed son and a second son, the Severan
The Severan dynasty was a Roman imperial dynasty that ruled the Roman Empire between 193 and 235, during the Roman imperial period. The dynasty was founded by the emperor Septimius Severus (), who rose to power after the Year of the Five Empero ...
Roman emperor 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 ...
(born as Sextus Varius Avitus Bassianus)
* Julia Avita Mamaea
Julia Avita Mamaea or Julia Mamaea (14 or 29 August around 182 – 235) was a Syrian noble woman and member of the Severan dynasty. She was the mother of Roman emperor Alexander Severus and remained one of his chief advisors throughout his ...
, wife of the Syrian Roman politician Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus and was possibly the mother of Marcus Julius Gessius Bassianus, but was definitely the mother of Theoclia and Severan
The Severan dynasty was a Roman imperial dynasty that ruled the Roman Empire between 193 and 235, during the Roman imperial period. The dynasty was founded by the emperor Septimius Severus (), who rose to power after the Year of the Five Empero ...
Roman emperor 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 was ...
(born as Marcus Julius Gessius Bassianus Alexianus)
* Aemilius Papinianus (142–212) also known as Papinian, a celebrated Roman Jurist and Praetorian prefect who was a kinsman of 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 ...
Descendants
*Zenobia
Septimia Zenobia ( Palmyrene Aramaic: , , vocalized as ; AD 240 – c. 274) was a third-century queen of the Palmyrene Empire in Syria. Many legends surround her ancestry; she was probably not a commoner and she married the ruler of the city ...
, Queen of Palmyra
Palmyra (; Palmyrene: () ''Tadmor''; ar, تَدْمُر ''Tadmur'') is an ancient city in present-day Homs Governorate, Syria. Archaeological finds date back to the Neolithic period, and documents first mention the city in the early secon ...
in the 3rd century, is a possible descendant of Drusilla of Mauretania and Gaius Julius Sohaemus. Zenobia's possible descent from Drusilla might support Zenobia's claims of being a descendant of the last Queen of Egypt Cleopatra VII
Cleopatra VII Philopator ( grc-gre, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ}, "Cleopatra the father-beloved"; 69 BC10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler.She was also a ...
* Iamblichus, 2nd century novelist, claims his ancestry from the Emesene Priest Kings and was a contemporary of Sohaemus of Armenia
* Iamblichus, 3rd century Neoplatonist
Neoplatonism is a strand of Platonic philosophy that emerged in the 3rd century AD against the background of Hellenistic philosophy and religion. The term does not encapsulate a set of ideas as much as a chain of thinkers. But there are some id ...
, claimed to have been a descendant of the Emesene Priest Kings
*Uranius
Uranius is the name of two possible Roman usurpers of the third century.
The first Uranius is mentioned only by Zosimus, and was briefly active during the latter part of the reign of Alexander Severus. He was chosen by dissatisfied soldiers a ...
Antoninus, usurper in the 3rd century, may have been called Sampsiceramus, and have been an Emesene priest.
* Theodora of Emesa is a possible descendant of the Emesan dynasty. Patriarch of Constantinople, Scholar, and Christian Saint of the 9th century, Photios I, notes that around A.D. 500, the Syrian Pagan Philosopher Damascius
Damascius (; grc-gre, Δαμάσκιος, 458 – after 538), known as "the last of the Athenian Neoplatonists," was the last scholarch of the neoplatonic Athenian school. He was one of the neoplatonic philosophers who left Athens after laws ...
dedicated a book to a Theodora
Theodora is a given name of Greek origin, meaning "God's gift".
Theodora may also refer to:
Historical figures known as Theodora
Byzantine empresses
* Theodora (wife of Justinian I) ( 500 – 548), saint by the Orthodox Church
* Theodora o ...
, daughter of Diogenes, son of Eusebius, son of Flavianus and a descendant of King Sampsiceramus of Emesa
*Heliodorus of Emesa
Heliodorus Emesenus or Heliodorus of Emesa ( grc, Ἡλιόδωρος ὁ Ἐμεσηνός) is the author of the ancient Greek novel called the ''Aethiopica'' () or ''Theagenes and Chariclea'' (), which has been dated to the 220s or 370s AD.
Ide ...
claims to have been a descendant of the Royal family of Emesa
Family tree
See also
* Black Stone
The Black Stone ( ar, ٱلْحَجَرُ ٱلْأَسْوَد, ', 'Black Stone') is a rock set into the eastern corner of the Kaaba, the ancient building in the center of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is revered by Muslims as an ...
* Elagabalus (deity)
Elagabalus (), Aelagabalus, Heliogabalus, () or simply Elagabal (Aramaic: 𐡁𐡋𐡄𐡂𐡀𐡋 ''ʾĕlāhgabāl'' or 𐡁𐡋𐡄𐡀𐡂𐡀𐡋 ''ʾĕlāhaʾgabāl''; Arabic: إله الجبل ''Ilah al-Jabal'', "mountain god") ...
* Homs
Notes
References
Sources
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External links
Royal Egyptian Genealogy: Ptolemaic Descendants
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928103357/http://www.sfagn.info/information/kritt.html Articles, Books and Studies: Numismatic Evidence For A New Seleucid King: Seleucus (VII) Philometor by Brian Kritt]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Royal Family Of Emesa
Emesene dynasty,
Homs
Roman Syria
Rulers of Syria
Arab history
Arabs in the Roman Empire
Arab dynasties