Julia Mammaea - Roman Empress wife of Emperor Severus
Alexander 222-235 A.D. -
Silver Denarius 18mm (3.2 grams) Rome mint: 226 A.D.
Reference: RIC 360 (Severus Alexander), BMC 381 (Severus Alexander), S 8217, C
81
IVLIAMAMAEAAVG - Diademed, draped bust right.
VESTA - Vesta standing left, holding palladium and scepter.
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Vesta was the
virgin goddess of the
hearth, home,
and family in
Roman mythology. Although she is often mistaken as analogous to
Hestia in
Greek mythology, she had a large, albeit mysterious, role in Roman religion
long before she appeared in Greece. Little is known about the goddess, since,
unlike other Roman deities, she went without mention in
myths.
Vesta's presence was symbolized by the
sacred fire that burned at her hearth and temples.
Vestales
Vesta's (in some versions she is called Vestia) fire was
guarded at her Temples by her
priestesses,
the
Vestales. Every March 1 the fire was renewed. It burned until
391, when the Emperor
Theodosius I forbade public
pagan
worship. One of the Vestales mentioned in mythology was
Rhea
Silvia, who with the God
Mars conceived
Romulus and Remus (see
founding of Rome).
The Vestales were one of the few full-time
clergy
positions in
Roman religion. They were drawn from the
patrician class and had to observe absolute
chastity
for 30 years. It was from this that the Vestales were named the Vestal virgins.
They could not show excessive care of their person, and they were not allowed to
let the fire go out. The Vestal Virgins lived together in a house near the Forum
(Atrium Vestae), supervised by the
Pontifex Maximus. On becoming a priestess, a Vestal Virgin was legally
emancipated from her father's authority and swore a vow of chastity for 30
years. This vow was so sacred that if it were broken, the Vestal was buried
alive in the Campus Sceleris ('Field of Wickedness'). It is likely that
this is what happened to
Rhea
Silvia. They were also very independent and had many privileges that normal
women did not have. They could move around the city but had to be in a carriage.
Vestalia
Vesta was celebrated at the Vestalia which took place from
June 7 to June 15. On the first day of the festivities the penus Vestae
(the curtained
sanctum sanctorum of
her temple) was opened, for the only time during the year, for women to
offer sacrifices in. Such sacrifices included the removal of an unborn calf from
a pregnant cow.
Household
worship
Vesta was the goddess of the hearth at the centre of
atrium and home. It was in the house and home that Vesta was most important
because she was the goddess of the hearth and of fire. Vesta was particularly
important to women of the household as the hearth was the place where food was
prepared and next to it the meal was eaten with offerings being thrown into the
fire to seek omens (the future) from the way it burned.
Julia
Avita Mamaea (14 or 29 August after 180–235) was the second daughter of
Julia
Maesa, a powerful
Roman woman of
Syrian Arab
origin and Syrian noble
Julius Avitus. She was a niece of empress
Julia
Domna and
emperor
Septimius Severus and sister of
Julia Soaemias. She was born and raised in
Emesa (modern
Homs, Syria).
Julia's first husband was a former consul (whose name is unknown) who died.
Julia married as her second husband Syrian
Promagistrate
Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus. Julia bore Marcianus two children, a
daughter called Theoclia (little is known of her) and a son, Marcus Julius
Gessius Bassianus Alexianus, later emperor
Alexander Severus. Unlike her sister, Julia Mamaea was reported to be a
virtuous woman, never involved in scandals.
As a member of the Imperial Roman family, she watched closely the death of
her cousin
Caracalla and the ascent to power of her nephew
Elagabalus,
the oldest grandson of Julia Maesa and her choice to the throne. Eventually
Elagabalus and his mother Julia Soaemias proved incompetent rulers and favour
fell on Alexander, Julia's son. He became emperor in 222, following Elagabalus'
murder by the
Praetorian Guard. Julia and her mother became regents in the name of
Alexander, then 14 years old. Upon adulthood, Alexander confirmed his esteem for
his mother and named her consors imperii (imperial consort). It was in
this condition that she accompanied her son in his campaigns: a custom started
with
Julia Domna. Thus she travelled to the East, for the campaign against
Parthia and
to the Germania provinces. Julia Mamaea was with Alexander in Moguntiacum
(modern Mainz),
capital of
Germania Superior, when he was assassinated by his troops. She suffered the
same fate.
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