Sallustia Barbia Orbiana Wife of Severus Alexander Sallustia Barbia Orbiana was married to Emperor Severus Alexander in about 225 AD. Her mother-in-law, Julia Mamaea, proved to be a dominant and jealous woman who eventually saw Orbiana as a threat to her own influence and ordered her son to banish her to Africa following the execution […]

Severus Alexander 222-235 AD Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander was originally named Alexianus. He was born about 208 AD. Alexander was the son of Julia Mamaea and Gessius Marcianus. At the insistence of his grandmother, Julia Maesa, Alexander  was adopted by his cousin and was adopted by his cousin Elagabalus in 221 AD, making him the […]

Julia Maesa Grandmother of Elagabalus Died 225 AD Julia Maesa was the sister of Julia Domna and sister-in-law of Emperor Septimius Severus. Julia Maesa was married to Julius Avitus, a consular official of Syria, by whom she bore two daughters, Julia Soaemias and Julia Mamaea, the mothers of the Emperors Elagabalus and Severus Alexander, respectively. […]

Julia Soaemias Mother of Elagabalus Murdered with her son in 222 AD Julia Soaemias was the daughter of Julia Maesa and the mother of Elagabalus and the maternal cousin, of the Roman emperor Caracalla. Julia was indeed very much like her son in many ways particularly when it came to religion. Both Julia and Elagabalus were fanatically […]

Aquilia Severa Second Wife of Elagabalus 220-221AD Julia Aquilia Severa was one of the Vestal Virgins to whom Emperor Elagabalus became very attracted at the time. Such a relationship was not without its risks. The punishment for a Vestal Virgin who broke her vows was death by means of being buried alive for she was […]

Annia Faustina Wife of Elagabalus 221-222 AD Aurelia Faustina was Emperor Elagabalus’s third wife. Annia was a distant descendant of the nephew of former Emperor Marcus Aurelius, who was a Roman Consul Marcus Ummidius Quadratus Annianus. Consequently, Annia was of noble descent as the only child of the wealthy heiress Annia Faustina, who had been married […]

Julia Cornelia Paula First Wife of Elagabalus in 219-220 AD Julia Cornelia Paula was the first wife of Emperor Elagabalus. They were married in 219 AD, but due to her husband’s sexual prowess, she was divorced the following year for him to marry Aquilia Severa. Nonetheless, Herodian tells us that Paula was a lady of […]

Elagabalus 218-222 AD The emperor known to history as Elagabalus takes his name from the sun god of Emesa, for which he was made a high priest on May 16th, 218 AD. Elagabalus was actually born about 205 AD as Varius Avitus Bassianus and later became known as “Marcus Aurelius Antoninus,” the formal name found […]

Diadumenian Son of Macrinus 217-218 AD Marcus Opelius Diadumenianus was the son of Macrinus who was the Prefect of the Praetorian Guard and played a master role in the assassination of Caracalla in 217 AD. Diadumenian was born in 208 AD and was given the rank of Caesar at the same time his father was proclaimed Emperor by […]

Macrinus 217-218 AD M. Opelius Macrinus was born to very humble parents in Caesarea in Mauretania in 164 AD. After holding various appointments in the imperial household, he became prefect of the Praetorian guards under Caracalla and was party to the latter’s murder. On April 11th, 217AD, he was saluted Augustus by his troops, and […]