6Julia Maesa

Julia Maesa was mother to Julia Soaemias and sister to Julia Domna. She had helped to overthrow Macrinus to push her grandson Elagabalus onto the throne but she soon saw how unpopular the young man was. She decided to replace him and his mother with her other daughter, Julia Mamaea, and Mamaea’s son Alexander Severus.

She made Elagabalus adopt Alexander Severus as his heir and lavish honours on him. When Elagabalus fell the Praetorians appointed Alexander Severus as the new emperor. Julia Maesa was made into a goddess after her death by a grateful Alexander Severus.

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