Family
Alexion was born to the monarchs Sohaemus of Emesa and Drusilla (daughter of Ptolemy of Mauretania), Drusilla. The father of Alexion, Sohaemus was an Emesene Prince and ruled as Priest King from 54 until his death in 73. He was the second son of the previous ruling Emesene Monarchs Sampsiceramus II and his wife Iotapa (spouse of Sampsiceramus II), Iotapa. Alexion's late paternal uncle was the childless Emesene King Gaius Julius Azizus who was the first husband of the Herodian dynasty, Herodian Princess Drusilla (daughter of Herod Agrippa I), Drusilla, while he had two paternal aunts, Iotapa (daughter of Sampsiceramus II), Iotapa who married the Herodian Prince Aristobulus Minor and Julia Mamaea (wife of Polemon II of Pontus), Mamaea. Alexion's mother was a princess from Mauretania, North Africa. Drusilla was the child of the late Roman Client Monarchs Ptolemy of Mauretania and Julia Urania. The mother of Drusilla may have been a member of the Emesan dynasty, Royal family of Emesa and her father was a maternal grandson of the Ptolemaic Greek Queen Cleopatra VII of Ancient Egypt, Egypt and Roman Republic, Roman Triumvir Mark Antony. The name ''Alexion'' is a variant of the ancient Greek name ''Alexander''. The name ''Alexander'' was a dynastic name in the Emesani Royal Family; the Seleucid Empire, Seleucid dynasty; the Ptolemaic Kingdom, Ptolemaic dynasty and perhaps Alexion's parents named him an intent to recover their heritage and connections to Alexander the Great. Alexion was a descendant of the Seleucid dynasty; the Ptolemaic dynasty and a distant relative of Alexander the Great through his paternal grandmother and maternal grandfather.Life
Alexion was born and raised in Emesa. After his father died, Alexion succeeded his father as Priest King of Emesa. Alexion ruled as a Priest King from 73 until his death in 78, thus he was a contemporary of the ruling Roman emperor Vespasian. He was the priest of the Emesene Sun God Elagabalus (deity), Elagabalus. Little is known on him. What is known about Alexion is from surviving inscriptions from Homs, Emesa. There was a noted sepulchral Greek inscription on the mausoleum of Emesa dated 78/79 at Emesa, dedicated by Gaius Julius Sampsigeramus Seilas, who may have been related to the Sampsigeramid dynasty:. :Gaius Julius, Fabia, Sampsigeramus, also called Seilas, son of Gaius Julius Alexion, while still living made this for himself and his family, year 390 After the death of Alexion, the generations after him are not recorded sufficiently to accurately present a pedigree. A descendant of Alexion's is the Emesene high priest Gaius Julius Bassianus, who was the father of the Roman Empress Julia Domna and another possible descendant was the Palmyra, Palmyrene Queen of the 3rd century Zenobia.References
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