Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus also known as Gessius MarcianusBirley, ''Septimius Severus: The African Emperor'', p. 222 (flourished second half of the 2nd century and first half of the 3rd century, died 218) was a Syrian Roman aristocrat. He was the second husband of

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 ...

and step-father of the future emperor

Severus Alexander 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 ...

Early life

Little is known about the origins of Marcianus. He originally came from Arca CaesareaJulia Avita Mamaea’s article at Livius.org
/ref> (modern

Arqa Arqa ( ar, عرقا; akk, 𒅕𒋡𒋫, translit=Irqata) is a Lebanese village near Miniara in Akkar Governorate, Lebanon, 22 km northeast of Tripoli, near the coast. The town was a notable city-state during the Iron Age. The city of ' ...

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to Lebanon–Syria border, the north and east and Israel to Blue ...

). He was an Equestrian officer who became a

Promagistrate In ancient Rome a promagistrate ( la, pro magistratu) was an ex-consul or ex- praetor whose '' imperium'' (the power to command an army) was extended at the end of his annual term of office or later. They were called proconsuls and propraetors. T ...

. No further details are known of the political career of Marcianus.

Family

Cassius Dio Lucius Cassius Dio (), also known as Dio Cassius ( ), was a Roman historian and senator of maternal Greek origin. He published 80 volumes of the history on ancient Rome, beginning with the arrival of Aeneas in Italy. The volumes documented the ...

mentions a daughter that was married in 218 AD, thus probably a child from a previous marriage than the one to Mamaea. Marcianus married the Roman Syrian noblewoman

, as her second husband. Mamaea was the second daughter of the powerful Roman Syrian nobles

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

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 ...

. Her maternal aunt was 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 ...

(wife of emperor

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 ...

), thus her maternal cousins were 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 ...

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 ...

, she was also the maternal aunt to 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 ...

. The marriage of Marcianus and Mamaea may have strengthened Septimius Severus' power base in the Roman Eastern provinces. He and Mamaea may have had a son named Marcus Julius Gessius Bassianus. The '' Historia Augusta'' also mentions a sister of Severus Alexander named Theoclia who was of marriageable age during Alexanders reign. Augustan History, The Two Maximini, 29

Death

He was murdered on the orders of Roman emperor

Macrinus Marcus Opellius Macrinus (; – June 218) was Roman emperor from April 217 to June 218, reigning jointly with his young son Diadumenianus. As a member of the equestrian class, he became the first emperor who did not hail from the senatori ...

in 218 in

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 alongside an unnamed daughter and son-in-law.

Severan dynasty family tree

References

Sources

* Augustan History, The Two Maximini *A.R. Birley, ''Septimius Severus: The African Emperor'', Routledge, 2002
Julia Avita Mamaea’s article at Livius.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Julius Gessius Marcianus, Marcus Ancient Roman equites 2nd-century Romans 2nd-century people 3rd-century Romans 3rd-century people 3rd-century executions Emesene dynasty Julii Gessii People of Roman Syria People executed by the Roman Empire Year of birth unknown 218 deaths