FINDING IULIA MAESA AGAIN: POLITICAL ORGANIZER, SISTER OF THE EMPRESS AND GRANDMOTHER OF TWO ROMAN EMPERORS (SÉCS. II-III B.C.)

Abstract

Information about few grandmothers has reached us in Roman History. With successful political action, then, there is little data. In this article, we analyze the outstanding Iulia Maesa’s performance, the sister of the empress Iulia Domna, wife of the roman emperor Lucius Septimius Seuerus, who managed, despite not having produced sons, to place two grandchildren in command of the Empire, Heliogabalus and Seuerus Alexander. Her trajectory is worthy of reflection, since her actions aimed at the acclaim of her heirs were victorious and capable of highlighting the cunning that marked the actions undertaken.

Keywords
Iulia Maesa; grandmother; sister; cunning; Policy