Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus

2nd/3rd century Syrian-born Roman nobleman

Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus also known as Gessius Marcianus[1] (flourished second half of the 2nd century and first half of the 3rd century, died 218)[1] was a Syrian Roman aristocrat. He was the second husband of Julia Avita Mamaea and step-father of the future emperor Severus Alexander.

Early life

Little is known about the origins of Marcianus. He was an Equestrian officer[2] who became a Promagistrate.[3] No further details are known of the political career of Marcianus.[1]

Family

Cassius Dio mentions a daughter that was married in 218 AD,[1] thus probably a child from a previous marriage than the one to Mamaea.[4] Marcianus married the Roman Syrian noblewoman Julia Avita Mamaea, as her second husband.[2] Mamaea was the second daughter of the powerful Roman Syrian nobles Julia Maesa and Julius Avitus. Her maternal aunt was the Roman empress Julia Domna (wife of emperor Septimius Severus), thus her maternal cousins were Roman emperors Caracalla and Publius Septimius Geta, she was also the maternal aunt to Roman emperor Elagabalus.[2] The marriage of Marcianus and Mamaea may have strengthened Septimius Severus' power base in the Roman Eastern provinces.[2] He and Mamaea may have had a son named Marcus Julius Gessius Bassianus.[5] The Historia Augusta also mentions a sister of Severus Alexander named Theoclia who was of marriageable age during Alexanders reign.[6]

Death

He was murdered on the orders of Roman emperor Macrinus in 218[1] in Emesa, Syria alongside an unnamed daughter and son-in-law.

Severan dynasty family tree

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Severan family tree
Septimius Macer
Gaius Claudius Septimius AperFulvius PiusLucius Septimius Severus
Publius Septimius AperGaius Septimius AperFulvia PiaPublius Septimius GetaSeptimia PollaJulius Bassianus
SeptimiusPublius Septimius GetaSeptimia OctavillaPaccia Marciana (1)Septimius Severus
(r. 193–211)[i]		Julia Domna (2)Julia MaesaGaius Julius Avitus Alexianus
Gaius Septimius Severus AperFulvia PlautillaCaracalla
(r. 197–217)[ii]		Geta
(r. 209–211)[iii]		Julia SoaemiasSextus Varius MarcellusJulia Avita MamaeaUnknown[iv] (2)
Julia Cornelia Paula (1)Aquilia Severa (2 and 4)Elagabalus
(r. 218–222)[v]		Annia Faustina (3)Sallustia OrbianaSeverus Alexander
(r. 222–235)[v]
  • (1) = 1st spouse
  • (2) = 2nd spouse
  • (3) = 3rd spouse
  • (4) = 4th spouse
  • Dark green indicates an emperor of the Severan dynasty

Notes:

Except where otherwise noted, the notes below indicate that an individual's parentage is as shown in the above family tree.
  1. ^ Birley, Anthony R. (1999). Septimius Severus: The African Emperor. London: Routledge. p. i.
  2. ^ Burrell, Barbara (2004). Neokoroi: Greek Cities and Roman Emperors. BRILL. p. 216. ISBN 90-04-12578-7.
  3. ^ Burrell, Barbara (2004). Neokoroi: Greek Cities and Roman Emperors. BRILL. p. 247. ISBN 90-04-12578-7.
  4. ^ Icks, Martijn (2011). The Crimes of Elagabalus: The Life and Legacy of Rome's Decadent Boy Emperor. London: I.B. Tauris & Co. Ltd. pp. 57–58. ISBN 978-1-84885-362-1.
  5. ^ a b Gibbon, Edward; Smith, William (1889). The Student's Gibbon: The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. pp. 45–47.

Bibliography:

  • Birley, Anthony R. (1999). Septimius Severus: The African Emperor. London: Routledge. ISBN 0415165911.
  • Gibbon, Edward; Smith, William (1889). The Student's Gibbon: The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. London: Murray. OCLC 993285639.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Birley, Septimius Severus: The African Emperor, p. 222
  2. ^ a b c d "Julia Avita Mamaea's article at Livius.org". Archived from the original on 2014-11-23. Retrieved 2020-03-26.
  3. ^ Alexander Severus (A.D. 222–235) - De Imperatoribus Romanis by H.W. Benario
  4. ^ Robert Lee Cleve: Severus Alexander and the Severan Women, Los Angeles 1982, pp. 90.
  5. ^ Birley, Septimius Severus: The African Emperor, pp. 217, 222
  6. ^ Augustan History, The Two Maximini, 29

Sources

  • Augustan History, The Two Maximini
  • A.R. Birley, Septimius Severus: The African Emperor, Routledge, 2002
  • Julia Avita Mamaea’s article at Livius.org Archived 2014-11-23 at the Wayback Machine
  • Alexander Severus (A.D. 222–235) - De Imperatoribus Romanis by H.W. Benario