Julia Domna was born cAD160 in Emesa in the #Roman province of Syria (modern day #Homs in #Syria). She belonged to a dynasty of priest kings who had ruled Emesa as clients of Rome. She was the youngest daughter of Julius Bassianus, High Priest of Baal.

In AD186, the then #Roman Governor of Gallia Lugdunensis (centred on modern day Lyon in France) Septimius Severus, was widowed - allegedly a prophecy he heard told of a Syrian woman who would marry a king and this led him to Julia Domna - the two were married in AD187

The marriage of Septimius Severus and Julia Domna was a happy one and it was reported that he much valued her views and advice on politics. They had two sons soon after their marriage - Lucius Septimius Bassianus (Caracalla) in AD188 & Publius Septimius Geta in AD189.

Septimius Severus became #Roman Emperor in AD193 and so Julia Domna became Empress. She accompanied her husband on most of his military campaigns & she was granted more imperial titles than any of her predecessors. She seems to have been positively regarded by the Romans

Julia Doman joined her husband and her two sons on the campaign against the Caledonians ( #Scotland) in AD208 and they were all at #Trimontium during this campaign. Cassius Dio reported a remarkable tête-à-tête between an unnamed Caledonian Chieftain's wife and Julia Domna.

The Caledonian woman responds to Julia Domna, who asks why Caledonian women are promiscuous - '“We fulfil the demands of nature in a much better way than you Roman women; for we consort openly with the best men, whereas you let yourselves be debauched in secret by the vilest.”

Septimius Severus died in AD211 and Julia Domna was left with the unenviable task of mediating between her sons, now Co-Emperors, Geta & Caracalla, who loathed each other. At a meeting of reconciliation arranged by Julia Domna, Caracalla had Geta murdered in front of his mother.

Julia Domna committed suicide in AD217 after receiving the news of the murder of her son Caracalla - she also was thought to be suffering from breast cancer, she was around 56 years old. Her great nephews, Elagabalus and then Severus Alexander became Emperors of Rome