Empress Julia Domna was the second wife of the Roman emperor Septimius Severus (reigned 193-211) and a powerful figure in the regime of his successor and their son, Emperor Caracalla. Julia was a Syrian (Domna being her Syrian name) and was the daughter of the hereditary high priest Bassianus at Emesa (now Homs) in Syria and elder sister of Julia Maesa. Domna gathered about her in Rome a group of philosophers and other intellectuals whose activities are best known through the writings of Philostratus. After Severus' death, the murderous rancor of her two sons, the joint emperors Caracalla and Geta, culminated in the assassination of Geta by Caracalla in her presence. When Caracalla (reigned 211-217) was on campaign, he left her in control of most of the civilian administration, demonstrating the significant status of this woman in a society dominated by men.

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