Julia Domna: Syrian EmpressThis book covers Julia’s life, and charts her travels throughout the Empire from Aswan to York during a period of profound upheaval, and seeks the truth about this woman who inspired such extreme and contrasting views, exposing the instability of our sources about her, and characterizing a sympathetic, courageous, intelligent, and important woman. This book contains a fresh re-assessment of the one of the most significant figures of her time and questions: • Was Julia more powerful than earlier empresses? As part of a dynasty which used force and violence to preserve its rule, she was distrusted by its subjects; as a Syrian, she was the object of prejudice; as a woman with power, she was resented. On the other hand, Domna was the centre of a literary circle considered highly significant by nineteenth-century admirers. |
Contents
Marriage 23 | |
Domna on her travels 35 | |
Empress 57 | |
Plautianus and the struggle for the succession 74 | |
The reign of Caracalla 87 | |
Cultural activities 107 | |
Image and cult 124 | |
Aftermath 145 | |
Glossary of ancient terms 164 | |
Bibliography 216 | |
General index 241 | |