Julia Mamaea – Augusta: 222-235 A.D.
Silver Denarius 19mm (2.40 grams) Rome mint: 222-235 A.D.
Reference: RIC 335 (Severus Alexander), S 8209
IVLIA MAMAEA AVG – Diademed, draped bust right.
FELICITAS PVBLICA – Felicitas standing left, leaning on column and with legs
crossed,
holding caduceus.
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The
caduceus (“herald’s wand, or staff”) is the staff carried by Hermes
in Greek mythology and consequently by Hermes Trismegistus in Greco-Egyptian
mythology. The same staff was also borne by heralds in general, for example
by Iris, the messenger of Hera. It is a short staff entwined by two
serpents, sometimes surmounted by wings. In Roman iconography, it was often
depicted being carried in the left hand of Mercury, the messenger of the
gods, guide of the dead and protector of merchants, shepherds, gamblers,
liars, and thieves.
Some accounts suggest that the oldest known imagery of the caduceus have
their roots in a Mesopotamian origin with the Sumerian god Ningishzida whose
symbol, a staff with two snakes intertwined around it, dates back to 4000
B.C. to 3000 B.C.
As a symbolic object, it represents Hermes (or the Roman Mercury), and by
extension trades, occupations, or undertakings associated with the god. In
later Antiquity, the caduceus provided the basis for the astrological symbol
representing the planet Mercury. Thus, through its use in astrology and
alchemy, it has come to denote the elemental metal of the same name. It is
said the wand would wake the sleeping and send the awake to sleep. If
applied to the dying, their death was gentle; if applied to the dead, they
returned to life.
By extension of its association with Mercury and Hermes, the caduceus is
also a recognized symbol of commerce and negotiation, two realms in which
balanced exchange and reciprocity are recognized as ideals. This association
is ancient, and consistent from the Classical period to modern times. The
caduceus is also used as a symbol representing printing, again by extension
of the attributes of Mercury (in this case associated with writing and
eloquence).
The caduceus is often incorrectly used, particularly in North America, as
a symbol of healthcare organizations and medical practice, due to confusion
with the traditional medical symbol, the rod of Asclepius, which has only
one snake and is never depicted with wings.
In ancient Roman culture, felicitas (from the Latin
adjective felix, “fruitful, blessed, happy, lucky”) is a condition of
divinely inspired productivity, blessedness, or happiness. Felicitas
could encompass both a woman’s fertility, and a general’s luck or good
fortune. The divine personification of Felicitas was cultivated as a
goddess. Although felicitas may be translated as “good luck,” and the
goddess Felicitas shares some characteristics and attributes with Fortuna,
the two were distinguished in Roman religion. Fortuna was unpredictable and
her effects could be negative, as the existence of an altar to Mala
Fortuna (“Bad Luck”) acknowledges. Felicitas, however, always had a
positive significance. She appears with several epithets that focus on
aspects of her divine power.
Felicitas had a temple in Rome as early as the mid-2nd century BC, and
during the Republican era was honored at two official festivals of Roman
state religion, on July 1 in conjunction with Juno and October 9 as
Fausta Felicitas. Felicitas continued to play an important role in
Imperial cult, and was frequently portrayed on coins as a symbol of the
wealth and prosperity of the Roman Empire. Her primary attributes are the
caduceus and cornucopia. The English word “felicity” derives from
felicitas.
As virtue or quality
In its religious sense, felix means “blessed, under the protection
or favour of the gods; happy.” That which is felix has achieved the
pax divom, a state of harmony or peace with the divine world. The
word derives from Indo-European *dhe(i)l, meaning “happy, fruitful,
productive, full of nourishment.” Related Latin words include femina,
“woman” (a person who provides nourishment or suckles); felo, “to
suckle” in regard to an infant; filius, “son” (a person suckled); and
probably fello, fellare, “to perform fellatio”, with an originally
non-sexual meaning of “to suck”. The continued magical association of sexual
potency, increase, and general good fortune in productivity is indicated by
the inscription Hic habitat Felicitas (“Felicitas dwells here”) on an
apotropaic relief of a phallus at a bakery in Pompeii.
In archaic Roman culture, felicitas was a quality expressing the
close bonds between religion and agriculture. Felicitas was at issue
when the suovetaurilia sacrifice conducted by Cato the Elder as
censor in 184 BC was challenged as having been unproductive, perhaps for
vitium, ritual error. In the following three years Rome had been plagued
by a number of ill omens and prodigies (prodigia), such as severe
storms, pestilence, and “showers of blood,” which had required a series of
expiations (supplicationes). The speech Cato gave to justify himself
is known as the Oratio de lustri sui felicitate, “Speech on the
Felicitas of his Lustrum”, and survives only as a possible quotation by
a later source. Cato says that a lustrum should be found to have
produced felicitas “if the crops had filled up the storehouses, if
the vintage had been abundant, if the olive oil had flowed deliberately from
the groves”, regardless of whatever else might have occurred. The efficacy
of a ritual might be thus expressed as its felicitas.
The ability to promote felicitas became proof of one’s excellence
and divine favor. Felicitas was simultaneously a divine gift, a
quality that resided within an individual, and a contagious capacity for
generating productive conditions outside oneself: it was a form of
“charismatic authority”. Cicero lists felicitas as one of the four
virtues of the exemplary general, along with knowledge of military science
(scientia rei militaris), virtus (both “valor” and “virtue”),
and auctoritas, “authority.” Virtus was a regular complement
to felicitas, which was not thought to attach to those who were
unworthy. Cicero attributed felicitas particularly to Pompeius Magnus
(“Pompey the Great”), and distinguished this felicitas even from the
divine good luck enjoyed by successful generals such as Fabius Maximus,
Marcellus, Scipio the Younger and Marius.
The sayings (sententiae) of Publilius Syrus are often attached to
divine qualities, including Felicitas: “The people’s Felicitas is powerful
when she is merciful” (potens misericors publica est Felicitas).
Epithets
Epithets of Felicitas include:
- Augusta, the goddess in her association with the emperor and
Imperial cult.
- Fausta (“Favored, Fortunate”), a state divinity cultivated on
October 9 in conjunction with Venus Victrix and the Genius Populi
Romani (“Genius” of the Roman People, also known as the Genius
Publicus).
- Publica, the “public” Felicitas; that is, the aspect of the
divine force that was concerned with the res publica or
commonwealth, or with the Roman People (Populus Romanus).
- Temporum, the Felicitas “of the times”, a title which
emphasize the felicitas being experienced in current
circumstances.
Julia Mamaea – Augusta: 222-235 A.D.
| Mother of Severus Alexander | Daughter of Julia Maesa | Mother-in-law of Orbiana | Sister of Julia Soaemias | Nice of Julia Domna and Septimius Severus | Aunt of Elagabalus | Cousin of Caracalla and Geta |
Julia Avita Mamaea (14 or 29 August after 180-235) was the second daughter of Julia Maesa, a powerful Roman woman of Syrian Arab origin and Syrian noble Julius Avitus. She was a niece of empress Julia Domna and emperor Septimius Severus and sister of Julia Soaemias. She was born and raised in Emesa (modern Homs, Syria).
Julia’s first husband was a former consul (whose name is unknown) who died. Julia married as her second husband Syrian Promagistrate Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus. Julia bore Marcianus two children, a daughter called Theoclia (little is known of her) and a son, Marcus Julius Gessius Bassianus Alexianus, later emperor Alexander Severus. Unlike her sister, Julia Mamaea was reported to be a virtuous woman, never involved in scandals.
As a member of the Imperial Roman family, she watched closely the death of her cousin Caracalla and the ascent to power of her nephew Elagabalus, the oldest grandson of Julia Maesa and her choice to the throne. Eventually Elagabalus and his mother Julia Soaemias proved incompetent rulers and favour fell on Alexander, Julia’s son. He became emperor in 222, following Elagabalus’ murder by the Praetorian Guard. Julia and her mother became regents in the name of Alexander, then 14 years old. Upon adulthood, Alexander confirmed his esteem for his mother and named her consors imperii (imperial consort). It was in this condition that she accompanied her son in his campaigns: a custom started with Julia Domna. Thus she travelled to the East, for the campaign against Parthia and to the Germania provinces. Julia Mamaea was with Alexander in Moguntiacum (modern Mainz), capital of Germania Superior, when he was assassinated by his troops. She suffered the same fate.
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