Sohaemus of Emesa
Encyclopedia
Gaius Julius Sohaemus, also known as Sohaemus of Emesa and Sohaemus of Sophene ( Sohaemus is Arabic
for little dagger), was a prince and a Roman Client Priest King
from Syria
who lived in the 1st century.
Sohaemus was a member of the Royal family of Emesa
. He was the second born son and a child to Priest King Sampsiceramus II who ruled the Emesene Kingdom from 14 until 42 and Queen Iotapa
. He had an elder brother called Gaius Julius Azizus, who was the first husband of the Herodian Princess
Drusilla and had two sisters: Iotapa who married the Herodian Prince
Aristobulus Minor
and Mamaea. Sohaemus was born, raised in Emesa and was Assyrian
, Greek
, Armenian and Medes
ancestry. His paternal grandfather was the former Emesene Priest King Iamblichus II, while his maternal grandparents were the former Commagenean Monarchs Mithridates III of Commagene
and his cousin-wife Iotapa.
Azizus had died in 54 and Sohaemus succeeded his brother as Priest King. He ruled from 54 until his death in 73 and was the priest of the Syrian Sun God, known in Aramaic
as El-Gebal. At an unknown date in his reign, Sohaemus became the patron of Heliopolis (modern Baalbek
, Lebanon
). In honor of his patronage to the city, this honorary inscription was dedicated to him:
[translated from Latin
]
In the first year of his reign, under either Roman Emperor
Claudius
or Nero
, Sohaemus received the Roman province
of Sophene
to rule. In 56, Sohaemus married his relative who was the Princess Drusilla of Mauretania
, who was the child of the late Roman Client Monarchs Ptolemy of Mauretania
and Julia Urania
. Drusilla was the great grandchild of Ptolemaic Greek Queen
Cleopatra VII of Egypt
and Roman Triumvir Mark Antony
.
In Sohaemus’ reign, Emesene’s relations with the Roman government grew closer. Under him, Emesa sent the Roman military a regular levy of archers and assisted them in their siege of Jerusalem
in 70. In 72, Sohaemus supplied troops to the Roman General Lucius Caesennius Paetus
who was the head of the Legio VI Ferrata
, in the annexation of the Kingdom of Commagene
.
Drusilla was a Queen consort
to Sohaemus. Drusilla and Sohaemus had a child, a son called Gaius Julius Alexio
, sometimes known as Alexio II. When Sohaemus died, he was buried in the tomb of his ancestors at Emesa
and was succeeded by his son. Through his son, Sohaemus would have various descendants ruling on the Emesene throne and among those who claimed from his family’s ancestry was Queen of Palmyra
, Zenobia
.
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
for little dagger), was a prince and a Roman Client Priest King
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
from Syria
History of Syria
The history of Syria:*Prehistory and Ancient Near East: see Pre-history of the Southern Levant, Fertile Crescent, Ebla, Mitanni*Antiquity: see Syro-Hittite states, Greater Syria, Roman Syria...
who lived in the 1st century.
Sohaemus was a member of the Royal family of Emesa
Royal family of Emesa
The royal family of Emesa, also known as the Emesani Dynasty or the Sempsigerami of Emesa , sometimes known as The Sampsiceramids were a ruling Roman client dynasty of priest-kings in Emesa, Syria Province...
. He was the second born son and a child to Priest King Sampsiceramus II who ruled the Emesene Kingdom from 14 until 42 and Queen Iotapa
Iotapa
Iotapa or Iotape also known as Iotapi was the name of various queens and princesses who lived in between the 2nd century BC, 1st century BC, 1st century and 2nd century. The name Iotapa or Iotape originally derives from the name Jotapa or Jotape, which was a name of Persian origin...
. He had an elder brother called Gaius Julius Azizus, who was the first husband of the Herodian Princess
Herodian Dynasty
The Herodian Dynasty was a Jewish dynasty of Idumean descent, client Kings of Roman Judaea Province between 37 BCE and 92 CE.- Origin :During the time of the Hasmonean ruler John Hyrcanus 134-104 BCE, Israel conquered Edom and forced the Edomites to convert to Judaism.The Edomites were integrated...
Drusilla and had two sisters: Iotapa who married the Herodian Prince
Herodian Dynasty
The Herodian Dynasty was a Jewish dynasty of Idumean descent, client Kings of Roman Judaea Province between 37 BCE and 92 CE.- Origin :During the time of the Hasmonean ruler John Hyrcanus 134-104 BCE, Israel conquered Edom and forced the Edomites to convert to Judaism.The Edomites were integrated...
Aristobulus Minor
Aristobulus Minor
Aristobulus Minor or Aristobulus the Younger was a prince from the Herodian Dynasty. He was of Jewish, Nabataean and Edomite ancestry....
and Mamaea. Sohaemus was born, raised in Emesa and was Assyrian
Assyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
, Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
, Armenian and Medes
Medes
The MedesThe Medes...
ancestry. His paternal grandfather was the former Emesene Priest King Iamblichus II, while his maternal grandparents were the former Commagenean Monarchs Mithridates III of Commagene
Mithridates III of Commagene
Mithridates III Antiochus Epiphanes was a King. The son and successor of King Mithridates II of Commagene and Queen Laodice, he was of Armenian and Greek descent....
and his cousin-wife Iotapa.
Azizus had died in 54 and Sohaemus succeeded his brother as Priest King. He ruled from 54 until his death in 73 and was the priest of the Syrian Sun God, known in Aramaic
Aramaic language
Aramaic is a group of languages belonging to the Afroasiatic language phylum. The name of the language is based on the name of Aram, an ancient region in central Syria. Within this family, Aramaic belongs to the Semitic family, and more specifically, is a part of the Northwest Semitic subfamily,...
as El-Gebal. At an unknown date in his reign, Sohaemus became the patron of Heliopolis (modern Baalbek
Baalbek
Baalbek is a town in the Beqaa Valley of Lebanon, altitude , situated east of the Litani River. It is famous for its exquisitely detailed yet monumentally scaled temple ruins of the Roman period, when Baalbek, then known as Heliopolis, was one of the largest sanctuaries in the Empire...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
). In honor of his patronage to the city, this honorary inscription was dedicated to him:
[translated from Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
]
- To the great king Gaius Julius Sohaemus, son of the great king Sampiceramus…patron of the colony.
In the first year of his reign, under either Roman Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Claudius
Claudius
Claudius , was Roman Emperor from 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was the son of Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was born at Lugdunum in Gaul and was the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy...
or Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
, Sohaemus received the Roman province
Roman province
In Ancient Rome, a province was the basic, and, until the Tetrarchy , largest territorial and administrative unit of the empire's territorial possessions outside of Italy...
of Sophene
Sophene
Sophene , or ) was a province of the Armenian Kingdom and of the Roman Empire, located in the south-west of the kingdom. It currently lies in modern-day southeastern Turkey....
to rule. In 56, Sohaemus married his relative who was the Princess Drusilla of Mauretania
Drusilla of Mauretania (born 38)
This article is about Drusilla of Mauretania for her paternal aunt of the same name; see Drusilla of Mauretania .Drusilla of Mauretania was a Princess of Mauretania, North Africa and was the great grandchild of Ptolemaic Greek Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt and Roman Triumvir Mark Antony.-Ancestry...
, who was the child of the late Roman Client Monarchs Ptolemy of Mauretania
Ptolemy of Mauretania
Ptolemy of Mauretania was a prince and the last Roman client King of Mauretania.-Family and early life:Ptolemy was the son of King Juba II and Queen Cleopatra Selene II of Mauretania. He had a younger sister called Drusilla of Mauretania...
and Julia Urania
Julia Urania
Julia Urania was a Roman Client Queen of Mauretania. She married the Roman Client King Ptolemy of Mauretania, who was a son of the former Mauretanian Client Monarchs Juba II and Cleopatra Selene II.Her grandson was Gaius Julius Alexio.-Biography:...
. Drusilla was the great grandchild of Ptolemaic Greek Queen
Ptolemaic dynasty
The Ptolemaic dynasty, was a Macedonian Greek royal family which ruled the Ptolemaic Empire in Egypt during the Hellenistic period. Their rule lasted for 275 years, from 305 BC to 30 BC...
Cleopatra VII of Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
and Roman Triumvir Mark Antony
Mark Antony
Marcus Antonius , known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general. As a military commander and administrator, he was an important supporter and loyal friend of his mother's cousin Julius Caesar...
.
In Sohaemus’ reign, Emesene’s relations with the Roman government grew closer. Under him, Emesa sent the Roman military a regular levy of archers and assisted them in their siege of Jerusalem
Siege of Jerusalem (70)
The Siege of Jerusalem in the year 70 AD was the decisive event of the First Jewish-Roman War. The Roman army, led by the future Emperor Titus, with Tiberius Julius Alexander as his second-in-command, besieged and conquered the city of Jerusalem, which had been occupied by its Jewish defenders in...
in 70. In 72, Sohaemus supplied troops to the Roman General Lucius Caesennius Paetus
Lucius Caesennius Paetus
Lucius Junius Caesennius Paetus was a Roman aristocrat, member of the Caesennian gens and the Junian gens, who lived in the second half of the 1st century during the Roman Empire. He was Consul Ordinarius for the year 61, and enjoyed several high provincial commands in the East.He was the son of...
who was the head of the Legio VI Ferrata
Legio VI Ferrata
Legio sexta Ferrata , was a Roman Legion formed in 65 BC, and in existence up to at least 3rd century. A Legio VI fought in the Roman Republican civil wars of the 40s and 30s BC...
, in the annexation of the Kingdom of Commagene
Kingdom of Commagene
The Kingdom of Commagene was an ancient kingdom of the Hellenistic Age.Little is known of the region of Commagene prior to the beginning of the 2nd century BC. However, it seems that, from what little evidence remains, Commagene formed part of a larger state that also included Sophene...
.
Drusilla was a Queen consort
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
to Sohaemus. Drusilla and Sohaemus had a child, a son called Gaius Julius Alexio
Gaius Julius Alexio
Gaius Julius Alexio also known as Alexio II was a Syrian Prince and Roman Client Priest King of Emesa.Alexio was a monarch of Assyrian, Greek, Armenian, Medes, Berber and Roman ancestry. He was the child born to the monarchs Sohaemus of Emesa and Drusilla of Mauretania. The father of Alexio,...
, sometimes known as Alexio II. When Sohaemus died, he was buried in the tomb of his ancestors at Emesa
Homs
Homs , previously known as Emesa , is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is above sea level and is located north of Damascus...
and was succeeded by his son. Through his son, Sohaemus would have various descendants ruling on the Emesene throne and among those who claimed from his family’s ancestry was Queen of Palmyra
Palmyra
Palmyra was an ancient city in Syria. In the age of antiquity, it was an important city of central Syria, located in an oasis 215 km northeast of Damascus and 180 km southwest of the Euphrates at Deir ez-Zor. It had long been a vital caravan city for travellers crossing the Syrian desert...
, Zenobia
Zenobia
Zenobia was a 3rd-century Queen of the Palmyrene Empire in Roman Syria. She led a famous revolt against the Roman Empire. The second wife of King Septimius Odaenathus, Zenobia became queen of the Palmyrene Empire following Odaenathus' death in 267...
.
Sources
- S. Swain, Hellenism and Empire: Language, Classicism, and Power in the Greek World, Ad 50-250, Oxford University Press, 1996
- J.P. Brown, Israel and Hellas, Volume 3, Walter de Gruyter, 2001
- B. Levick, Julia Domna, Syrian Empress, Taylor & Francis, 2007
- Kingdom of Commagene
- Royal Egyptian Genealogy, Ptolemaic Dynasty: Cleopatra Selene
- Cleopatra’s Children and Descendants at Ancient History by Suite101