Julius Alexander

Julius Alexander^[1] also known as Julius Alexander of Emesa^[2] was prince from the Royal family of Emesa^[3] who lived in the 2nd century.

Although Alexander was a nobleman from Emesa,^[4] little is known of his origins. He may have been the son of Sohaemus of Armenia also known as Gaius Julius Sohaemus,^[5] who served as a Roman Client King of Armenia from 144 until 161, then again in 163 perhaps up to 186. He may have been a possible kinsman of the Roman Empress Julia Domna,^[6] which could explain him as a possible ancestor of the Roman emperor of the 3rd century Alexander Severus. Alexander and Severus share the same cognomen, Alexander.^[7] The name Alexander, is a dynastic name in the Emesani dynasty.

In his career, Alexander became a Bestiarius also known as an animal fighter.^[8] Alexander became a prowess at Lion-hunting.^[9] He was known to have brought down a Lion with his javelin while on horseback.^[10] His prowess of his profession, provoked the jealousy of the Roman emperor Commodus.^[11] There is a possibility that Lion hunting was a royal or imperial activity that Alexander may had deliberately participated in because he may had wanted the Roman throne for himself.^[12]

Commodus on his orders at night had Alexander hunted down and killed in Emesa c. 190.^[13] Alexander could have escaped from Commodus’ soldiers however, he didn’t want to leave his youthful male-lover behind whom himself was an excellent horseman, so he died with Alexander.^[14] Alexander with his lover, left when the assassins arrived but were overtaken and killed.

After Alexander died, he was buried in the Emesani dynastic tomb in Emesa.^[15] Julius Alexander is mentioned in the histories of Cassius Dio and in the Augustan History, in The Life of Commodus.

See also[]

• Bestiarii

References[]

Sources[]

• A.R. Birley, Septimius Severus: The African Emperor, Routledge, 2002
• B. Levick, Julia Domna: Syrian Empress, Routledge, 2007
• L. de Arrizabalaga y Prado, The Emperor Elagabalus: Fact or Fiction?, Cambridge University Press, 2010
• Roman Emperors: Commodus