Julia Maesa, the elder sister of Julia Domna, directed family matters after her sister's suicide. She married Gaius Julius Avitus Alexianus and had two daughters, Julia Soemias and Julia Mamaea. She was thus grandmother to both Elagabalus and Severus Alexander. After the murder of Caracalla and the succession of Macrinus, she began to apply her political acumen. Macrinus saw her political intrigues as a threat to his reign and exiled her from Rome. However, Julia contrived a plot to gain army support for Elagabalus at Emesa in AD 218 and was present at the battle which deposed Macrinus. Julia was declared Augusta and when the extremely unpopular Elagabalus was murdered in a coup by the army and Severus Alexander, then only 14 years old, became emperor, ruled as regent together with her daughter Julia Mamaea. Julia Maesa was deified after her death in c. AD 225.

Obv. Draped bust of Julia Maesa right, IVLIA MAESA AVG.
Rev. Pudicitia seated, holding a sceptre, raising a veil, PVDICITIA.