She and her mother guided the young emperor until growing unrest and a family division led to her son's replacement by her nephew Severus Alexander.

[1] Julia bore Marcellus at least two children: only one is known by name, Sextus Varius Avitus Bassianus, who became the Roman emperor Elagabalus.

[3] Using her enormous wealth[1] and the claim that Caracalla had slept with her daughter and that the boy was his bastard,[4][3] Julia Maesa, Soaemias's mother, persuaded soldiers from The Gallic Third Legion stationed near Emesa to swear loyalty to Bassianus.

Later, Bassianus was invited alongside his mother and her daughters to the military camp, clad in imperial purple and crowned as emperor by the soldiers.

[4] Cassius Dio records a different story, citing that Gannys, a "youth who has not yet reached manhood" and the lover of Soaemias was the reason for the revolt.

The contemporary historian Cassius Dio suggests that Gannys was killed by the new emperor because he pressured Elagabalus to live "temperately and prudently".

[9] The duo attempted to gain popularity with Roman religion, and as a token of respect, joined either Astarte, Minerva, or Urania to Elagabal as his consort.

[10] Julia Soaemias and her mother feature in literary accounts of Elagabaus's reign, and were credited with exercising much influence.

[11] Julia Soaemias and her mother significantly assisted the emperor, and appeared in the Senate beside Elagabalus during his adoption of Severus Alexander.

[13] When Elagabalus' grandmother Julia Maesa perceived that popular support for the emperor was waning, she decided that he and his mother, who had encouraged his religious practices, had to be replaced.