TYCHE’S TWIN: LAODICAEA AD MARE’S USE OF

Stories of competition between two siblings are as common to Greco-Roman mythology as romantic comedies are to our modern age. Whether it is the tale of Polynices and Eteocles duking it out for the Theban throne, or the well-known tale of Romulus and Remus fighting for control of what would eventually become the Roman Empire, it appears that these tales share one common feature: competition. Much like these familial relationships between humans, some ancient cities also shared a bond akin to sibling rivalry. Though they were inextricably connected to one another through a shared history, cult, myth or otherwise, these cities could not help the competition that always seemed to dictate their decisions. Laodicaea ad Mare and Antioch were two such cities. Their relationship was one seeped in a shared history, cult and commerce, as well as a constant vying for supremacy over the other. Though the superior title usually went to Antioch, everything the cities had been used to changed with the reign of Septimius Severus. For the first time, it was abundantly clear that Laodicaea ad Mare was the superior city over Antioch. In order to both proclaim its superior status and garner a stronger relationship with the emperor, Septimius Severus, Laodicaea ad Mare began to synthesis its patron goddess, Tyche, with its new empress, Julia Domna. Before one can delve into the events that followed Septimius Severus ’ rise to power, it is important to understand the tale of these two cities. Before the Roman Empire was even a realistic thought there was a different empire, the Seleucid Empire. This vast expanse of land was the product of Alexander the Great’s conquests and encompassed a huge area, mostly including Syria. Laodicaea ad Mare and Antioch were two of the first cities in this empire and they formed the Syrian Tetrapolis along with the cities of Apamea and Seleucia. The initia