In 160 CE, Julia was born at Emesa, Syria and her cognomen, Domna, means " black" , which has to do with the sun god El-Gabal (Elagabalus) , whose cult stone was black.
Homs (/hɔːms/; Arabic:حمص / ALA-LC: Ḥimṣ), previously known as Emesa (Greek: Ἔμεσα Emesa), is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is 501 metres (1,644ft) above sea level and is located 162 kilometres (101mi) north of Damascus. Located on the Orontes River, Homs is also the central link between the interior cities and the Mediterranean coast.