Marcia Furnilla

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Marcia Furnilla was a Roman woman that lived in the 1st century. Furnilla was the second wife and last wife of the future Roman Emperor Titus.

1 Family
2 Life
3 External Link
4 Sources

[edit] Family

Marcia Furnilla came from a political influential, noble and distinguished family. She was from the Patrician gens Marcius and was a descendant of Roman King Ancus Marcius. She was a daughter of Quintus Marcius Barea Sura and the cognomen Furnilla is probably a cognomen from her maternal ancestry. Her father was a friend to future Roman Emperor Vespasian (who was Titus’ father) and paternal uncle was the Roman Senator Quintus Marcius Barea Servilius Soranus, while her paternal cousin was the noble woman Marcia Servilia Sorana.

Furnilla’s paternal grandfather was Quintus Marcius Barea, who was Suffect Consul in 26 and was twice Proconsul of the Africa Province. Barea during his time in Africa he was based in Leptis Magna. Barea was an influential person in the African Province and had dedicated a temple in Leptis Magna, to the ‘Dei Augusti’ or ‘The August Gods’. Throughout the province, Barea has left various inscriptions. Her paternal grandmother could be related or is from the gens Servilius.

[edit] Life

Marcia Furnilla was born and raised in Rome. Very little is known on her life, prior to marrying Titus. She married Titus in 63. Titus prior was widowed from his first marriage and had no children. There is a possibility that the fathers of Furnilla and Titus could have arranged this marriage.

This marriage from Titus was an influential one and was able to promote his political career. Suetonius describes Furnilla as a ‘very well-connected’ woman. On September 17 64, Furnilla bore Titus a daughter (and only child), Flavia Julia Titi or Julia Flavia in Rome. Their daughter was named after Titus’ paternal and maternal ancestry.

Like Titus’ first marriage, this marriage was short. Furnilla’s family was connected to the opponents of Roman Emperor Nero. In 65 after the failure of the Pisonian conspiracy, Furnilla’s family was disfavored by Nero. Titus considered he didn’t want to be connected with any potential plotters and ended his marriage to Furnilla. Titus and Furnilla divorced and Titus raised their daughter. The fate afterwards of Furnilla is unknown.