Vibia Sabina

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Roman imperial dynasties
Nervo-Trajanic Dynasty

Bust of Vibia Sabina (Prado, Madrid).
Nerva
Children
   Natural - (none)
   Adoptive - Trajan
Trajan
Children
   Natural - (none)
   Adoptive - Hadrian
Hadrian
Children
   Natural - (none)
   Adoptive - Lucius Aelius
   Adoptive - Antoninus Pius
Denarius of Vibia Sabina.
Denarius of Vibia Sabina.

Vibia Sabina (c. 86-136 or 137) was a Roman Empress, wife and third cousin to Roman Emperor Hadrian. She was born about 86 to Salonina Matidia, niece of Roman Emperor Trajan and Lucius Vibius Sabinus, a man of consular rank. Sabina along with her grandmother, mother, her sister Matidia Minor and half sisters lived and were raised in the household of Trajan and his wife Pompeia Plotina.

She married Hadrian in 100, at the Roman Empress Pompeia Plotina's request, for Hadrian to succeed her great uncle, in 117. Sabina's mother was also fond of Hadrian and allowed him to marry her daughter.

They had no children and had an unhappy marriage. It seems that she once aborted a child of theirs. Sabina was strong and independent and her beliefs in marriage didn't sit well with the Emperor. Sabina had an affair with one of Hadrian's slave boys. In 128, she was awarded with the title of Augusta.

She died in 136 or 137, before her husband, of unknown causes. There are rumours that Hadrian poisoned her, however there is not enough evidence to prove this.

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Preceded by
Pompeia Plotina
Empress of Rome
117-136
Succeeded by
Annia Galeria Faustina