Faustina the Younger | |
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Tenure | 7 March 161 - 175 (14 years) (alongside Lucilla from 164-169) |
Spouse | Marcus Aurelius |
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Annia Aurelia Galeria Faustina Gemellus Lucillae Lucilla, Empress of Rome Titus Aelius Antoninus Titus Aelius Aurelius Hadrianus Domitia Faustina Fadilla Cornificia Faustina Titus Aurelius Fulvus Antoninus Commodus, Emperor of Rome Marcus Annius Verus Caesar Vibia Aurelia Sabina |
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House | Nerva–Antonine Dynasty |
Father | Antoninus Pius |
Mother | Faustina the Elder |
Born | 16 February between 125 and 130 Rome, Roman Empire |
Died | 175 (aged 45-50) Halala, Taurus Mountains, Cappadocia, Roman Empire |
Burial | Mausoleum of Hadrian, Rome |
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Annia Galeria Faustina Minor (Minor Latin for the Younger), Faustina Minor or Faustina the Younger (16 February between 125 and 130 – 175) was a daughter of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius and Roman Empress Faustina the Elder. She was a Roman Empress and wife to her maternal cousin Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Though Roman sources give a generally negative view of her character, she was held in high esteem by soldiers and her own husband and was given divine honours after her death.
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Faustina, named after her mother, was her parents' fourth and youngest child and their second daughter; she was also their only child to survive to adulthood. She was born and raised in Rome.
Her great uncle, the Emperor Hadrian, had arranged with her father for Faustina to marry Lucius Verus. On February 25, 138, she and Verus were betrothed. Verus’ father was Hadrian’s first adopted son and his intended heir; however, when Verus’ father died, Hadrian chose Faustina’s father to be his second adopted son, and eventually, he became Hadrian’s successor. Faustina’s father ended the engagement between his daughter and Verus and arranged for Faustina's betrothal to her maternal cousin, Marcus Aurelius; Aurelius was also adopted by her father. On 13 May 13 145, Faustina and Marcus Aurelius were married. When her father died on 7 March 161, her husband and Lucius Verus succeeded to her father’s throne and became co-rulers. Faustina was given the title of Augusta and became Empress.
O: draped bust of Faustina | R: sitting Pudicitia; S C (below)
PVDIC_ITIA |
orichalcum dupondius struck in Rome 147-150 AD; ref.: RIC 1404(b) |
Unfortunately, not much has survived from the Roman sources regarding Faustina's life, but what is available does not give a good report. Cassius Dio and the Augustan History accuse Faustina of ordering deaths by poison and execution; she has also been accused of instigating the revolt of Avidius Cassius against her husband. The Augustan History mentions adultery with sailors, gladiators, and men of rank; however, Faustina and Aurelius seem to have been very close and mutually devoted. Her husband trusted her and defended her vigorously against detractors.
Faustina accompanied her husband on various military campaigns and enjoyed the love and reverence of Roman soldiers. Aurelius gave her the title of Mater Castrorum or Mother of the Camp. She attempted to make her home out of an army camp. Between 170-174, she was in the north, and in 175, she accompanied Aurelius to the east; however, these experiences took their toll on Faustina, who died in the winter of 175, after an accident, at the military camp in Halala (a city in the Taurus Mountains in Cappadocia).
Aurelius grieved much for his wife and buried her in the Mausoleum of Hadrian in Rome. She was deified: her statue was placed in the Temple of Venus in Rome and a temple was dedicated to her in her honor. Halala’s name was changed to Faustinopolis and Aurelius opened charity schools for orphan girls called Puellae Faustinianae or 'Girls of Faustina'.[1] The Baths of Faustina in Miletus are named after her.
In their thirty years of marriage, Faustina bore Marcus Aurelius thirteen children:
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Marcia |
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TRAJANUS PATER |
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NERVA (r. 96–98) |
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Ulpia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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MARCIANA |
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TRAJAN, adoptive son (r. 98–117) |
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PLOTINA |
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Aelius Afer |
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Paulina Major | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Libo Rupilius Frugi (3) |
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MATIDIA |
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L. Vibius Sabinus (1) |
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Rupilia Annia |
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M. Annius Verus |
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Rupilia Faustina |
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SABINA |
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HADRIAN, adoptive son (r. 117–138) |
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ANTINOUS |
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Paulina Minor | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Domitia Lucilla |
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M. Annius Verus |
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M. Annius Libo |
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FAUSTINA |
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ANTONINUS PIUS, adoptive son (r. 138–161) |
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Aelius, adoptive son |
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Julia Paulina | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Cornificia |
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MARCUS AURELIUS, adoptive son (r. 161–180) |
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FAUSTINA Iunior |
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Aurelia Fadilla |
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two infant sons |
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Salinator | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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VERUS, adoptive son (r. 161–169) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Fadilla |
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Cornificia |
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COMMODUS (r. 177–192) |
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nine other children |
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Lucilla |
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Royal titles | ||
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Preceded by Annia Galeria Faustina Maior |
Empress of Rome 161–175 (with Lucilla 164–169) |
Succeeded by Bruttia Crispina |