Marcia Furnilla

Marcia Furnilla from "Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum "

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

Family

Marcia Furnilla came from a noble and distinguished family. She was from the gens Marcia who were of plebeian status,[1] which claimed descent from Roman King Ancus Marcius. She was a daughter of Roman Senator Quintus Marcius Barea Sura and Antonia Furnilla. Her sister was Marcia, the mother of Ulpia Marciana and of future Roman Emperor Trajan. Her father was a friend to future Roman Emperor Vespasian (who was Titus' father) and her paternal uncle was the senator Quintus Marcius Barea 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, while her maternal grandfather could have been Aulus Antonius Rufus, a Suffect consul either in 44 or 45.

Life

Marcia Furnilla was born and raised in Rome. She married Titus, widowed from his first marriage, in 63. The marriage between Titus and Furnilla was an arranged one.

This marriage for Titus was an influential one and promoted his political career. Suetonius describes Furnilla as a "very well-connected" woman. On September 17, 64, Furnilla bore Titus a daughter, Flavia Julia Titi or Julia Flavia in Rome.

Like Titus' first marriage, this one was short. Furnilla's family was connected to the opponents of Roman Emperor Nero and after the failure of the Pisonian conspiracy in 65, they were disfavored by the Emperor. Titus didn't want to be connected with any potential plotters and ended his marriage to Furnilla, but continued raising their daughter.

The fate of Furnilla afterwards is unknown. After her death, she was placed along with her mother in the mausoleum of Gaius Sulpicius Platorinus - a magistrate at the time of the first Roman Emperor Augustus - and his sister Sulpicia Platorina in Rome.

Nerva–Antonine family tree

Q. Marcius Barea SoranusQ. Marcius Barea SuraAntonia FurnillaM. Cocceius NervaSergia PlautillaP. Aelius Hadrianus
Titus
(r. 79-81)		Marcia FurnillaMarciaTrajanus PaterNerva
(r. 96–98)		UlpiaAelius Hadrianus Marullinus
Julia FlaviaMarcianaC. Salonius MatidiusTrajan
(r. 98–117)		PlotinaP. Acilius AttianusP. Aelius AferPaulina MajorL. Julius Ursus Servianus
Lucius Mindius
(2)		Libo Rupilius Frugi
(3)		MatidiaL. Vibius Sabinus
(1)		AntinousHadrian (r. 117–138)Paulina
Minor
Matidia MinorSuetoniusSabina
M.
Annius Verus		C. Fuscus Salinator IJulia Serviana Paulina
Rupilia FaustinaBoionia ProcillaCn. Arrius Antoninus
L. Caesennius PaetusL. Ceionius CommodusAppia SeveraC. Fuscus Salinator II
Arria AntoniaArria FadillaT. Aurelius Fulvus
L. Caesennius AntoninusLucius
Commodus		Fundania PlautiaIgnota PlautiaC. Avidius
Nigrinus
Antoninus Pius
(r. 138–161)
M. Annius VerusDomitia LucillaFundaniaM. Annius LiboFAUSTINALucius Aelius
Caesar		Avidia Plautia
CornificiaMARCUS AURELIUS
(r. 161–180)		FAUSTINA MinorC. Avidius CassiusAurelia FadillaLUCIUS VERUS
(r. 161–169)
(1)		Ceionia FabiaPlautius QuintillusQ. Servilius PudensCeionia Plautia
Cornificia MinorM. Petronius SuraCOMMODUS
(r. 177–192)		FadillaM. Annius Verus CaesarTi. Claudius Pompeianus (2)LucillaM. Plautius QuintillusJunius Licinius BalbusServilia Ceionia
Petronius AntoninusL. Aurelius Agaclytus
(2)		Aurelia SabinaL. Antistius Burrus
(1)		Plautius QuintillusPlautia ServillaC. Furius Sabinus TimesitheusAntonia GordianaJunius Licinius Balbus
Furia Sabina TranquillinaGORDIAN III
(r. 238-244)

References

  1. ↑ Pauly-Wissowa, RE 14.2, 1535-1600.

External links