Faustina the Elder

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Roman imperial dynasties
Antonine Dynasty

Antoninus Pius
Vaticanian bust of Faustina Major.
Children
Natural - Faustina the Younger, also one other daughter and two sons, all died before 138
Adoptive - Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus
Marcus Aurelius with Lucius Verus
Marcus Aurelius alone
Children
Natural - 13, including Commodus and Lucilla
Commodus

Denarius of Faustina I

Annia Galeria Faustina, more familiarly referred to as Faustina I (Latin: Faustina Major; born on September 21, in about 100; died in October or November of 140^[1]), was a Roman Empress and wife of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius.

[edit] Early life

Faustina was the only known daughter of consul and prefect Marcus Annius Verus and Rupilia Faustina. Her brothers were consul Marcus Annius Libo and praetor Marcus Annius Verus. Her maternal aunts were Roman Empress Vibia Sabina and Matidia Minor. Her paternal grandfather had the same name as her father and her maternal grandparents were Salonina Matidia (niece of Roman Emperor Trajan) and suffect consul Lucius Scribonius Libo Rupilius Frugi Bonus. Faustina was born and raised in Rome.

As a private citizen, she married Antoninus Pius between 110 and 115. Faustina and Antoninus had a very happy marriage. Faustina bore Antoninus four children, two sons and two daughters. They were:

Marcus Aurelius Fulvius Antoninus (died before 138); his sepulchral inscription has been found at the Mausoleum of Hadrian in Rome.
Marcus Galerius Aurelius Antoninus (died before 138); his sepulchral inscription has been found at the Mausoleum of Hadrian in Rome. His name appears on a Greek Imperial coin.
Aurelia Fadilla (died in 135); she married Aelius Lamia Silvanus or Syllanus. She appears to have had no children with her husband and her sepulchral inscription has been found in Italy.
Annia Galeria Faustina Minor or Faustina the Younger (between 125-130-175), a future Roman Empress; she married her maternal cousin, future Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. She was the only child who survived to adulthood.

[edit] Empress

On July 10, 138, her uncle, Emperor Hadrian, died and her husband became the new emperor, as Antoninus was Hadrian's adopted son and heir. Faustina became Roman Empress and the Senate accorded her the title of Augusta. As empress, Faustina was well respected and was renowned for her beauty and wisdom. The Augustan History criticized her as having "excessive frankness" and "levity". Throughout her life, as a private citizen and as empress, Faustina was involved in assisting charities for the poor and sponsoring and assisting in the education of Roman children, particularly girls.

She can be viewed as one of the most moral, stable and respected empresses in the history of the Roman Empire. When Faustina died, Antoninus was in complete mourning for Faustina.

[edit] Legacy

Antoninus did the following in memory of his wife:

Deified her as a goddess (her apotheosis was portrayed on an honorary column)
Had the Temple of Faustina built in the Roman Forum, with priestesses in the temple.
Had various coins with her portrait struck in her honor. These coins were inscribed DIVA FAVSTINA ("Divine Faustina") and were elaborately decorated.
Founded a charity called Puellae Faustinianae or Girls of Faustina, which assisted orphaned girls.
Created a new alimenta (see Grain supply to the city of Rome).

In 2008, archaeologists digging at the ancient site of Sagalassos in Turkey discovered a colossal marble head which is believed to be that of Faustina.^[2]

[edit] Nerva–Antonine family tree

(1) = 1st spouse
(2) = 2nd spouse (not shown)
(3) = 3rd spouse
SMALL CAPS = posthumously deified (Augusti, Augustae, or other)
dotted lines indicate adoption or (in the case of Hadrian and Antinous) alleged lovers