Pompeia Plotina

Pompeia Plotina coin, celebrating the Fides on the reverse.

Pompeia Plotina Claudia Phoebe Piso or Pompeia Plotina (d. 121/122) was a Roman Empress and wife of Roman Emperor Trajan. She was renowned for her interest in philosophy, and her virtue, dignity and simplicity. She was particularly devoted to the Epicurean philosophical school in Athens, Greece.[1] Through her influence, she provided Romans with fairer taxation, improved education, assisted the poor, and created tolerance in Roman society.

Plotina was born and was raised in Tejada la Vieja (Escacena del Campo) in the province of Hispania, possibly during the reign of Roman Emperor Nero (r. 54–68). However, she could have been born in the 70s CE; we do not know. She was the daughter of Lucius Pompeius and Plotia, who had extensive political and familial connections. Trajan married her before his accession and, although a happy marriage, they had no known children. In 100, Trajan awarded her with title of Augusta, but she did not accept the title until 105. Plotina did not appear also on the coinage until 112.[1]

When the future emperor Hadrian and his sister lost their parents at 10 or 11 years old, Trajan and the Roman officer Publius Acilius Attianus became their guardians; Hadrian was a first cousin once removed to Trajan (Trajan's father and Hadrian's paternal grandmother were siblings). It is rumoured that she and Attianus had an affair, both being fond of Hadrian their ward, and that this was part of how Hadrian became Emperor: Attianus and Plotina were both present at Trajan’s deathbed at Selinus in Cilicia in August 117, and the two helped secure Hadrian's succession by forging Trajan’s will.[1] Along with Attianus and Matidia, the grieving widow Plotina accompanied Trajan’s body to Seleucia and his ashes to Rome.

When Plotina died of illness, c. 121/122, she was deified. Hadrian built a temple in her honor at Nîmes, in Provence.

Nerva–Antonine family tree

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)		Ulpia[lower-roman 1]Aelius Hadrianus Marullinus
Julia Flavia[lower-roman 2]Marciana[lower-roman 3]C. Salonius Matidius[lower-roman 4]Trajan
(r. 98–117)		PlotinaP. Acilius AttianusP. Aelius Afer[lower-roman 5]Paulina Major[lower-roman 6]
Lucius Mindius
(2)		Libo Rupilius Frugi
(3)		Matidia[lower-roman 7]L. Vibius Sabinus
(1)[lower-roman 8]
Paulina Minor[lower-roman 6]L. Julius Ursus Servianus[lower-roman 9]
Matidia Minor[lower-roman 7]Suetonius?[lower-roman 10]Sabina[lower-roman 3]Hadrian[lower-roman 5][lower-roman 11][lower-roman 6] (r. 117–138)Antinous[lower-roman 12]
Julia Balbilla?[lower-roman 13]C. Fuscus Salinator IJulia Serviana Paulina
M. Annius Verus[lower-roman 14]Rupilia Faustina[lower-roman 15]Boionia ProcillaCn. Arrius Antoninus
L. Ceionius CommodusAppia SeveraC. Fuscus Salinator II
L. Caesennius PaetusArria AntoninaArria Fadilla[lower-roman 16]T. Aurelius Fulvus
L. Caesennius AntoninusL. CommodusFundania Plautiaignota[lower-roman 17]C. Avidius Nigrinus
M. Annius Verus[lower-roman 15]Domitia Lucilla[lower-roman 18]Fundania[lower-roman 19]M. Annius Libo[lower-roman 15]FAUSTINA[lower-roman 16]Antoninus Pius
(r. 138–161)[lower-roman 16]		L. Aelius Caesar[lower-roman 17]Avidia Plautia[lower-roman 17]
Cornificia[lower-roman 15]MARCUS AURELIUS
(r. 161–180)[lower-roman 20]		FAUSTINA Minor[lower-roman 20]C. Avidius CassiusAurelia Fadilla[lower-roman 16]LUCIUS VERUS
(r. 161–169)[lower-roman 17]
(1)		Ceionia Fabia[lower-roman 17]Plautius Quintillus[lower-roman 21]Q. Servilius PudensCeionia Plautia[lower-roman 17]
Cornificia Minor[lower-roman 22]M. Petronius SuraCOMMODUS
(r. 177–192)[lower-roman 20]		Fadilla[lower-roman 22]M. Annius Verus Caesar[lower-roman 20]Ti. Claudius Pompeianus
(2)		Lucilla[lower-roman 20]M. Plautius Quintillus[lower-roman 17]Junius Licinius BalbusServilia Ceionia
Petronius AntoninusL. Aurelius Agaclytus
(2)		Aurelia Sabina[lower-roman 22]L. Antistius Burrus
(1)		Plautius QuintillusPlautia ServillaC. Furius Sabinus TimesitheusAntonia GordianaJunius Licinius Balbus
Furia Sabina TranquillinaGORDIAN III
(r. 238–244)
  • (1) = 1st spouse
  • (2) = 2nd spouse
  • (3) = 3rd spouse
  • Reddish purple indicates emperor of the Nerva-Antonine dynasty;
    lighter purple indicates designated imperial heir of said dynasty who never reigned;
    grey indicates unsuccessful imperial aspirants;
    bluish purple indicates emperors of other dynasties
  • dashed lines indicate adoption; dotted lines indicate love affairs/unmarried relationships
  • small caps = posthumously deified (Augusti, Augustae, or other)
Notes:

Except where otherwise noted, the notes below indicate that an individual's parentage is as shown in the above family tree.

  1. ↑ Sister of Trajan's father: Giacosa (1977), p. 7.
  2. ↑ Giacosa (1977), p. 8.
  3. 1 2 Levick (2014), p. 161.
  4. ↑ Husband of Ulpia Marciana: Levick (2014), p. 161.
  5. 1 2 Giacosa (1977), p. 7.
  6. 1 2 3 DIR contributor (Herbert W. Benario, 2000), "Hadrian".
  7. 1 2 Giacosa (1977), p. 9.
  8. ↑ Husband of Salonia Matidia: Levick (2014), p. 161.
  9. ↑ Smith (1870), "Julius Servianus".
  10. ↑ Suetonius a possible lover of Sabina: One interpretation of HA Hadrianus 11:3
  11. ↑ Smith (1870), "Hadrian", pp. 319–322.
  12. ↑ Lover of Hadrian: Lambert (1984), p. 99 and passim; deification: Lamber (1984), pp. 2-5, etc.
  13. ↑ Julia Balbilla a possible lover of Sabina: A. R. Birley (1997), Hadrian, the Restless Emperor, p. 251, cited in Levick (2014), p. 30, who is sceptical of this suggestion.
  14. ↑ Husband of Rupilia Faustina: Levick (2014), p. 163.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Levick (2014), p. 163.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Levick (2014), p. 162.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Levick (2014), p. 164.
  18. ↑ Wife of M. Annius Verus: Giacosa (1977), p. 10.
  19. ↑ Wife of M. Annius Libo: Levick (2014), p. 163.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 Giacosa (1977), p. 10.
  21. ↑ Husband of Ceionia Fabia: Levick (2014), p. 164.
  22. 1 2 3 Levick (2014), p. 117.
References:

References

  1. 1 2 3 Simon Hornblower and Anthony Spawforth-E.A. (edd.), Oxford Classical Dictionary, Oxford University Press, 2003, p. 1214.
Royal titles
Preceded by
Domitia Longina		 Empress of Rome
98–117 		Succeeded by
Vibia Sabina

Further reading

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