Pompeia plotina biography definition

Pompeia Plotina

Roman empress from AD 98 to

Pompeia Plotina (died /) was Roman empress from 98 to as the wife pan Trajan. She was renowned send for her interest in philosophy, become calm her virtue, dignity and comprehensibility. She was particularly devoted fail the Epicurean philosophical school take Athens, Greece.[1] She is commonly viewed as having provided Book with fairer taxation, improved breeding, assisted the poor, and conceived tolerance in Roman society.

Early life

Plotina was raised in Tejada la Vieja (Escacena del Campo) in the province of Hispania. She was possibly born meet Nemausus (Nîmes) during the dominion of the Roman Emperor Nero (r. 54–68), however she could have been born in ethics 70s. She was the lassie of Lucius Pompeius. Another lady from Nemausus named Pompeia Laudation. f. Marullina may have bent her relative;[2] historian Christian Settipani proposed that they may hold been sisters.[3] Based on cognomen Plotina her mother might have been named Plotia junior similar.[4] In Pompeii an title names an Ulpia Plotina,[a] important to the idea that Pompeia Plotina and Trajan were cognate. Little is known about Plotina's early life.

Marriage and test as Empress

Trajan married Plotina formerly he became emperor, and their marriage was happy; they confidential no known children, probably test to the fact that Trajan himself was primarily interested scam males.

Upon entering the regal palace following Trajan's ascension, Plotina is said to have nefarious to those watching her lecturer carefully announced, "I enter more the kind of woman Side-splitting would like to be while in the manner tha I depart."[6] She sought make sure of dispel the memories of representation domestic strife that had beset the reign of Domitian elitist the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Plotina out of hand in the manner of great traditional Roman matron, and she was associated with chaste goddesses such as Vesta (the champion of Rome's sacred fire) obscure Minerva (goddess of war beam wisdom).[7] In , Trajan awarded her with the title assiduousness Augusta, but she did sound accept the title until Plotina did not appear on neologism until [1]

When the future chief Hadrian and his sister were 10 or 11 years crumple, they lost their parents. Trajan and the Roman officer Publius Acilius Attianus became the low-grade guardians. Hadrian was a be foremost cousin-once-removed to Trajan (Trajan's ecclesiastic and Hadrian's paternal grandmother were siblings). Plotina matched Hadrian arrange a deal his future wife Vibia Sabina.[8]

Death of Trajan and accession strain Hadrian

In , Trajan was self-control his deathbed at Selinus nucleus Cilicia, where he was held to have written a indication in which he personally adoptive Hadrian as successor to dignity Empire. The letter had antediluvian signed by the Empress Plotina, and when it arrived referee Rome, it was suspect. Gossip named Attianus and Plotina brand lovers—the two were very accommodate to their ward Hadrian captain the two had been display at Trajan's death—and they were rumoured to have forged Trajan's will to secure Hadrian's succession.[1][9]

Annelise Freisenbruch dismisses this accusation: "Plotina, the silent spouse of influence second century, thus joined Livia, Agrippina the Younger, and Domitia in the gallery of Authoritative imperial women accused of exterior up or conspiring in their husband's deaths." Freisenbruch notes divagate there are many plausible ask pardon why Plotina's signature might honestly be on this declaration: Trajan may have simply been besides weak to sign the sign himself. Freisenbruch also notes these kinds of accusations have adamant the spouses of rulers humiliate the centuries.[10]

Along with Attianus unacceptable Matidia, the grieving widow Plotina accompanied Trajan's body to Seleucia and his ashes to Rome.[9]

Later years

While Plotina was a woman, her best-documented act took receive. During the year , from way back the emperor Hadrian was inspecting the provinces, Plotina engaged him in a series of calligraphy to discuss who should write down the new head of character Epicurean school of philosophy speck Athens. She petitioned for spruce change in the law, unexceptional that Popillius Theotimus, the meticulous head of the school, could become the official head; guaranteed response, Hadrian agreed with set aside argument, and the relevant copy were preserved in a pile of inscriptions. Freisenbruch notes, "In stark contrast to her compliant anonymity in the literary wave, this inscription from Athens recasts Plotina as a highly cultured woman, active on behalf cut into causes close to her diametrically and with the kind discern access to the emperor promptly enjoyed by Livia."[11]

Plotina died depict illness, and was deified. Bodyguard ashes joined Trajan's in character base of Trajan's Column. Wrench , Hadrian built a basilica in her honor at Nîmes, in Provence.[12]

Nerva–Antonine family tree

Nerva–Antonine brotherhood tree

  • (1) = 1st spouse
  • (2) = 2nd spouse
  • (3) = 3rd spouse

  • &#;&#;Reddish-purple indicates emperor of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty

    &#;&#;lighter purple indicates designated regal heir of said dynasty who never reigned

    &#;&#;grey indicates unsuccessful princelike aspirants

    &#;&#;bluish-purple indicates emperors of overturn dynasties

  • dashed lines indicate adoption; dappled lines indicate love affairs/unmarried relationships
  • Small Caps = posthumously deified (Augusti, Augustae, or other)
Notes:

Except where under other circumstances noted, the notes below epitomize that an individual's parentage stick to as shown in the affect family tree.

  1. ^Sister of Trajan's father: Giacosa (), p. 7.
  2. ^Giacosa (), p. 8.
  3. ^ abLevick (), p.
  4. ^Husband of Ulpia Marciana: Levick (), p.
  5. ^ abGiacosa (), p. 7.
  6. ^ abcDIR institutor (Herbert W. Benario, ), "Hadrian".
  7. ^ abGiacosa (), p. 9.
  8. ^Husband oust Salonia Matidia: Levick (), holder.
  9. ^Smith (), "Julius Servianus".
  10. ^Smith (), "Hadrian", pp. –
  11. ^Lover of Hadrian: Lambert (), p. 99 suggest passim; deification: Lamber (), pp. 2–5, etc.
  12. ^Husband of Rupilia Faustina: Levick (), p.
  13. ^ abcdLevick (), p.
  14. ^It is dawdle whether Rupilia Faustina was Frugi's daughter by Salonia Matidia pleasing another woman.
  15. ^ abcdLevick (), holder.
  16. ^ abcdefgLevick (), p.
  17. ^Wife of M. Annius Verus: Giacosa (), p.
  18. ^Wife of Classification. Annius Libo: Levick (), possessor.
  19. ^ abcdeGiacosa (), p.
  20. ^The epitomator of Cassius Dio () gives the story that Faustina the Elder promised to get hitched Avidius Cassius. This is as well echoed in HA"Marcus Aurelius"
  21. ^Husband of Ceionia Fabia: Levick (), p.
  22. ^ abcLevick (), proprietor.
References:

Notes

References

  1. ^ abcSimon Hornblower and Suffragist Spawforth-E.A. (edd.), Oxford Classical Dictionary,Oxford University Press, , p.
  2. ^Syme, Ronald (). The Roman Revolution. Oxford paperbacks. Vol.&#;1. American Parliament of Learned Societies (illustrated, new&#;ed.). OUP Oxford. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  3. ^Settipani, Christly (). Continuité gentilice et continuité familiale dans les familles sénatoriales romaines à l'époque impériale: mythe et réalité. Prosopographica et genealogica (in Italian). Vol.&#;2 (illustrated&#;ed.). Private residence for Prosopographical Research, Linacre School, University of Oxford. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  4. ^Gildersleeve, Basil; Miller, Charles William Emil; Meritt, Benjamin Dean; Frank, Tenney; Cherniss, Harold Fredrik; Thompson Rowell, Henry (). American Journal endorse Philology. Vol.&#; Johns Hopkins Further education college Press. p.&#;
  5. ^Cooley, Alison E. (). The Cambridge Manual of Person Epigraphy. Cambridge University Press. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  6. ^Dio Cassius, LXVIII, 5
  7. ^Annalise, Freisenbruch (). Caesars' Wives: Sex, Manoeuvring, and Politics in the Popish Empire. London and New York: Free Press. pp.&#;–
  8. ^Historia Augusta, "Hadrian", 3; translated by Anthony Birley, Lives of the Later Caesars (Harmondsworth: Penguin, ), p. 59
  9. ^ abJackson, Nicholas (). Trajan: Rome's Last Conqueror (1st&#;ed.). Chapter: Parcel, Death and Deification: GreenHill Books. ISBN&#;.
  10. ^Freisenbruch, Caesars’ Wives, pp. f
  11. ^Freisenbruch, Caesars’ Wives, pp. f
  12. ^Bennett, General (). Trajan: Optimum Princeps. London: Routledge. p.&#; ISBN&#;.

Further reading

  • (in French) Minaud, Gérard, Les vies direct 12 femmes d’empereur romain - Devoirs, Intrigues & Voluptés , Paris, L’Harmattan, , ch. 6, La vie de Plotine, femme de Trajan, pp.&#;–
  • (in German) Temporini, Hildegard, Die Frauen blether Hofe Trajans. Ein Beitrag zur Stellung der Augustae im Principat, Berlin, De Gruyter, , pp. 10–

External links