Annia Faustina

Annia Aurelia Faustina was the third wife of Roman Emperor Elagabalus, who reigned 218-222. On their coins they called Annia Faustina; Annia Aurelia Faustina her full name is attested only in inscriptions. After she married in July or August 221 the then seventeen year old Elagabalus, she became the Empress the title of Augusta.

Annia Faustina was descended from Claudius Severus, the son of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Probably she was a great-granddaughter of Marcus Aurelius and Annia Galeria Faustina his wife, known as Faustina the Younger. Her father was probably the son of Claudius Severus, Tiberius Claudius Severus Proculus, who held the ordinary consulate in 200. In her first marriage she was married to Pomponius Bassus, who was ordinary consul in the year 211. As the contemporary historian Cassius Dio reported Elagabalus Bassus put to death in order to marry Annia can, and allowed her no grief over his death. Bassus was accused criticize actions of the emperor. The death sentence was Elagabalus subsequently confirmed by the Senate.

Previously Elagabalus had been married to his second wife Iulia Aquila Severa. Since Aquilia had been before this marriage Vestal, he had committed a serious breach of the Roman religious right and the religious tradition, because the Vestals were obliged to maintain their virginity. This marriage of the emperor was a scandal worst proportions. She looked down on his public reputation devastating and deteriorated also be other reasons difficult troubled relationship to the Senate dramatically. This saw his grandmother Julia Maesa a threat to the continuation of the dynasty. Therefore, they made ​​an effort to relax. At her insistence Elagabalus replaced its inappropriate connection with Aquilia on in July or August 221 and married Annia Faustina. One advantage of the new marriage was that Annia was respected for their distinguished lineage in the Roman ruling class. Your survey to the new empress was to mark a change of course and are perceived in the Senate as a positive signal.

This attempt to appease the Romans applied but failed soon, because Elagabalus separated already at the end of 221 ​​Annia. He returned to Aquilia and married a second time. About Annias further fate is not known.

The appearance Annias can only see their Münzbildnissen. It has not been successful, you assign a sculpture in the round plausible.