Faustina I - Roman Empress -
Silver Denarius 17mm (3.2 grams) Rome mint: 147-161 A.D. under Roman Emperor
Antoninus Pius
Reference: RIC 382b (Antoninus Pius), S 4593, C 165
DIVAFAVSTINA - Draped bust right.
CONSECRATIO - Juno standing left, raising hand and holding torch.
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Juno
was an
ancient Roman goddess, the protector and special counselor of the state. She
is a daughter of
Saturn and sister (but also the wife) of the chief god
Jupiter and the mother of
Mars,
Minerva and
Vulcan. Her Greek equivalent is
Hera.
As the
patron goddess of
Rome
and the
Roman empire she was called Regina ("queen") and, together with Jupiter and
Minerva, was worshipped as a triad on the Capitol (Juno Capitolina) in Rome.
As the great Juno
Moneta (which the ancients interpreted as "the one who warns"; this
traditional etymology is badly formed, but has not been replaced) she guarded
over the finances of the empire and had a temple on the
Arx (one of two Capitoline hills), which was the
Mint. She was also worshipped in many other cities, where temples were built
in her honor.
Every year, on the first of March, women held a festival in
honor of Juno called the
Matronalia. On this day, lambs and other cattle were sacrificed in her
honor. Another festival called the
Nonae Caprotinae ("The Nones of the Wild Fig") was held on July 7. Juno is
the patroness of marriage, and many people believe that the most favorable time
to marry is June, the month named after the goddess.
Lucina was an epithet for Juno as "she who brings children into light."
Juno's own warlike aspect among the Romans is apparent in her
attire. She often appeared armed and wearing a goatskin cloak, which was the
garment favoured by Roman soldiers on campaign. This warlike aspect was
assimilated from the Greek goddess
Athena, whose goatskin was called the 'aegis'.
Annia
Galeria Faustina, more familiarly referred to as Faustina the Elder (Latin:
Faustina Major; born
September 21 about 100[citation
needed], died October or November 140[1]
), was a Roman Empress and wife of
Roman
Emperor
Antoninus Pius.
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 perhaps were Roman Empress
Vibia
Sabina,
Matidia Minor. Her paternal grandfather had the same name as her father and
her maternal grandparents possibly 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.
On
July 10,
138, her uncle
emperor Hadrian
had died and her husband became the new emperor. Antoninus was Hadrian's adopted
son and heir. Faustina became Roman Empress and the senate accorded her the
title of
Augusta. Faustina as an empress was well respected and this beautiful
woman was renowned for her wisdom. The
Augustan History impugned her character, criticizing her as having
"excessive frankness" and "levity". However, this doesn’t appear to be the case
with her character. Throughout her life, Faustina as a private citizen and an
empress was involved in assisting with charities, assisting the poor and
sponsoring and assisting in the education of Roman children, particularly of
Roman 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.
Antoninus did the following in memory of his loving wife:
-
Deified her as a goddess (her apotheosis was portrayed on an
honorary column)
-
Had
a temple built in the
Roman
Forum in her name, 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]
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