Lucilla
| Lucilla | |||||||||
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Roman empress | |||||||||
| Tenure | 164 – 169 | ||||||||
| Born | 7 March, between 148 and 150 Rome, Italy | ||||||||
| Died | 182 (aged 32–34) Capri, Italy | ||||||||
| Spouse | |||||||||
| Issue |
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| House | Nerva–Antonine Dynasty | ||||||||
| Father | Marcus Aurelius | ||||||||
| Mother | Faustina the Younger | ||||||||
Annia Aurelia Galeria Lucilla or Lucilla (7 March 148 or 150 – 182) was the second daughter of
Early life
Born and raised in
Marriages and ascension to Empress
In 161, when she was between 11 and 13 years old, Lucilla's father arranged a marriage for her with his co-ruler
Lucilla and Lucius Verus had three children:
- Aurelia Lucilla was born in 165 in Antioch
- Lucilla Plautia
- Lucius Verus
Aurelia and the boy died young.[3]
Lucilla was an influential and respectable woman and she enjoyed her status. She spent much time in Rome, while Verus was away from Rome much of the time, fulfilling his duties as a co-ruler. Lucius Verus died around 168/169 while returning from the war theater in the Danube region, and as a result, Lucilla lost her status as Empress.[2]
As an unattached link to Emperor Aurelius and to the late co-Emperor Verus and because of her royal-born offspring, Lucilla was not destined for a long widowhood, and thus, a short time later, in 169, her father arranged a second marriage for her with
Rise of Commodus
In 172, Lucilla and Quintianus accompanied Marcus Aurelius to
Lucilla was not happy living the quiet life of a private citizen in Rome, and hated her sister-in-law Bruttia Crispina. Over time, Lucilla became very concerned with her brother Commodus' erratic behaviour and its resulting effect on the stability of the empire.[2]
Plot to assassinate Commodus
In light of her brother's unstable rule, in 182 Lucilla became involved in a plot to assassinate Commodus and replace him with her husband and herself as the new rulers of Rome.[2] Her co-conspirators included Publius Tarrutenius Paternus the Praetorian prefect, her daughter Plautia from her first marriage, a nephew of Quintianus also called Quintianus, and her paternal cousins, the former consul Marcus Ummidius Quadratus Annianus and his sister Ummidia Cornificia Faustina.[4]
Quintianus' nephew, brandishing a dagger or sword, bungled the assassination attempt. As he burst forth from his hiding place to commit the deed, he boasted to Commodus "Here is what the Senate sends to you", giving away his intentions before he had the chance to act. Commodus's guards were faster than Quintianus and the would-be assassin was overpowered and disarmed without injuring the emperor.[1][4][5]
Commodus ordered the deaths of Quintianus' nephew and of Marcus Ummidius Quadratus Annianus, and banished Lucilla, her daughter, and Ummidia Cornificia Faustina to the Italian island of Capri. He sent a centurion there to execute them later that year.[4] Her son Pompeianus was later murdered by Caracalla.[2]
In popular culture
- In the 1964 film The Fall of the Roman Empire, Lucilla is played by Sophia Loren, her part in the film's plot bearing only a very loose relation to Lucilla's real life.
- In the 2000 film Gladiator, Lucilla is played by Connie Nielsen.
- In the 2016 six-part docuseries Roman Empire: Reign of Blood, Lucilla is played by Tai Berdinner-Blades.
Nerva–Antonine family tree
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Except where otherwise noted, the notes below indicate that an individual's parentage is as shown in the above family tree.
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References:
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References
- ^ a b Cassius Dio, Roman History, 71.1, 3; 73.4.4–5.
- ^ ISBN 978-1438107943.
- ^ Peacock, Phoebe B., Library of Congress, Lucius Verus (161–169 A.D.), roman-emperors.org. Accessed 29 May 2012.
- ^ a b c Lucius Aurelius Commodus (AD 161 – AD 192), roman-empire.net. Accessed 29 May 2012.
- ^ Gibbon, Edward, The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empire, Vol. 1, Chap. 4, Part I.
Further reading
- Balsdon, J.P.V.D., Roman Women, Barnes & Noble Inc, 1998. ISBN 978-0760708620.
- D'Ambra, Eve, Roman Women, Cambridge University Press, 2006. ISBN 978-0521521581.
- Fraschetti, Augusto, (Ed.), Lappin Linda (Transl.), Roman Women, University Of Chicago Press, 1999. ISBN 978-0226260945.
- Freisenbruch, Annelise, Caesars’ Wives: Sex, Power, and Politics in the Roman Empire, Free Press, 2011. ISBN 978-1416583059.
- Gardner, Jane F., Women in Roman Law and Society, Indiana University Press, 1991. ISBN 978-0253206350.
- Peck, Harry Thurston, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1898.
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