Marcia Furnilla

Marcia Furnilla (also sometimes called Marcia Fulvia) was a Roman noblewoman who lived in the 1st century. Furnilla was the second and last wife of the future Roman Emperor Titus.

Marcia Furnilla
Bust believed to depict Furnilla
Spouse	Titus
Issue	Julia Flavia

Family

Marcia Furnilla came from a noble and distinguished family. She was from the gens Marcia who were of plebeian status,[1] claiming descent from the Roman king Ancus Marcius. She was a daughter of Roman Senator Quintus Marcius Barea Sura and Antonia Furnilla. Her sister was Marcia, the mother of Ulpia Marciana and of future Roman Emperor Trajan. Her father was a friend to future Roman Emperor Vespasian (who was Titus' father) and her paternal uncle was the senator Quintus Marcius Barea Soranus, while her paternal cousin was the noblewoman Marcia Servilia Sorana. Furnilla's paternal grandfather was Quintus Marcius Barea Soranus, who was Suffect consul in 34 and Proconsul of the Africa Province in 41-43, while her maternal grandfather could have been Aulus Antonius Rufus, a Suffect consul in 45[2].

Life

Marcia Furnilla was born and raised in Rome. She married Titus, widowed from his first marriage, in 63. The marriage between Titus and Furnilla was an arranged one.

This marriage for Titus was an influential one and promoted his political career. Suetonius describes Furnilla as a "very well-connected" woman. On September 17, 64, Furnilla bore Titus a daughter, Flavia Julia Titi or Julia Flavia in Rome.

Like Titus' first marriage, this one was short. Furnilla's family was connected to the opponents of Roman Emperor Nero and after the failure of the Pisonian conspiracy in 65, they were disfavored by the Emperor. Titus didn't want to be connected with any potential plotters and ended his marriage to Furnilla, but continued raising their daughter.

The fate of Furnilla afterwards is unknown. After her death, she was placed along with her mother in the mausoleum of Gaius Sulpicius Platorinus - a magistrate at the time of the first Roman Emperor Augustus - and his sister Sulpicia Platorina in Rome.

Nerva–Antonine family tree

Nerva–Antonine family tree
Q. Marcius Barea Soranus Q. Marcius Barea Sura Antonia Furnilla M. Cocceius Nerva Sergia Plautilla P. Aelius Hadrianus Titus (r. 79–81) Marcia Furnilla Marcia Trajanus Pater Nerva (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) Plotina P. Acilius Attianus P. 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 I Julia Serviana Paulina M. Annius Verus[lower-roman 14] Rupilia Faustina[lower-roman 15] Boionia Procilla Cn. Arrius Antoninus L. Ceionius Commodus Appia Severa C. Fuscus Salinator II L. Caesennius Paetus Arria Antonina Arria Fadilla[lower-roman 16] T. Aurelius Fulvus L. Caesennius Antoninus L. Commodus Fundania Plautia ignota[lower-roman 17] C. Avidius Nigrinus M. Annius Verus[lower-roman 15] Domitia Calvilla[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 Cassius[lower-roman 21] Aurelia Fadilla[lower-roman 16] LUCIUS VERUS (r. 161–169)[lower-roman 17] (1) Ceionia Fabia[lower-roman 17] Plautius Quintillus[lower-roman 22] Q. Servilius Pudens Ceionia Plautia[lower-roman 17] Cornificia Minor[lower-roman 23] M. Petronius Sura COMMODUS (r. 177–192)[lower-roman 20] Fadilla[lower-roman 23] M. Annius Verus Caesar[lower-roman 20] Ti. Claudius Pompeianus (2) Lucilla[lower-roman 20] M. Plautius Quintillus[lower-roman 17] Junius Licinius Balbus Servilia Ceionia Petronius Antoninus L. Aurelius Agaclytus (2) Aurelia Sabina[lower-roman 23] L. Antistius Burrus (1) Plautius Quintillus Plautia Servilla C. Furius Sabinus Timesitheus Antonia Gordiana Junius Licinius Balbus? Furia Sabina Tranquillina GORDIAN 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. Sister of Trajan's father: Giacosa (1977), p. 7. Giacosa (1977), p. 8. Levick (2014), p. 161. Husband of Ulpia Marciana: Levick (2014), p. 161. Giacosa (1977), p. 7. DIR contributor (Herbert W. Benario, 2000), "Hadrian". Giacosa (1977), p. 9. Husband of Salonia Matidia: Levick (2014), p. 161. Smith (1870), "Julius Servianus". Suetonius a possible lover of Sabina: One interpretation of HA Hadrianus 11:3 Smith (1870), "Hadrian", pp. 319–322. Lover of Hadrian: Lambert (1984), p. 99 and passim; deification: Lamber (1984), pp. 2–5, etc. 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. Husband of Rupilia Faustina: Levick (2014), p. 163. Levick (2014), p. 163. Levick (2014), p. 162. Levick (2014), p. 164. Wife of M. Annius Verus: Giacosa (1977), p. 10. Wife of M. Annius Libo: Levick (2014), p. 163. Giacosa (1977), p. 10. The epitomator of Cassius Dio (72.22) gives the story that Faustina the Elder promised to marry Avidius Cassius. This is also echoed in HA "Marcus Aurelius" 24. Husband of Ceionia Fabia: Levick (2014), p. 164. Levick (2014), p. 117.
References: DIR contributors (2000). "De Imperatoribus Romanis: An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Rulers and Their Families". Retrieved 2015-04-14. Giacosa, Giorgio (1977). Women of the Caesars: Their Lives and Portraits on Coins. Translated by R. Ross Holloway. Milan: Edizioni Arte e Moneta. ISBN 0-8390-0193-2. Lambert, Royston (1984). Beloved and God: The Story of Hadrian and Antinous. New York: Viking. ISBN 0-670-15708-2. Levick, Barbara (2014). Faustina I and II: Imperial Women of the Golden Age. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-537941-9. William Smith, ed. (1870). Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.

References

1. Pauly-Wissowa, RE 14.2, 1535-1600.
2. Brian W. Jones. The Emperor Domitian.

External links

• Statue of Marcia Furnilla, see section 6. Flavian Women, statue J.
• Jstor.org
• Roman-emperors.org
• Dcodriscoll.pbworks.com
• Livius.org
• Livius.org
• Roman-empire.net
• Ancientlibrary.com
• Webcitations.org
• Penelope.uchicago.edu