Augusta (la-x-classic; plural none: Augustae; Greek: αὐγούστα)[1] was a Roman imperial honorific title given to empresses and women of the imperial families. It was the feminine form of Augustus. In the third century, none: Augustae could also receive the titles of none: Mater Senatus ("Mother of the Senate"), none: Mater Castrorum ("Mother of the Camp"), and none: Mater Patriae ("Mother of the Fatherland").[citation needed]
The title implied the greatest prestige. none: Augustae could issue their own coinage, wear imperial regalia, and rule their own courts.[1]
Agrippina, the wife of Claudius, was the first living wife of the emperor in Roman history to receive the title of none: Augusta, a position she held for the rest of her life, ruling with her husband and son.[citation needed]
In the third century, Julia Domna was the first empress to receive the combined title none: Pia Felix Augusta after the death of her husband Septimius Severus, which may have implied greater powers being vested in her than was usual for a Roman empress mother. In this official position and honor, she accompanied her son on an extensive military campaign and provincial tour.[2]
Principate period
Julio-Claudian dynasty
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Date of naming | Description | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Livia Livia Drvsilla Ivlia Avgvsta | 30 January 58 BC | AD 14 | Wife of Emperor Augustus and mother of Emperor Tiberius. | 28 September AD 29 | |
| Antonia Minor Antonia Minor | 31 January 36 BC Athens | AD 41 (posthumous) | Mother of Emperor Claudius. | AD 37 Rome | |
| Agrippina the Younger Ivlia Avgvsta Agrippina | 7 November AD 15 Oppidum Ubiorum | AD 50 | Wife of Emperor Claudius and mother of Emperor Nero | 23 March AD 59 Misenum | |
| Poppaea Sabina Poppaea Avgvsta Sabina | AD 30 Pompeii | AD 63 | Wife of Emperor Nero. | AD 65 Rome | |
| Claudia Augusta Clavdia Avgvsta | 21 January AD 63 Antium | AD 63 | Daughter of Emperor Nero. | April AD 63 |
Flavian dynasty
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Date of naming | Description | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domitilla the Younger Flavia Domitilla Avgvsta | 45 | Before 80 | Daughter of Emperor Vespasian. | 66 | |
| Domitia Longina Domitia Longina Avgvsta | 50 | 80 | Wife of Emperor Domitian. | After 120 |
Nerva–Antonine dynasty
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Date of naming | Description | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pompeia Plotina Pompeia Plotina Avgvsta | 54–68 | 105 | Wife of Emperor Trajan. | 123 | |
| Ulpia Marciana Vlpia Marciana Avgvsta | 48 | 105 | Sister of Emperor Trajan. | 112–114 | |
| Salonia Matidia Salonia Matidia Avgvsta | 4 July 68 | 112 | Niece of Emperor Trajan. | 23 December 119 | |
| Vibia Sabina Vibia Sabina Avgvsta | 13 August 83 | 128 | Wife of Emperor Hadrian. | 136–137 | |
| Faustina the Elder Annia Galeria Favstina Avgvsta | 21 September 100 | 138 | Wife of Emperor Antoninus Pius. | 140 | |
| Faustina the Younger Annia Galeria Favstina Avgvsta Minor | 125–130 | 1 December 147[3] | Daughter of Emperor Antoninus Pius; wife of Emperor Marcus Aurelius; mother of Emperor Commodus. | 175 | |
| Lucilla Annia Avrelia Galeria Lvcilla Avgvsta | 148–150 | 164 | Daughter of Emperor Marcus Aurelius and wife of Emperor Lucius Verus. | 182 | |
| Bruttia Crispina Brvttia Crispina Avgvsta | 164 Rome | 177 | Wife of Emperor Commodus. | 191 Capri |
Year of the Five Emperors
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Date of naming | Description | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manlia Scantilla Manlia Scantilla | 193 | Wife of Emperor Didius Julianus. | 193 | ||
| Didia Clara Didia Clara | 153 Rome | 193 | Daughter of Emperor Didius Julianus. | Unknown |
Severan dynasty
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Date of naming | Description | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| c. 160 | Wife of Emperor Septimius Severus. | 217 | |||
| Fulvia Plautilla Pvblia Fvlvia Plavtilla Avgvsta | 185—189 | 210s | Wife of Emperor Caracalla. | 212 | |
| Julia Cornelia Paula Jvlia Cornelia Pavla | 219 | First wife of Emperor Elagabalus. | |||
| Aquilia Severa Ivlia Aqvilia Severa Avgvsta | 220 | Second and fourth wife of Emperor Elagabalus. As a Vestal Virgin her marriage to the Emperor was very controversial. | |||
| Julia Avita Mamaea Ivlia Avita Mamaea Avgvsta | 180 | 222 | Mother of Emperor Alexander Severus and co-regent, in his name, during his adolescence. | 235 | |
| Sallustia Orbiana Seia Herennia Sallvstia Barbia Orbiana Avgvsta | 225 | Wife of Emperor Alexander Severus. |
Crisis of the Third Century
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Date of naming | Description | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tranquillina Fvria Sabinia Tranqvillina Avgvsta | c. 225 | 241 | Wife of Emperor Gordian III. | After 244 | |
| Marcia Otacilia Severa Marcia Otacilia Severa Avgvsta | 240s | Wife of the Emperor Philip the Arab. | |||
| Herennia Etruscilla Annia Cvpressenia Herennia Etrvscilla Avgvsta | Unknown | September 249 | Wife of Emperor Trajan Decius; mother of Emperor Herennius Etruscus and Emperor Hostilian. | c. 253 | |
| Cornelia Supera Caia Cornelia Svpera Avgvsta | 253 | Wife of Aemilianus. | |||
| Cornelia Salonina Ivlia Cornelia Salonina Avgvsta | Unknown | 253 | Wife of Emperor Gallienus. | 268 | |
| Sulpicia Dryantilla Svlpicia Dryantilla | c. 260 | Wife of usurper Emperor Regalianus, who named her avgvsta as part of legitimizing his claim. | 260 | ||
| Victoria | 271 | Mother of Victorinus | 271 | ||
| Zenobia Ivlia Avrelia Zenobia | 240 | 272 | Queen of the Palmyrene Empire, a short lived splinter empire that revolted during the Crisis. She proclaimed herself avgvsta and annexed the Eastern Mediterranean from Rome. | c. 275 | |
| Ulpia Severina Vlpia Severina Avgvsta | 274 | Wife of Emperor Aurelian; possibly reigned in her own right after the death of her husband in 275. | |||
| Magnia Urbica Magnia Vrbica Avgvsta | 283 | Wife of Emperor Carinus. |
Dominate period
Tetrarchy
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Date of naming | Description | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galeria Valeria Galeria Valeria Avgvsta | 308 | Daughter of Emperor Diocletian and wife of Emperor Galerius. | 315 |
Constantinian dynasty
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Date of naming | Description | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fausta Flavia Maxima Fausta Avgvsta | 289 | 324 | Wife of Constantine I and daughter of Emperor Maximian. Mother of: Constantina, Constantine II, Constantius II, Constans I and Helena. | 326 | |
| Helena Flavia Ivlia Helena Avgvsta | 246—250 | c.324–325 | Mother of Constantine I and ex-wife or mistress of Emperor Constantius Chlorus (separated before his accession as Caesar). | 18 August 330 | |
| Constantina Avgvsta | 307—317 | After 312, before 337. | Daughter of Emperor Constantine I. Wife of Hannibalianus, Rex Regum et Ponticarum Gentium, "King of Kings and of the Pontic People". Wife of Caesar Constantius Gallus. | 354 |
Valentinianic dynasty
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Date of naming | Description | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galla Placidia Galla Placidia Avgvsta | 392 | c. 416 | Daughter of Theodosius I, wife of Constantius III, regent for her son Valentinian III. | 27 November 450 | |
| Justa Grata Honoria Ivsta Grata Honoria Avgvsta | After 426 | Sister of Valentinian III. |
Theodosian dynasty
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Date of naming | Description | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aelia Flaccilla Aelia Flavia Flaccilla Avgvsta | Before 385 | Wife of Emperor Theodosius I. | 386 | ||
| Eudoxia Aelia Evdoxia Avgvsta | 9 January 400 | Wife of Emperor Arcadius. | 6 October 404 | ||
| Pulcheria Aelia Pvlcheria Avgvsta | 19 January 398–399 | 414 | Daughter of Arcadius, sister of Theodosius II, and then wife of Marcian. | July 453 | |
| Eudocia Aelia Evdocia Avgvsta | 401 | 2 January 423 | Wife of Theodosius II | 20 October 460 | |
| Licinia Eudoxia Licinia Evdoxia Avgvsta | 422 | 439 | Daughter of Theodosius II, Wife of Valentinian III. | 462 |
Leonid dynasty
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Date of naming | Description | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marcia Euphemia Aelia Marcia Euphemia Avgvsta | c. 453 | Daughter of Marcian by an unknown woman. Wife of Anthemius. | 472 | ||
| Verina Aelia Verina Avgvsta | 457 | Wife of Leo I, sister of Basiliscus, mother of Ariadne and Leontia. | 484 | ||
| Ariadne Aelia Ariadne Avgvsta | before 457 | 474 | Daughter of Leo I. Wife of Zeno. Mother of Leo II. Wife of Anastasius I. | 515 | |
| Zenonis Aelia Zenonis Avgvsta | 475 | Wife of Basiliscus. | 476–477 |
Byzantine period
Justinian dynasty
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Date of naming | Description | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Euphemia Εὐφημία, Euphemia Augusta | 518 | Wife of Justin I. Originally named Lupicina, renamed Euphemia on her husband's accession. | c.523/4, before 527. | ||
| Theodora I Θεοδώρα, Theodora Augusta | c. 500 | 9 August 527 | Wife of Justinian I. | 28 June 548 | |
| Sophia Σοφία, Aelia Sophia Augusta | 568 | Wife of Justin II, intermittent regent. | c. 601 | ||
| Ino Anastasia Ἰνὼ Ἀναστασία, Aelia Anastasia Augusta | 578 | Wife of Emperor Tiberius II. | 593 | ||
| Constantina Κωνσταντῖνα | c. 560 | 582 | Wife of Emperor Maurice. | c. 605 | |
| Leontia Λεοντία | 602 | Wife of Emperor Phocas. |
Heraclian dynasty
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Date of naming | Description | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fabia Eudokia, Εύδοκία | 5 October 610 | First wife of Heraclius. | 13 August 612 | ||
| Augustina, Αὐγουστίνα | 639 | Daughter of Heraclius. | |||
| Martina Μαρτίνα | 639 | Second wife of Heraclius, regent of Constantine III and Heraclonas | |||
| Fausta Φαύστα | c. 630 | 642 | Wife of Constans II. | After 668 |
Isaurian dynasty
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Date of naming | Description | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maria Μαρία | 25 August 718 | Wife of Emperor Leo III the Isaurian. | |||
| Anna Ἄννα | 741–742 | Wife of Artabasdos. | |||
| Eudokia Ευδοκια | 1 April 769 | Third wife of Emperor Constantine V. | |||
| Irene of Athens Eἰρήνη η Ἀθηναία | c. 752 | 17 December 769 | Wife of Emperor Leo IV the Khazar, empress dowager and regent from 780 to 797. | 9 August 803 |
Nikephorian dynasty
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Date of naming | Description | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prokopia Προκοπία | c. 770 | 12 October 811 | Daughter of Emperor Nikephoros I and wife of Michael I Rhangabe. | After 813 |
Amorian dynasty
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Date of naming | Description | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theodora II the Armenian Θεοδώρα | c. 815 | 830 | Wife of Emperor Theophilos and regent of Michael III. | After 867 | |
| Thekla Θέκλα | 830s | Daughter of Theophilos. | |||
| Anna Ἄννα | 830s | Daughter of Emperor Theophilos. | |||
| Anastasia Ἀναστασία | 830s | Daughter of Emperor Theophilos. |
Macedonian dynasty
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Date of naming | Description | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoe Zaoutzaina Ζωή Ζαούτζαινα | 898 | Third wife of Leo VI the Wise | May 899 | ||
| Theodora Θεοδώρα | 921 | Wife of Romanos I. | 20 February 922 | ||
| Helena Lekapene Ἑλένη Λεκαπηνή | c. 910 | February 922 | Wife of Constantine VII. | 19 September 961 | |
| Sophia Σοφία | February 922 | Wife of Christopher Lekapenos. | |||
| Anna Ἄννα | 933 | Daughter of Gabalas and wife of Stephen Lekapenos. | |||
| Theophano Θεοφανώ | c. 941 | c. 956 | Wife of Romanos II and Nikephoros II Phokas | a. 978 | |
| Zoe Porphyrogenita | c. 978 | 1028 | Daughter of Constantine VIII Wife of Romanos III Argyros, Michael IV the Paphlagonian and Constantine IX Monomachos | 1050 | |
| Theodora Porphyrogenita | c. 980 | 1042 | Daughter of Constantine VII | 1056 |
Komnenos dynasty
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Date of naming | Description | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catherine of Bulgaria Αἰκατερίνη | before 1018 | 1057 | Empress-consort of Emperor Isaac I Komnenos. | after 1059 |
Doukid dynasty
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Date of naming | Description | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eudokia Makrembolitissa Ευδοκία Μακρεμβολίτισσα | c. 1021 | 1059–1067 | Second wife of Constantine X Doukas and later wife of Romanos IV Diogenes, also regent of Michael VII Doukas | 1096 |
Palaiologos dynasty
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Date of naming | Description | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anna of Savoy Ἄννα | 1306 | c. 1326 | Wife of Andronikos III Palaiologos, mother and regent of John V Palaiologos. | 1365 | |
| Helena Dragaš Ἑλένη Δραγάση | 1372 | c. 1392 | Wife of Manuel II Palaiologos. | 1450 |
See also
References
Citations
- ^ Kazhdan 1991, pp. 694–695.
- ^ Langford 2013, pp. Introduction, note 88; Bédoyère 2018, p. 282.
- ^ Barbara Levick (2014). Faustina I and II: Imperial Women of the Golden Age. Oxford University Press. p. 170. ISBN 978-0-19-537941-9.
- ^ Société française de numismatique et d'archéologie 1873, p. 151.
Sources
- Bédoyère, Guy de la (2018). Domina: The Women Who Made Imperial Rome. Yale University Press. ISBN 9780300230307.
- Kazhdan, Alexander Petrovich (ed.) (1991). The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. New York, New York and Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-504652-8.
- Langford, Julie (2013). Maternal Megalomania: Julia Domna and the Imperial Politics of Motherhood. JHU Press. ISBN 9781421408484.
- Société française de numismatique et d'archéologie (1873). Comptes rendus de la Société française de numismatique et d'archéologie (in French). Vol. IV. Paris.