Latest / Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History / Faustina the Younger: The Empress Behind Marcus Aurelius
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've talked a lot about Marcus the emperor, the Stoic, the writer. But one figure who's been in the background of nearly every episode — his wife, Faustina the Younger — we've barely touched on. And she's absolutely fascinating. Luna: I've heard she was pretty controversial. Wasn't there a lot of scandal around her? Lucas: Oh, huge. Ancient sources — especially Cassius Dio and the Historia Augusta — paint her as scheming, unfaithful, even involved in a rebellion against her own husband. But we have to be careful: those sources are often hostile or late. Let's start with who she actually was. Lucas: Faustina the Younger — full name Annia Galeria Faustina Minor — was born in 125 or 130 CE, the daughter of Antoninus Pius. That means she was literally raised in the imperial palace, groomed for power. And in 145, she married her cousin, Marcus Aurelius, as part of a dynastic arrangement. Luna: So she was basically destined to be empress from birth. Lucas: Exactly. And as empress, she did what was expected: she produced heirs — thirteen children, though only six survived to adulthood. But here's where the trouble starts. The sources claim she had lovers, that she encouraged the revolt of Avidius Cassius in 175, and that she even committed suicide when the plot failed. Lucas: But let's pause. The revolt of Avidius Cassius — we covered that in Episode 179. Cassius was a general in Syria who rebelled after a false rumor that Marcus was dead. The Historia Augusta says Faustina, worried Marcus might die on campaign and leave her children vulnerable, urged Cassius to seize power. Then, when the revolt collapsed, she supposedly killed herself by taking a vein. Luna: Wow. So she's either a traitor or a tragic figure — or both. Lucas: Or maybe neither. Most modern historians think the stories are slander. For one thing, Marcus himself never believed them. In his Meditations, he writes fondly of Faustina, thanking her for her obedience and affection. And after her death in 175 — at a military camp in Halala, Cappadocia — he deified her, renamed the town Faustinopolis, and built temples in her honor. Luna: Then why the bad press? Where did these rumors come from? Lucas: Partly from the senatorial class, who resented the power of imperial women. And partly from Commodus's disastrous reign — when people looked back, they wanted to find a villain, and Faustina was an easy target. Cassius Dio, writing a century later, says she had a thing for gladiators and sailors, but there's zero contemporary evidence. Lucas: What we do have is coins. Lots of them. Faustina appears on coins with titles like 'Mater Castrorum' — Mother of the Camp — and 'Salus Augusti' — Health of the Emperor. These were official propaganda, but they also tell us how Marcus wanted her remembered: as a partner in his rule, not a threat. Luna: So she was actually on campaign with him? I thought Roman empresses mostly stayed in Rome. Lucas: Most did, but Faustina was an exception. She accompanied Marcus during the Marcomannic Wars, which is why she died in Cappadocia — she was at the frontier. The title 'Mater Castrorum' was granted by the army, and that's almost unheard of for a woman. It suggests real affection from the soldiers. Lucas: And think about what that meant for Marcus. He lost at least seven children before they reached adulthood — infant mortality was brutal. Then he lost his wife. His Stoicism must have been tested to the limit. Luna: Did he write about her death in Meditations? I don't recall. Lucas: Not directly — the Meditations are mostly self-exhortations, not diary entries. But there's a passage where he says 'that which is not good for the hive is not good for the bee' — a Stoic acceptance of loss. And he honored her memory consistently. Lucas: Now, her daughter Lucilla — named after her grandmother — had a different fate. She was married to Lucius Verus, then after his death forced to marry a much older man, Pompeianus. She resented Commodus becoming emperor and eventually plotted to assassinate him. She failed and was executed. Luna: So Faustina's line ends in tragedy. But her reputation is still muddied. What's the fairest way to think of her? Lucas: I'd say she was a shrewd political operator who did what she had to protect her family in a dangerous world. The scandals are likely exaggerated, but she undoubtedly wielded real influence — over appointments, diplomacy, even the succession. She wasn't a passive consort. Lucas: And if today's conversation felt worth a coffee to you, that's the link — buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Smallest thing, keeps the show ad-free. Luna: Yeah, it really helps us keep doing episodes like this, digging into the figures the textbooks skip over. Lucas: So back to Faustina — her legacy is also carved in stone. The city of Faustinopolis survived into the Byzantine era. And the column of Marcus Aurelius in Rome includes a scene of the Rain Miracle that some associate with her prayers. Luna: Wait, the Rain Miracle — we did a whole episode on that. I don't remember Faustina being mentioned. Lucas: She's not in the main story, but later Christian writers claimed the miracle was a response to the emperor and empress praying together. It's tenuous, but it shows how her image was co-opted over time. Lucas: Ultimately, Faustina the Younger is a mirror: through her, we see the anxieties of a dynasty. Was she a loyal partner or a schemer? The evidence leans toward loyalty, but the rumors persist because they're dramatic. Marcus's own silence — or rather his dignified defense — speaks volumes. Luna: So the philosopher king married someone who could hold her own. Lucas: Exactly. And he never wavered. That's Stoic love, I think: not ignoring flaws, but choosing to see the best and act accordingly. Faustina wasn't perfect, but she was his partner, and he stood by her.