List of Augustae

(Redirected from Augusta (honorific))

Augusta (Classical Latin: [au̯ˈɡʊsta]; plural Augustae; Greek: αὐγούστα)[1] was a Roman imperial honorific title given to empresses and honoured women of the imperial families. It was the feminine form of Augustus. In the third century, Augustae could also receive the titles of Mater Senatus ("Mother of the Senate") and Mater Castrorum ("Mother of the Camp") and Mater Patriae ("Mother of the Fatherland").

The title implied the greatest prestige. Augustae could issue their own coinage, wear imperial regalia, and rule their own courts.[1]

Wife of Claudius, Agrippina was the first wife of the emperor in Roman history to receive the throne of Augusta, a position she held for the rest of her life, ruling with her husband and son.

In the third century, Julia Domna was the first empress to receive the title combination "Pia Felix Augusta" after the death of her husband Septimius Severus, which may have implied greater powers being vested in her than what was usual for a Roman empress mother and in this innumerable official position and honor, she accompanied his son on an extensive military campaign and provincial tour.[2]

Principate period edit

Julio-Claudian dynasty edit

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 edit

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 edit

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 edit

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 edit

Portrait Name Birth Date of naming Description Death
  Julia Domna
  • Ivlia Domna Avgvsta[4]
  • Ivlia Avgvsta[4]
  • Ivlia Pia Felix Avgvsta[4]
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 edit

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
September 249 240s Wife of Emperor Trajan Decius; mother of Emperor Herennius Etruscus and Emperor Hostilian. June 251
  Egnatia Mariniana
Egnatia Mariniana Avgvsta
250s Wife of Emperor Valerian.
  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 edit

Tetrarchy edit

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 edit

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 edit

Portrait Name Birth Date of naming Description Death
Domnica
Domnica Avgvsta
364—378 Wife of Emperor Valens. After 378
  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 edit

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, sole ruler for a month following the death of Theodosius, then co-ruler with her husband 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 edit

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 edit

Justinian dynasty edit

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 edit

Portrait Name Birth Date of naming Description Death
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 edit

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 edit

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 edit

Portrait Name Birth Date of naming Description Death
  Theodora
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 edit

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.

Komnenid dynasty edit

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 edit

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

Komnenid dynasty edit

Portrait Name Birth Date of naming Description Death
Anna Dalassene
Ἄννα Δαλασσηνή
1025 1081 Mother of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos. 1102

Palaiologos dynasty edit

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 edit

References edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ a b Kazhdan 1991, pp. 694–695.
  2. ^ Langford 2013, Introduction, note 88; Bédoyère 2018, p. 282.
  3. ^ Barbara Levick (2014). Faustina I and II: Imperial Women of the Golden Age. Oxford University Press. p. 170. ISBN 978-0-19-537941-9.
  4. ^ a b c Société française de numismatique et d'archéologie 1873, p. 151.

Sources edit

External links edit