Aspasia Annia Regilla
Encyclopedia
Aspasia Annia Regilla, full name
Appia Annia Regilla Atilia Caucidia Tertulla (Greek
:, 125
-160
), was a wealthy, aristocratic
and influential Roman woman, who was a distant relative of several Roman Emperor
s and Roman Empresses. She was the wife of the prominent Greek Herodes Atticus
.
, of the venerable branch of the Annii Regilli. Regilli means 'Little Queen'. Her father was Appius Annius Trebonius Gallus
, a distinguished Roman Senator and one of the serving consuls in the year 139. Her mother was a Roman aristocrat called Atilia Caucidia Tertulla
. Regilla's brother, Appius Annius Atilius Bradua
, served as an ordinary consul in 160.
The paternal grandparents of Regilla was the senator Appius Annius Trebonius Gallus
and his unnamed wife., while her maternal grandparents of Regilla was the Roman Senator, Governor Marcus Appius Bradua
and the aristocratic woman Caucidia Tertulla Her mother’s brother was Marcus Atilius Metilius Bradua Caucidius Tertullus…Bassus . Her uncle served as a polyonymous Proconsul
of the Africa Province
under the Roman Emperor
Antoninus Pius
(138-161) . Her grandfathers were both consular colleagues in the year 108 .
Through her paternal grandfather, Regilla was related to the Roman Senator
Marcus Annius Verus
, who was a brother-in-law of Roman Emperor
Hadrian
and father of the Roman Empress Faustina the Elder
, wife of the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius
. Faustina the Elder
was the mother of Roman Empress Faustina the Younger
and aunt of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius . Regilla was related to the Roman Empress Lucilla
, Roman Emperor
Commodus
and Roman Empress of the 3rd century, Annia Faustina
.
. Herodes Atticus was a very wealthy, influential, aristocratic Athenian who was a friend to the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius
and was a tutor to the Emperor’s adopted son Marcus Aurelius.
Herodes Atticus and Regilla married in 139. Regilla was about 14 years old and Herodes Atticus was 40 years old. When Regilla married Herodes Atticus, Annius Gallus gave his daughter a dowry . With this dowry Regilla bought with her husband a villa on the third mile of the Appian Way
just south of Rome and together they controlled a large area of land, which was known as the "Triopio" (from Triopas
, King of Thessaly
), and later, in medieval times, as Capo di Bove
.
Regilla and Herodes Atticus only lived in Italy for a while. In a few years after their marriage, Herodes Atticus, Regilla and their children left Italy and moved to Greece
. Although she was directly cut off from her immediate influential family, relatives and friends in Italy
, Regilla became a part of the highest Greek circle of society, in particular in Athens
.
and the venerable, long-established office of priestess of Demeter Chamyne in Olympia, Greece
in 153. As a priestess of Demeter Chamyne, Regilla was the only woman officially present at the Olympic Games. Regilla sat on or near the altar of Demeter Chamyne on the north side of the stadium in Olympia opposite on the stand of the judges to view the competitions. Being a priestess serving Demeter Chamyne, was a great honor and was quite physically demanding.
Regilla using her own considerable influence and wealth erected a great nymphaeum
(a monumental fountain) at Olympia. Her husband constructed an aqueduct that fed the nymphaeum. It was the fountain the Regilla built, that made the cool refreshing water available to the people in this hot, dusty area. In the centre of the nymphaeum, stood a life sized statue of a bull. On that bull there is an honorific inscription carved on the statue dedicated to Regilla stating: “Regilla, priestess of Demeter
, dedicated the water and the things around the water to Zeus”. At Olympia, bulls were sacrificed to the Temple of Zeus and Zeus
was the chief divinity of Olympia.
The fountain that Regilla built had two levels of niches bearing statues and a columnar façade. Statues have survived from the monument. The central niche on each level held a statue of Zeus, surrounding by portrait statues on each side. The lower level contained the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius
, the ancestors and descendants of the emperor. These included the previous Roman Emperor Hadrian
; Hadrian’s cousin-wife Vibia Sabina
; Roman Empress Faustina the Elder
, the daughter of the elder Faustina and Antoninus Pius, Faustina the Younger
and Antoninus Pius’ adopted son and son-in-law, future Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. This level also showed several children of Marcus Aurelius and Faustina the Younger, in particular their first daughter Annia Aurelia Galeria Faustina
(aged about 7 but shown as a young adolescent). On the upper level, paralleling the imperial family, were statues of Regilla, Herodes Atticus, Regilla’s parents, Regilla’s maternal grandfather and Herodes Atticus’ parents. There were four statues of the children of Regilla and Herodes Atticus who were: Elpinice, Athenais, Atticus Bradua and Regillus. The life sized statue of the bull and the statues from the fountain are on display at the Archaeological Museum of Olympia..
Regilla is depicted in a traditional garment and pose that was suited for noble women, elite matrons and empresses. Due to the height, gleaning marble of the fountain, the monument stood out among the surrounding buildings. This fountain brought great honor to Regilla and her family, in particular in emphasizing their links and relations to the ruling imperial family in Rome. It is not known for certain how the contemporaries and peers of Regilla viewed her and viewed her magnificent donation to Olympia.
In the year of Regilla’s brother being consul, Regilla who was eight months pregnant with her sixth child to her husband was kicked to death in the abdomen by a freedman of Herodes Atticus named Alcimedon. Appius Annius Atilius Bradua brought charges in Rome
against his brother-in-law, alleging that Herodes Atticus had been responsible for her death; Marcus Aurelius had exonerated his old tutor.
and Proserpina
. The building that is believed to be her tomb, known as the Temple of Rediculum, was built in the grounds of the villa she owned with Herodes Atticus, in what is now the Caffarella Park
close to the Appian Way
and is still well-preserved. Atticus also had raised on the boundary line of the property two columns bearing this inscription in Greek and Latin:
In an agricultural village located in the Datça Peninsula
, was a temple dedicated to Faustina the Younger
under the title of the New Ceres, a burial place for the family was placed under the protection of Minerva
and Nemesis
and lastly a grove sacred to the memory of Regilla. In 161, Herodes Atticus to honor her memory erected a monument in Athens
called The Odeon
.
Regilla and Herodes Atticus from the 2nd century until the present day are still considered as great benefactors in Greece, in particular in Athens. Regilla and Herodes Atticus are commemorated, with two streets named after them Herodou Attikou Street
and Rēgíllēs Street and a Square named after them in downtown Athens. In Rēgíllēs Street is the residence of the Prime Minister of Greece. In Rome, Regilla and Herodes Atticus are commemorated, with two streets named after them. The streets are located in the Quarto Miglio suburb close to the area of the Triopio.
Roman naming conventions
By the Republican era and throughout the Imperial era, a name in ancient Rome for a male citizen consisted of three parts : praenomen , nomen and cognomen...
Appia Annia Regilla Atilia Caucidia Tertulla (Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
:, 125
125
Year 125 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Paullinus and Titius...
-160
160
Year 160 was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Atilius and Vibius...
), was a wealthy, aristocratic
Social class in ancient Rome
Social class in ancient Rome was hierarchical, but there were multiple and overlapping social hierarchies. The status of free-born Romans was established by:* ancestry ;...
and influential Roman woman, who was a distant relative of several Roman Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
s and Roman Empresses. She was the wife of the prominent Greek Herodes Atticus
Herodes Atticus
Lucius Vibullius Hipparchus Tiberius Claudius Atticus Herodes, otherwise known as Herodes Atticus was a very distinguished, rich Greek aristocrat who served as a Roman Senator and a Sophist. He is notable as a proponent in the Second Sophistic by Philostratus.-Ancestry and Family:Herodes Atticus...
.
Genealogy
Regilla was born into an aristocratic family of consular rank. She was a member of the gens AnniaAnnia (gens)
The gens Annia was a plebeian family of considerable antiquity at Rome. The first person of this name whom Titus Livius mentions is the Latin praetor Lucius Annius of Setia, a Roman colony in 340 BC. By the time of the Second Punic War, the Annii were obtaining minor magistracies at Rome, and in...
, of the venerable branch of the Annii Regilli. Regilli means 'Little Queen'. Her father was Appius Annius Trebonius Gallus
Appius Annius Trebonius Gallus (consul 139)
Appius Annius Trebonius Gallus, sometimes known as Appius Annius Gallus was a Roman senator.Annius Gallus was the son of the Roman politician and general Appius Annius Trebonius Gallus and an unnamed Roman noble woman. His paternal grandfather could have been Appius Annius Gallus, one of the...
, a distinguished Roman Senator and one of the serving consuls in the year 139. Her mother was a Roman aristocrat called Atilia Caucidia Tertulla
Atilia Caucidia Tertulla
Atilia Caucidia Tertulla was an aristocratic woman from Ancient Roman society.Atilia was a member of the Atilia and was born into a family of consular rank, probably of Patrician rank. Atilia was the daughter of the Roman Senator, Consul and Governor Marcus Appius Bradua and Caucidia Tertulla...
. Regilla's brother, Appius Annius Atilius Bradua
Appius Annius Atilius Bradua
Appius Annius Atilius Bradua was a Roman Senator that lived in the Roman Empire.Annius Bradua was born and raised in an aristocratic family of consular rank and was a member of the gens Annia. He was a member of the venerable family of the Annii Regilli . Regilli means 'Little Queen'.His father...
, served as an ordinary consul in 160.
The paternal grandparents of Regilla was the senator Appius Annius Trebonius Gallus
Appius Annius Trebonius Gallus (consul 108)
Appius Annius Trebonius Gallus was a distinguished Roman general and politician that lived in the second half of the 1st century and the first half of the 2nd century in the Roman Empire....
and his unnamed wife., while her maternal grandparents of Regilla was the Roman Senator, Governor Marcus Appius Bradua
Marcus Appius Bradua
Marcus Appius Bradua, also known by his full name Marcus Atilius Metilius Bradua was a distinguished Roman Politician who lived in the second half of the 1st century and the first half of the 2nd century in the Roman Empire.-Biography:Bradua was a member of the Atilia...
and the aristocratic woman Caucidia Tertulla Her mother’s brother was Marcus Atilius Metilius Bradua Caucidius Tertullus…Bassus . Her uncle served as a polyonymous Proconsul
Proconsul
A proconsul was a governor of a province in the Roman Republic appointed for one year by the senate. In modern usage, the title has been used for a person from one country ruling another country or bluntly interfering in another country's internal affairs.-Ancient Rome:In the Roman Republic, a...
of the Africa Province
Africa Province
The Roman province of Africa was established after the Romans defeated Carthage in the Third Punic War. It roughly comprised the territory of present-day northern Tunisia, and the small Mediterranean coast of modern-day western Libya along the Syrtis Minor...
under the Roman Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Antoninus Pius
Antoninus Pius
Antoninus Pius , also known as Antoninus, was Roman Emperor from 138 to 161. He was a member of the Nerva-Antonine dynasty and the Aurelii. He did not possess the sobriquet "Pius" until after his accession to the throne...
(138-161) . Her grandfathers were both consular colleagues in the year 108 .
Through her paternal grandfather, Regilla was related to the Roman Senator
Roman Senate
The Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic, however, it was not an elected body, but one whose members were appointed by the consuls, and later by the censors. After a magistrate served his term in office, it usually was followed with automatic...
Marcus Annius Verus
Marcus Annius Verus
Marcus Annius Verus was a Roman man who lived in the 1st and 2nd century. He was the son of an elder Marcus Annius Verus, who gained the rank of senator and praetor. His family originated from Uccibi near Corduba in Spain...
, who was a brother-in-law of Roman Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Hadrian
Hadrian
Hadrian , was Roman Emperor from 117 to 138. He is best known for building Hadrian's Wall, which marked the northern limit of Roman Britain. In Rome, he re-built the Pantheon and constructed the Temple of Venus and Roma. In addition to being emperor, Hadrian was a humanist and was philhellene in...
and father of the Roman Empress Faustina the Elder
Faustina the Elder
Annia Galeria Faustina, more familiarly referred to as Faustina I , was a Roman Empress and wife of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius.-Early life:...
, wife of the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius
Antoninus Pius
Antoninus Pius , also known as Antoninus, was Roman Emperor from 138 to 161. He was a member of the Nerva-Antonine dynasty and the Aurelii. He did not possess the sobriquet "Pius" until after his accession to the throne...
. Faustina the Elder
Faustina the Elder
Annia Galeria Faustina, more familiarly referred to as Faustina I , was a Roman Empress and wife of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius.-Early life:...
was the mother of Roman Empress Faustina the Younger
Faustina the Younger
Annia Galeria Faustina Minor , Faustina Minor or Faustina the Younger was a daughter of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius and Roman Empress Faustina the Elder. She was a Roman Empress and wife to her maternal cousin Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius...
and aunt of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius . Regilla was related to the Roman Empress Lucilla
Lucilla
Annia Aurelia Galeria Lucilla or Lucilla was the second daughter and third child of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius and Roman Empress Faustina the Younger and an elder sister to future Roman Emperor Commodus....
, Roman Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Commodus
Commodus
Commodus , was Roman Emperor from 180 to 192. He also ruled as co-emperor with his father Marcus Aurelius from 177 until his father's death in 180. His name changed throughout his reign; see changes of name for earlier and later forms. His accession as emperor was the first time a son had succeeded...
and Roman Empress of the 3rd century, Annia Faustina
Annia Faustina
Annia Aurelia Faustina was an Anatolian Roman noblewoman. She was an Empress of Rome and third wife of Roman Emperor Elagabalus briefly in 221.-Ancestry & Family:...
.
Marriage and Early Life with Herodes Atticus
During her father’s consulship, her father had betrothed Regilla to the prominent Greek Herodes AtticusHerodes Atticus
Lucius Vibullius Hipparchus Tiberius Claudius Atticus Herodes, otherwise known as Herodes Atticus was a very distinguished, rich Greek aristocrat who served as a Roman Senator and a Sophist. He is notable as a proponent in the Second Sophistic by Philostratus.-Ancestry and Family:Herodes Atticus...
. Herodes Atticus was a very wealthy, influential, aristocratic Athenian who was a friend to the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius
Antoninus Pius
Antoninus Pius , also known as Antoninus, was Roman Emperor from 138 to 161. He was a member of the Nerva-Antonine dynasty and the Aurelii. He did not possess the sobriquet "Pius" until after his accession to the throne...
and was a tutor to the Emperor’s adopted son Marcus Aurelius.
Herodes Atticus and Regilla married in 139. Regilla was about 14 years old and Herodes Atticus was 40 years old. When Regilla married Herodes Atticus, Annius Gallus gave his daughter a dowry . With this dowry Regilla bought with her husband a villa on the third mile of the Appian Way
Appian Way
The Appian Way was one of the earliest and strategically most important Roman roads of the ancient republic. It connected Rome to Brindisi, Apulia, in southeast Italy...
just south of Rome and together they controlled a large area of land, which was known as the "Triopio" (from Triopas
Triopas
In Greek mythology, Triopas, Triophas or Triops was the name of several characters, whose relations are unclear. He belonged to the house of Phoroneus....
, King of Thessaly
Thessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
), and later, in medieval times, as Capo di Bove
Capo di Bove
Capo di Bove is an archeological site on the Appian Way on the outskirts of Rome, Italy. It contains the thermal baths of a vast property owned in the 2nd century AD by Herodes Atticus and his wife Annia Regilla....
.
Regilla and Herodes Atticus only lived in Italy for a while. In a few years after their marriage, Herodes Atticus, Regilla and their children left Italy and moved to Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Although she was directly cut off from her immediate influential family, relatives and friends in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Regilla became a part of the highest Greek circle of society, in particular in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
.
Greece and Olympia
Regilla spent her remaining years living and travelling around Greece. When she lived in Athens, she was awarded as a priestess of the goddess TycheTyche
In ancient Greek city cults, Tyche was the presiding tutelary deity that governed the fortune and prosperity of a city, its destiny....
and the venerable, long-established office of priestess of Demeter Chamyne in Olympia, Greece
Olympia, Greece
Olympia , a sanctuary of ancient Greece in Elis, is known for having been the site of the Olympic Games in classical times, comparable in importance to the Pythian Games held in Delphi. Both games were held every Olympiad , the Olympic Games dating back possibly further than 776 BC...
in 153. As a priestess of Demeter Chamyne, Regilla was the only woman officially present at the Olympic Games. Regilla sat on or near the altar of Demeter Chamyne on the north side of the stadium in Olympia opposite on the stand of the judges to view the competitions. Being a priestess serving Demeter Chamyne, was a great honor and was quite physically demanding.
Regilla using her own considerable influence and wealth erected a great nymphaeum
Nymphaeum
A nymphaeum or nymphaion , in ancient Greece and Rome, was a monument consecrated to the nymphs, especially those of springs....
(a monumental fountain) at Olympia. Her husband constructed an aqueduct that fed the nymphaeum. It was the fountain the Regilla built, that made the cool refreshing water available to the people in this hot, dusty area. In the centre of the nymphaeum, stood a life sized statue of a bull. On that bull there is an honorific inscription carved on the statue dedicated to Regilla stating: “Regilla, priestess of Demeter
Demeter
In Greek mythology, Demeter is the goddess of the harvest, who presided over grains, the fertility of the earth, and the seasons . Her common surnames are Sito as the giver of food or corn/grain and Thesmophoros as a mark of the civilized existence of agricultural society...
, dedicated the water and the things around the water to Zeus”. At Olympia, bulls were sacrificed to the Temple of Zeus and Zeus
Zeus
In the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
was the chief divinity of Olympia.
The fountain that Regilla built had two levels of niches bearing statues and a columnar façade. Statues have survived from the monument. The central niche on each level held a statue of Zeus, surrounding by portrait statues on each side. The lower level contained the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius
Antoninus Pius
Antoninus Pius , also known as Antoninus, was Roman Emperor from 138 to 161. He was a member of the Nerva-Antonine dynasty and the Aurelii. He did not possess the sobriquet "Pius" until after his accession to the throne...
, the ancestors and descendants of the emperor. These included the previous Roman Emperor Hadrian
Hadrian
Hadrian , was Roman Emperor from 117 to 138. He is best known for building Hadrian's Wall, which marked the northern limit of Roman Britain. In Rome, he re-built the Pantheon and constructed the Temple of Venus and Roma. In addition to being emperor, Hadrian was a humanist and was philhellene in...
; Hadrian’s cousin-wife Vibia Sabina
Vibia Sabina
Vibia Sabina was a Roman Empress, wife and second cousin, once removed, to Roman Emperor Hadrian. She was the daughter to Salonina Matidia , and suffect consul Lucius Vibius Sabinus...
; Roman Empress Faustina the Elder
Faustina the Elder
Annia Galeria Faustina, more familiarly referred to as Faustina I , was a Roman Empress and wife of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius.-Early life:...
, the daughter of the elder Faustina and Antoninus Pius, Faustina the Younger
Faustina the Younger
Annia Galeria Faustina Minor , Faustina Minor or Faustina the Younger was a daughter of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius and Roman Empress Faustina the Elder. She was a Roman Empress and wife to her maternal cousin Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius...
and Antoninus Pius’ adopted son and son-in-law, future Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. This level also showed several children of Marcus Aurelius and Faustina the Younger, in particular their first daughter Annia Aurelia Galeria Faustina
Annia Aurelia Galeria Faustina
Annia Aurelia Galeria Faustina , was a Roman Princess. She was the first born daughter and child to Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius and Roman Empress Faustina the Younger. Her younger sister was Roman Empress Lucilla and younger brother was Roman Emperor Commodus...
(aged about 7 but shown as a young adolescent). On the upper level, paralleling the imperial family, were statues of Regilla, Herodes Atticus, Regilla’s parents, Regilla’s maternal grandfather and Herodes Atticus’ parents. There were four statues of the children of Regilla and Herodes Atticus who were: Elpinice, Athenais, Atticus Bradua and Regillus. The life sized statue of the bull and the statues from the fountain are on display at the Archaeological Museum of Olympia..
Regilla is depicted in a traditional garment and pose that was suited for noble women, elite matrons and empresses. Due to the height, gleaning marble of the fountain, the monument stood out among the surrounding buildings. This fountain brought great honor to Regilla and her family, in particular in emphasizing their links and relations to the ruling imperial family in Rome. It is not known for certain how the contemporaries and peers of Regilla viewed her and viewed her magnificent donation to Olympia.
In the year of Regilla’s brother being consul, Regilla who was eight months pregnant with her sixth child to her husband was kicked to death in the abdomen by a freedman of Herodes Atticus named Alcimedon. Appius Annius Atilius Bradua brought charges in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
against his brother-in-law, alleging that Herodes Atticus had been responsible for her death; Marcus Aurelius had exonerated his old tutor.
Posthumous honors and legacy
After Regilla died, Herodes Atticus was stricken with grief. Herodes Atticus made various dedications to the memory of his wife. He offered Regilla’s jewels to the goddesses, CeresCeres (mythology)
In ancient Roman religion, Ceres was a goddess of agriculture, grain crops, fertility and motherly relationships. She was originally the central deity in Rome's so-called plebeian or Aventine Triad, then was paired with her daughter Proserpina in what Romans described as "the Greek rites of Ceres"...
and Proserpina
Proserpina
Proserpina or Proserpine is an ancient Roman goddess whose story is the basis of a myth of Springtime. Her Greek goddess' equivalent is Persephone. The probable origin of her name comes from the Latin, "proserpere" or "to emerge," in respect to the growing of grain...
. The building that is believed to be her tomb, known as the Temple of Rediculum, was built in the grounds of the villa she owned with Herodes Atticus, in what is now the Caffarella Park
Park of the Caffarella
-History:The Caffarella Park is a large park in Rome, Italy, protected from development. It is part of the Parco Regionale Appia Antica . The park is contained in the Caffarella Valley and is bordered on its northern side by the Via Latina and on its southern by the Appian Way. It extends...
close to the Appian Way
Appian Way
The Appian Way was one of the earliest and strategically most important Roman roads of the ancient republic. It connected Rome to Brindisi, Apulia, in southeast Italy...
and is still well-preserved. Atticus also had raised on the boundary line of the property two columns bearing this inscription in Greek and Latin:
- “To the memory of Annia Regilla, wife of Herodes, the light and soul of the house, to whom these lands once belonged”.
In an agricultural village located in the Datça Peninsula
Datça Peninsula
The Datça Peninsula is an 80 km-long, narrow peninsula in southwest Turkey separating the Gulf of Gökova to the north from the Gulf of Hisarönü to the south. The peninsula corresponds almost exactly to the administrative district of Datça, part of Muğla Province...
, was a temple dedicated to Faustina the Younger
Faustina the Younger
Annia Galeria Faustina Minor , Faustina Minor or Faustina the Younger was a daughter of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius and Roman Empress Faustina the Elder. She was a Roman Empress and wife to her maternal cousin Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius...
under the title of the New Ceres, a burial place for the family was placed under the protection of Minerva
Minerva
Minerva was the Roman goddess whom Romans from the 2nd century BC onwards equated with the Greek goddess Athena. She was the virgin goddess of poetry, medicine, wisdom, commerce, weaving, crafts, magic...
and Nemesis
Ceres (mythology)
In ancient Roman religion, Ceres was a goddess of agriculture, grain crops, fertility and motherly relationships. She was originally the central deity in Rome's so-called plebeian or Aventine Triad, then was paired with her daughter Proserpina in what Romans described as "the Greek rites of Ceres"...
and lastly a grove sacred to the memory of Regilla. In 161, Herodes Atticus to honor her memory erected a monument in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
called The Odeon
Odeon of Herodes Atticus
The Odeon of Herodes Atticus is a stone theatre structure located on the south slope of the Acropolis of Athens. It was built in 161 AD by Herodes Atticus in memory of his wife, Aspasia Annia Regilla...
.
Regilla and Herodes Atticus from the 2nd century until the present day are still considered as great benefactors in Greece, in particular in Athens. Regilla and Herodes Atticus are commemorated, with two streets named after them Herodou Attikou Street
Herodou Attikou Street
Herodou Attikou Street or Irodou Attikou Street is located east of downtown Athens and is adjacent to the National Garden of Athens...
and Rēgíllēs Street and a Square named after them in downtown Athens. In Rēgíllēs Street is the residence of the Prime Minister of Greece. In Rome, Regilla and Herodes Atticus are commemorated, with two streets named after them. The streets are located in the Quarto Miglio suburb close to the area of the Triopio.
Children
Regilla bore Herodes Atticus six children, whom three survived to adulthood. Their children were:- Son, Claudius – born and died in 141
- Daughter, ElpiniceElpinice (daughter of Herodes Atticus)Appia Annia Claudia Atilia Regilla Elpinice Agrippina Atria Polla otherwise most commonly known as Elpinice was a Roman noblewoman of Greek Athenian and Italian Roman descent who lived in the Roman Empire.-Ancestry and Family:...
– born as Appia Annia Claudia Atilia Regilla Elpinice Agrippina Atria Polla, 142-165 - Daughter, AthenaisAthenais (daughter of Herodes Atticus)Marcia Annia Claudia Alcia Athenais Gavidia Latiaria , otherwise most commonly known as Athenais was a Roman noblewoman of Greek Athenian and Italian Roman descent who lived in the Roman Empire.-Ancestry and Family:...
– born as Marcia Annia Claudia Alcia Athenais Gavidia Latiaria, 143-161 - Son, Atticus BraduaAtticus BraduaTiberius Claudius Marcus Appius Atilius Bradua Regillus Atticus , otherwise known as Atticus Bradua was a Roman Politician of Greek Athenian and Italian Roman descent who lived in the Roman Empire.-Ancestry and Family:...
– born as Tiberius Claudius Marcus Appius Atilius Bradua Regillus Atticus, born 145 - Son, Regillus – born as Tiberius Claudius Herodes Lucius Vibullius Regillus, 150-155
- Unnamed child who died with Regilla or died even perhaps three months later in 160
Sources
- http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspasia_Annia_Regilla
- http://www.vroma.org/~bmcmanus/women_civicdonors.html
- http://www.vroma.org/images/mcmanus_images/index13.html
- http://gogreece.about.com/od/athenssightseeing1/ig/Acropolis-Picture-Gallery/The-Odeon-Theater.htm
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