Gaius Saloninus Matidius Patruinus (died 78) was a 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...

 that lived in the Roman Empire

Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....

 during the 1st century and was a contemporary to the reign of 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...

 Vespasian

Vespasian

Vespasian , was Roman Emperor from 69 AD to 79 AD. Vespasian was the founder of the Flavian dynasty, which ruled the Empire for a quarter century. Vespasian was descended from a family of equestrians, who rose into the senatorial rank under the Emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty...

, 69-79.

Patruinus came from a wealthy family of Praetorian rank from Vicetia (modern Vicenza

Vicenza

Vicenza , a city in north-eastern Italy, is the capital of the eponymous province in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, straddling the Bacchiglione...

, northern 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...

). Patruinus around 63 married a noble Spanish Roman woman called Ulpia Marciana

Ulpia Marciana

Ulpia Marciana was the beloved elder sister of Roman Emperor Trajan. She was the eldest child born to Roman woman Marcia and the Spanish Roman senator Marcus Ulpius Traianus. Her second name Marciana she inherited from her mother’s paternal ancestors. Her birthplace is unknown.Marciana married...

, who was the eldest sister and sibling to the future 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...

 Trajan

Trajan

Trajan , was Roman Emperor from 98 to 117 AD. Born into a non-patrician family in the province of Hispania Baetica, in Spain Trajan rose to prominence during the reign of emperor Domitian. Serving as a legatus legionis in Hispania Tarraconensis, in Spain, in 89 Trajan supported the emperor against...

. On July 4 68, Marciana bore Patruinus a daughter and their only child Salonina Matidia

Salonina Matidia

Salonina Matidia was the daughter and only child of Ulpia Marciana and wealthy praetor Gaius Salonius Matidius Patruinus. Her maternal uncle was the Roman emperor Trajan. Trajan had no children and treated her like his daughter...

.

He served as a praetor

Praetor

Praetor was a title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to men acting in one of two official capacities: the commander of an army, usually in the field, or the named commander before mustering the army; and an elected magistratus assigned varied duties...

 and through this position, Patruinus entered the Roman Senate and became a Senator. In 70/71, Patruinus possibly served as Governor of Germania Superior

Germania Superior

Germania Superior , so called for the reason that it lay upstream of Germania Inferior, was a province of the Roman Empire. It comprised an area of western Switzerland, the French Jura and Alsace regions, and southwestern Germany...

. Upon this death in 78 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...

, Patruinus was a priest and served as a member of the Arval Brethren

Arval Brethren

In ancient Roman religion, the Arval Brethren or Arval Brothers were a body of priests who offered annual sacrifices to the Lares and gods to guarantee good harvests...

.

After Patruinus died, Marciana and Matidia went to live with Trajan and Trajan’s wife Pompeia Plotina

Pompeia Plotina

Pompeia Plotina Claudia Phoebe Piso or Pompeia Plotina was a Roman Empress and wife of Roman Emperor Trajan. She was renowned for her interest in philosophy, and her virtue, dignity and simplicity. She was particularly devoted to the Epicurean philosophical school in Athens, Greece...

. Patruinus was the late maternal grandfather to Matidia’s daughters from her three marriages who were: Roman Empress 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...

 who was 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...

‘s wife, noble woman Matidia Minor

Matidia Minor

Mindia Matidia or Matidia Minor was related to several important ancient Roman Emperors. The modern village of Matigge Italy, is named after her....

 or Mindia Matidia and noble woman Rupilia

Rupilia

Rupilia Faustina was an influential Roman noble woman. She was the daughter of Salonina Matidia and suffect consul Lucius Scribonius Libo Rupilius Frugi Bonus. She possibly had another sister called Rupilia Annia....

 Faustina.

The Italian village of Matigge

Matigge

Matigge is a village of 1095 inhabitants in the Italian province of Perugia in east central Umbria, located at 294 m above sea-level on the lower flank of Mt. Puranno, 42°54N 12°44E...

 (ancient Matidiae) is named after him and his second granddaughter Matidia Minor

Matidia Minor

Mindia Matidia or Matidia Minor was related to several important ancient Roman Emperors. The modern village of Matigge Italy, is named after her....

. The Roman Emperors Marcus Aurelius and his successor 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...

are among his descendants.

Sources

• http://www.livius.org/u/ulpia/ulpia_marciana.html
• Trajan: Optimus Princeps : a Life and Times, By Julian Bennett, Edition: illustrated published by Routledge, 1997 ISBN 0415165245, 9780415165242
• The Emperor Domitian, By Brian W. Jones, Edition: illustrated Published by Routledge, 1992 ISBN 0415042291, 9780415042291