Ceionia Fabia (flourished 2nd century) was a noble Roman woman and a member of the rulingNerva–Antonine dynasty of theRoman Empire.
Fabia was the first-born daughter toLucius Aelius andAvidia. In 136, her father was adopted byHadrian as heir tothe throne.[1] Fabia had three siblings: a sisterCeionia Plautia and two brothers: the Roman EmperorLucius Verus who co-ruled withMarcus Aurelius from 161 to 169 and Gaius Avidius Ceionius Commodus. Her cognomenFabia reveals that her father was related to thegens Fabia. However, whom she was named after from the gens Fabia is unknown. Fabia was born and raised inRome.
Her maternal grandparents were the Roman SenatorGaius Avidius Nigrinus and the surmised but undocumented noblewoman Plautia. Although her adoptive paternal grandparents were the Roman EmperorHadrian and Roman EmpressVibia Sabina, her biological paternal grandparents were the consul Lucius Ceionius Commodus and noblewoman named Plautia.
Sometime in 136 after Hadrian announced that her father was to be the Emperor's official heir, on the wishes of Hadrian, the emperor betrothed Fabia to Hadrian's great-nephewMarcus Aurelius. Although Fabia and Aurelius became engaged, the engagement did not survive Hadrian; immediately after the emperor's death,Antoninus Pius, Hadrian's second adopted son and the new emperor, approached Marcus and requested that his marriage arrangements be amended: Marcus' betrothal to Ceionia Fabia would be annulled, and he would be betrothed to Faustina, Antoninus' daughter, instead. Faustina's betrothal to Ceionia's brother Lucius Commodus would also have to be annulled. Marcus consented to Antoninus' proposal.[2]
Fabia later married the noblemanPlautius Quintillus who came from a family of consular rank. During the reign of Antoninus Pius (138-161), Quintillus served as an ordinary consul in 159. Fabia bore Quintillus a son calledMarcus Peducaeus Plautius Quintillus who later married Annia AureliaFadilla, one of the daughters of Marcus Aurelius and Faustina the Younger.
Throughout the Roman Empire, various honorific inscriptions have survived being dedicated to Fabia and her family. These inscriptions honor Fabia as the mother of Marcus Peducaeus Plautius Quintillus; the sister of Roman Emperor Lucius Verus and the sister-in-law of EmpressLucilla (the second daughter of Marcus Aurelius and Faustina the Younger, who was one of the sisters of Fadilla). According to an inscription found atEphesus, Fabia was present when Lucius Verus married Lucilla.
It appears by 175 her husband had died. When Faustina the Younger had died in 175, Fabia was said to have attempted to interest Marcus Aurelius in a second marriage.
Nerva–Antonine family tree | |
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| Notes: Except where otherwise noted, the notes below indicate that an individual's parentage is as shown in the above family tree.
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