Pompeia (born late 2nd century BC and died some time 1st century BC) was a
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
noblewoman of
plebeian status.
Biography
Early life
She was born and raised in a senatorial family in
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
. Her father was the consul and general
Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo
Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo (c. 135 – 87 BC) was a Roman general and politician, who served as consul in 89 BC. He is often referred to in English as Pompey Strabo, to distinguish him from his son, the famous Pompey the Great, or from Strabo the ge ...
but the name of her mother is uncertain, some sources claim she was a Lucilia but others that Lucilia was her grandmother. Pompeia's brother was the future triumvir Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (better known as
Pompey the Great
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (; 29 September 106 BC – 28 September 48 BC), known in English as Pompey or Pompey the Great, was a leading Roman general and statesman. He played a significant role in the transformation of ...
) who was relatively close in age to her. They also probably had another sister who was somewhat older.
Marriages
Pompeia married the Roman nobleman and politician
Gaius Memmius. They likely had a son by the same name who became a moneyer. Memmius was an ally to her brother; he commanded forces under Pompey in
Sicily
(man) it, Siciliana (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 = Ethnicity
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographi ...
in 81 BC; he served Pompey as a
quaestor from 76 to 75 BC during the
Sertorian War
The Sertorian War was a civil war fought from 80 to 72 BC between a faction of Roman rebels ( Sertorians) and the government in Rome (Sullans). The war was fought on the Iberian Peninsula (called ''Hispania'' by the Romans) and was one of the ...
on the
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula (),
**
* Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica''
**
**
* french: Péninsule Ibérique
* mwl, Península Eibérica
* eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, def ...
. In 75 BC Memmius was killed in
a battle near Saguntum. After Memmius's death she married
Publius Cornelius Sulla
Publius Cornelius Sulla (died 45 BC) was a politician of the late Roman Republic and the nephew of Lucius Cornelius Sulla. He was also a brother-in-law of Pompey, having married his sister Pompeia.
Early life
Publius Cornelius Sulla was the son ...
, the nephew of the late Dictator
Sulla.
[John Leach, ''Pompey the Great'', p.104.]
References
Sources
* ''Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia'' 2002
2nd-century BC births
Year of death missing
2nd-century BC Romans
1st-century BC Romans
2nd-century BC Roman women
1st-century BC Roman women
Pompeii (Romans)
{{AncientRome-bio-stub