Claudia Capitolina (; died after 92) was an Egyptian

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

woman who lived in the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...

, in the 1st century and possibly in the 2nd century. She was a Princess of Commagene by marriage to

Gaius Julius Archelaus Antiochus Epiphanes Gaius Julius Archelaus Antiochus Epiphanes, also known as Julius Archelaus Epiphanes; Epiphanes; Gaius Julius Antiochus Epiphanes or simply known as Gaius (Greek: Γάιος Ἰούλιος Ἀρχέλαος Ἀντίοχος Ἐπιφανής, 38 ...

Life

Capitolina came from a distinguished family of Equestrian rank. She was born and raised in

Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...

, Egypt. Capitolina was the daughter and only child of Tiberius Claudius Balbilus by his unnamed wife. The

cognomen A ''cognomen'' (; : ''cognomina''; from ''co-'' "together with" and ''(g)nomen'' "name") was the third name of a citizen of ancient Rome, under Roman naming conventions. Initially, it was a nickname, but lost that purpose when it became hereditar ...

''Capitolina'', is probably from her maternal side. Her father was one of the highest magistrates of Equestrian rank that served in

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

. Balbilus was an astrologer and a learned scholar, who was later

Prefect Prefect (from the Latin ''praefectus'', substantive adjectival form of ''praeficere'': "put in front", meaning in charge) is a magisterial title of varying definition, but essentially refers to the leader of an administrative area. A prefect' ...

of Egypt. Capitolina's paternal grandfather, was an Egyptian Greek Grammarian and Astrologer called

Thrasyllus of Mendes Thrasyllus of Mendes (; ), also known as Thrasyllus of AlexandriaLevick, ''Tiberius: The Politician'', p. 7 and by his Roman name Tiberius Claudius ThrasyllusLevick, ''Tiberius: The Goat'', p. 137 (fl. second half of the 1st century BC and ...

or Tiberius Claudius Thrasyllus, who was a friend of the Roman Emperor

Tiberius Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus ( ; 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37) was Roman emperor from AD 14 until 37. He succeeded his stepfather Augustus, the first Roman emperor. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC to Roman politician Tiberius Cl ...

, while her paternal grandmother was Greek Princess Aka II of Commagene, who was a great, granddaughter of King Antiochus I Theos of Commagene. Her paternal cousin was

Ennia Thrasylla Ennia Thrasylla (about 15 – 38, ''Ennia'' in Greek , ''Ennia Thrasylla'' in Greek ) was a Roman noblewoman who lived in the 1st century AD in the Roman Empire. Family background Ennia was of Latin, Greek, Armenian and Median descent. She was t ...

who married the

Praetorian prefect The praetorian prefect (; ) was a high office in the Roman Empire. Originating as the commander of the Praetorian Guard, the office gradually acquired extensive legal and administrative functions, with its holders becoming the Emperor's chief ai ...

of the

Praetorian Guard The Praetorian Guard (Latin language, Latin: ''cohortes praetoriae'') was the imperial guard of the Imperial Roman army that served various roles for the Roman emperor including being a bodyguard unit, counterintelligence, crowd control and ga ...

Naevius Sutorius Macro Quintus Naevius Cordus Sutorius Macro (21 BC – AD 38) was a prefect of the Praetorian Guard, from 31 until 38, serving under the Roman Emperors Tiberius and Caligula. Upon falling out of favour, he killed himself. Biography Macro w ...

Commagene

In 64, Capitolina married a Greek Prince from the Kingdom of Commagene called

, who was a paternal second cousin to Capitolina. She is not mentioned by Roman Sources, however has been identified as the wife of Epiphanes and mother of Epiphanes’ children, through surviving honorific inscriptions and surviving honorific poetry dedicated to her. After Epiphanes married Capitolina, they settled and lived in the court of her father-in-law King

Antiochus IV of Commagene Gaius Julius Antiochus IV Epiphanes (, before 17 AD – after 72 AD), the last king of Commagene, reigned between 38 and 72 as a client king to the Roman Empire. The epithet "Epiphanes" means "the Glorious". Life Antiochus was born a prince ...

. The relationship between Capitolina and Epiphanes is unknown. Capitolina bore Epiphanes in 65 their first son and child Gaius Julius Antiochus Epiphanes

Philopappos Gaius Julius Antiochus Epiphanes Philopappos or Philopappus (; 65 – 116), was a Prince of the Kingdom of Commagene who lived in the Roman Empire during the 1st century and 2nd century. He was one of the most prominent Greeks in the Empire. A ...

Samosata Samsat (, Ottoman Turkish صمصاد ''Semisat''), formerly Samosata () is a small town in the Adıyaman Province of Turkey, situated on the upper Euphrates river. It is the seat of Samsat District.Lucius Caesennius Paetus, the Roman Governor of

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

had sent letters addressed to Roman Emperor

Vespasian Vespasian (; ; 17 November AD 9 – 23 June 79) was Roman emperor from 69 to 79. The last emperor to reign in the Year of the Four Emperors, he founded the Flavian dynasty, which ruled the Empire for 27 years. His fiscal reforms and consolida ...

accusing Antiochus IV, Epiphanes and Epiphanes’ brother Callinicus in planning to revolt against

and allying themselves with the King of

Parthia Parthia ( ''Parθava''; ''Parθaw''; ''Pahlaw'') is a historical region located in northeastern Greater Iran. It was conquered and subjugated by the empire of the Medes during the 7th century BC, was incorporated into the subsequent Achaemeni ...

. Paetus accused in these letters that Antiochus IV, Epiphanes and Callinicus of disloyalty to the Emperor. It is not known whether if these accusations were true or false. After reading the letters, Vespasian felt that he could no longer trust the family of Antiochus IV and couldn't trust them to protect the strategic crossing at the

Euphrates The Euphrates ( ; see #Etymology, below) is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of West Asia. Tigris–Euphrates river system, Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia (). Originati ...

River at Samosata. Vespasian gave orders to Antiochus IV to terminate his rule in Commagene. Paetus invaded the Kingdom of Commagene, as head of the

Legio VI Ferrata Legio VI Ferrata ("Sixth Ironclad Legion") was a Roman legion, legion of the Imperial Roman army. In 30 BC it became part of the emperor Augustus's standing army. It continued in existence into the 4th century. A ''Legio VI'' fought in the Roman ...

. The client Kings

Aristobulus of Chalcis Aristobulus V of Chalcis () was a son of Herod of Chalcis and his first wife Mariamne. Herod of Chalcis, ruler of Chalcis in Iturea, was a grandson of Herod the Great through his father, Aristobulus IV. Mariamne was a granddaughter of Herod t ...

and Sohaemus of Emesa also supplied troops to Paetus. They all arrived the night before the Battle. As Epiphanes and Callinicus prepared themselves that night for war, Antiochus IV was preparing to flee to

Cilicia Cilicia () is a geographical region in southern Anatolia, extending inland from the northeastern coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. Cilicia has a population ranging over six million, concentrated mostly at the Cilician plain (). The region inclu ...

. The next morning that the war was supposed to occur Epiphanes with Capitolina and their son with Callinicus out of fear of the Romans fled to the King of Parthia, while Antiochus IV also out of fear of the Romans fled to Cilicia. There is a possibility that Epiphanes and Callinicus had a short-lived attempt to resist invasion, before they fled to

Later life

The family of Antiochus IV had let their own army and the citizens of Commagene down. Antiochus IV and his family never considered to cause a war with

and they wanted to clear themselves of these accusations. Vespasian brought peacefully back to Rome, Epiphanes; Capitolina, their son with Callinicus in an honourable Roman Military Escort. Capitolina; Epiphanes, their son with Callinicus lived in Rome with Antiochus IV for the remainder of his life. Vespasian had given Antiochus IV and his family sufficient revenue to live on. Antiochus IV and his family had a glamorous life and were treated with great respect. In 72, Capitolina bore Epiphanes another child, a daughter named Julia Balbilla in Rome. After the death of Antiochus IV, Capitolina; Epiphanes and their family moved and finally settled in Athens

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

. Capitolina's father died in 79. Balbilus was a friend to the first Roman Emperors, including Vespasian. Vespasian thought very highly of him and dedicated a sporting festival called the ''Balbillean Games'', named and held in honor of his memory which was held at

Ephesus Ephesus (; ; ; may ultimately derive from ) was an Ancient Greece, ancient Greek city on the coast of Ionia, in present-day Selçuk in İzmir Province, Turkey. It was built in the 10th century BC on the site of Apasa, the former Arzawan capital ...

from 79 well into the 3rd century. In

, there are surviving inscriptions in Capitolina's name and in her late father's name. These surviving inscriptions are honorific ones, which dedicate and honor Capitolina as the daughter of Balbilus and as an honorary participate of the ''Balbillean Games'' at

. After the death of Epiphanes in Athens in 92, Capitolina returned to Alexandria. Capitolina lived her remaining years in Egypt and married the politician Marcus Junius Rufus between 94 and 98. Her son remained in

Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...

where he became a prominent citizen. Her daughter became a prominent poet and became a travelling friend to the Roman Emperor

Hadrian Hadrian ( ; ; 24 January 76 – 10 July 138) was Roman emperor from 117 to 138. Hadrian was born in Italica, close to modern Seville in Spain, an Italic peoples, Italic settlement in Hispania Baetica; his branch of the Aelia gens, Aelia '' ...

and wife Roman Empress

Vibia Sabina Vibia Sabina (83–136/137) was a Roman Empress, wife and second cousin once removed to the Roman Emperor Hadrian. She was the daughter of Salonia Matidia, Matidia (niece of Roman Emperor Trajan) and suffect consul Lucius Vibius Sabinus. Early ...

. In a surviving poem written by Balbilla dedicated to the memory to her parents and her grandfathers, Balbilla describes her parents as ‘pious’ people and writes very highly of her ancestry.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Capitolina, Claudia Roman-era Athenians Princesses of Commagene Claudii Roman Alexandria 1st-century Egyptian women 1st-century Egyptian people