Ummidia Cornificia Faustina

Who is Ummidia Cornificia Faustina?

Ummidia Cornificia Faustina was a wealthy Roman noblewoman, an heiress and the niece of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

Cornificia Faustina was the daughter of Marcus Aurelius’ sister, Annia Cornificia Faustina and the Roman Senator who served as a suffect consul in 146, Gaius Ummidius Quadratus Annianus Verus. Cornificia Faustina had descended from one of the leading families in Rome. She was born and raised in Rome. Through her mother, she was a member and a relative to the ruling Nerva–Antonine dynasty of the Roman Empire. Her brother Marcus Ummidius Quadratus Annianus served as one of the consuls in 167. Apart from her and her mother, Cornificia Faustina had another relative, who had the name Cornificia, her maternal cousin Annia Cornificia Faustina Minor.

The mother of Cornificia Faustina had died sometime in 152-158. When her mother had died, Cornificia Faustina and her brother divided their mother’s property that they inherited. Through the inheritances of their parents, Cornificia Faustina and her brother had become very wealthy.

From her mother, Cornificia Faustina had inherited a great estate located in Pisidia. This estate was one of a number of estates in Pisidia called the Cyllanian Estates. These estates were around from the time of the Roman Dictator of the Roman Republic, Lucius Cornelius Sulla. The Cyllanian Estate properties were very large properties and her property inheritance was considered to be very large for the rank of Cornificia Faustina.