Claudia Crispina - Who are her parents?

Emily Damiano

7/25/2015 at 10:02 PM

There seems to be a debate about who Claudia's real parents were. The wikipedia page of her son states that she was the niece of emperors Claudius II and Quintillus, but it also goes on to say that this is probably a fabrication. I've also read on the internet that her parents are Commodus and Bruttia Crispina, but they seem to have had no children. What do you think? Should we disconnect her from these sets of parents?

Justin Durand

7/25/2015 at 10:29 PM

This is one of those complex questions that boils down very simply. Either you accept the Historia Augusta or you don't. If you do, then she was a niece of Claudius II and Quintillus, through an otherwise unknown brother. If you don't, then any other parents are just speculation.

Emily Damiano

7/27/2015 at 7:58 AM

So we should leave up the multiple parent options? I know the Historia Augusta has a bit of a bad reputation for being factually honest, though.

Justin Durand

7/27/2015 at 8:21 AM

In a case like this, the best thing to do is put a narrative in the overview that discusses and links to the other candidates. We can leave the current parents, or disconnect them and say her parents are unknown. I'm inclined to leave them because we have a an ancient source. Even if we suspect it was just propaganda, we can't prove it either way.

Claudia Crispina - Who are her parents?

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