Terentia was the wife of the orator Marcus Tullius Cicero.
25 Facts About Terentia
1.
2.
Terentia was instrumental in Cicero's political life both as a benefactor and as a fervent activist for his cause.
3.
Terentia was born into a wealthy plebeian family by the name of Terentius.
4.
Terentia had one half-sister named Fabia, who was a Vestal Virgin and the daughter of a patrician named Fabius.
5.
Terentia was endowed with a huge dowry, which included at least two blocks of tenement apartments in Rome, a plot of woods in the suburbs of Rome, and a large farm.
6.
Terentia owned a village which she intended to sell in the crisis of Cicero's exile.
7.
Therefore, Terentia's dowry was probably used to finance his political career.
8.
Terentia was around 18 years old when she married Cicero in 80 or 79 BC.
9.
Besides the connections between Cicero and the Terentii, Terentia probably married him because Cicero was an up-and-coming novus homo with a promising political career.
10.
Terentia married Cicero in a sine manu marriage, bringing with her the dowry and her private property.
11.
Besides assigning slaves to complete tasks such as weaving and cooking, Terentia was serious about making offerings to the gods and demonstrating proper piety.
12.
Terentia was involved in supporting important relations with Cicero's friends and family.
13.
In 68, Cicero and Terentia invited Cicero's brother Quintus Tullius Cicero and his new wife Pomponia in order to improve and solidify the marriage.
14.
Tullia, the daughter of Terentia and Cicero, was born in 78 BC.
15.
Since Cicero could not make a match for her except through letters, Terentia was instrumental in finding a suitable husband for Tullia.
16.
Terentia was responsible for paying Publius Cornelius Dolabella the second installment of Tullia's dowry in 48 BC, when Cicero was having financial trouble.
17.
Terentia was thus left in charge of the affairs concerning Cicero's houses, villas, revenues, and his slaves.
18.
Terentia continued to act as a wife to Cicero even though his exile legally ended their marriage.
19.
Terentia writes that he is wretched and that he should no longer live.
20.
Terentia says that he has heard how active Terentia is from many of his friends.
21.
However, Terentia did not reveal the worst details to Cicero, probably so as not to encourage his depression.
22.
Terentia found out from P Valerius that Terentia was dragged from the Temple of Vesta to the Valerian Bank.
23.
In Life of Cicero, Plutarch tells us that Terentia was at fault for the lack of funds that Cicero required to pay for his journey.
24.
Cicero avoids blaming Terentia for making the match in the first place, but it is clear that he wishes the decision had been made differently.
25.
Terentia outlived her ex-husband by many years, dying at the age of 103 in 6 AD.