Tertulla

Tertulla
First appearance	S3E01: Enemies of Rome
Last appearance	S3E02: Wolves at the Gate
Profession	Roman Noble
Race	Roman
Relationships	Marcus Licinius Crassus (Husband) Tiberius (Son, deceased) Publius (Son) Licinia (Cousin-in-Law, deceased) Kore (Slave/Rival, deceased)
Status	Active
Actor/Actress	Katherine Kennard

Tertulla is a wealthy Roman woman, the wife of Marcus Licinius Crassus. She is also the mother of Tiberius and Publius.

Appearance

Tertulla has long, wavy blonde hair and brown eyes. She wears the attire of an elite Roman citizen and utilizes much jewlery in her appearance.

Personality

Tertulla is an extravagant woman abiding in the elite Roman class. While having the typical Roman arrogance, she loves her family deeply and is often distraught by her husband's constant attention towards work as oppossed to attention to her.

She also appears to hold contempt, even jealously towards Kore, the attractive female body slave of her husband, due to how high he holds her. Despite this, after Kore was seduced by Caesar in Wolves At The Gate, Tertulla showed a more "motherly" side towards Kore.

War of the Damned

When Crassus raises his army, Tertulla tries to persuade him to give their son Tiberius the position of Tribune. Crassus rejects her offer, saying that Tiberius is not ready to hold title of command and that he must earn it by proving himself as a soldier on the field. It is evident that Crassus prefers the company of his body slave, Kore, to his wife, and although she may be jealous, Tertulla is too proud to do anything.

Tertulla talking to Tiberius.

Tertulla rather boldy packing.

She later speaks with her son, Tiberius and tells him to not show any doubt in the upcoming campaign and prove himself worthy of a command as she believes him to be. He reassures her that he will prove himself.

As preparations are finalized, Tertulla rather boldy begins packing - she has numerous, large wooden cases filled with her possesions so she will be well taken care, as she believes she will be joining her husband. Unfortunately, Crassus does not agree - he later asks Kore to join him instead.

Historical Context

A fair amount is known or speculated about the historical wife of Crassus, known as Tertulla. Since "Tertulla" (or Tertia) was a name given to the third eldest daughter, she most likely had two older sisters (both whom perhaps did not survive into adulthood).

Tertulla was known to have been married to Crassus' older brother Publius, who died during the winter of 87–86 BC, alongside their father Publius Licinius Crassus Dives. With the lawful age of consent for young women in Rome being 12 years of age, Tertulla and her first husband Publius were married as early as 90-88 BC. After the Social War ended in 88 BC, Tertulla married Marcus Crassus sometime between 88-87 BC. She had two sons with Crassus, Marcus and Publius. It is unknown whether Marcus or Publius was the eldest son, as Marcus is said to have been born between 86-85 BC, and Publius' birthdate is recorded as being between 86-82 BC, but Marcus is more likely the eldest as first born sons are almost always named after their father.

• It is assumed that Tiberius in the show is a stand in for Marcus, and had his name changed to avoid confusion with his father. However, their son Marcus is recorded as being born in 86-85 BC, making him too young to serve in his fathers legions in the Third Servile War, only being 15 or 14 years old during his fathers involvement in 71 BC. Although a legal adult at the age of 15, Marcus would have had to be over 17 to join the Roman army.

Tertulla would later become the mother-in-law of Cornelia Metella (the later fifth wife of Pompey Magnus), who married her son Publius, and Caecilia Metella, who married her son Marcus. Tertulla became the grandmother of Marcus' only known son, also named Marcus Licinius Crassus, who served as Consul in 30 BC.

• While their historical marriage was said to have been a happy one, despite Tertulla's known affairs with other men including Caesar, their marriage in the show is portrayed as slightly negative. Historically, Tertulla had her reputation tarnished repeateedly by the likes of Cicero, who often joked that either Publius, or Crassus' eldest son Marcus, resembled a certain Quintus Axius, a family friend, more than he did Crassus, implying that Tertulla had bore another mans son.

Despite this, Crassus remained married to Tertulla. Allowing her to continue her affair with Caesar might have strengthened Crassus' political friendship with him. As a Roman matron, and the wife of the richest man in the Republic, Tertulla would have often held gatherings and social occasions in Crassus' villas and estates, of which he would have had many, perhaps allowing her to stand out from most other matrons and noblewomen in the city. It is unknown what life Tertulla led after Crassus was killed during the Parthian War in 53 BC (if she hadn't already died before 53 BC), but it can be presumed that she led a comfortable life in one of Crassus' various estates in or around Rome.

Previously, it was stated that Tertulla was the daughter and only known child of Consul Marcus Terentius Varro Lucullus, but there has since been no substantial evidence to support this claim.

• If true however, she may have possessed the name Terentia Varra along with both her sisters, thus making her Terentia Varra-Tertulla, or Tertia. Her birthdate is also unknown, although given that Lucullus was born in or around 116 BC, and the lawful age of marriage for young men was at least 14, Tertulla's birthdate would have been anywhere from 102 BC - 100 BC.

Trivia

• Tertulla means "the third daughter".
• The Latin word for wife is Uxor. 'Spouse' would be Coniunx.
• The Latin word for mother is Mater (her relationship with Tiberius and Publius Crassus).
• Tertulia is the only historical figure woman shown in the show; Cornelia, the wife of Caesar, is mentioned in Blood and Sand and in War of The Damned.