Marcia

1. The mistress of Quadratus, who was slain by Commodus, became the favourite concubine of Commodus himself. From her he adopted the title of Amazonius. She was one of the most active among the conspirators, who compassed his destruction. She subsequently became the wife of Eclectus, his chamberlain, also a conspirator, and was eventually put to death by Julianus, along with Laetus, who also had been actively engaged in the plot. We are told apparently by Xiphilinus, that she was friendly to the Christians, for whom, through her influence with the emperor, she procured many advantages. (D. C. 72.4, 73.16.) [Commodus; Eclectus, Laetus, Quadratus.]

2. The first wife of Septimius Severus. She died before her husband became emperor; and after his elevation he erected statues to her memory. (See authorities on Severus.) [W.R]

originally patrician, afterwards plebeian likewise. We also, but not so frequently, find the name written Martius. This gens claimed to be descended from Ancus Marcius, the fourth king of Rome (Suet. Jul. 6; V. Max. 4.3.4; Ov. Fast. 6.803); and hence one of its families subsequently assumed the name of Rex, and the heads of Numa Pompilius and Ancus Marcius were placed upon the coins of the gens. [See the coins under Censorinus and Philippus.] But notwithstanding the claims to such high antiquity made by the Marcii, no patricians of this name, with the exception of Coriolanus, are mentioned in the early history of the republic, and it was not till after the enactment of the Licinian laws that any member of the gens obtained the consulship. The first Marcius who reached this dignity was C. Marcius Rutilus Censorinus, in B. C. 310. The only patrician family in this gens, as is remarked above, was that of Coriolanus the names of the plebeian families in the time of the republic are Censorinus, Crispus, Figulus, Libo, Philippus, Ralla, Rex, Rufus, Rutilus, Septimus, Sermo, Tremulus. The only cognomens which occur on coins are Censorinus, Libo, Philippus. A few persons are mentioned without any surname: they are given under Marcius.

(1) The wife of M. Regulus (q.v.).

(2) The wife of Cato Uticensis.

(3) The daughter of Cremutius Cordus (q.v.).

(4) The favourite mistress of Commodus (q.v.).