(Hair)dress to impress

Lucilla inspects Julia’s portrait on the coin more closely. How did she get her hair like that? Julia’s iconic hair, beautifully waved with a centre parting and collected in a braid which was fastened onto the back of the head in a long bun, reminds Lucilla of Faustina the Younger, who was empress during Lucilla’s childhood. Faustina, the wife of emperor Marcus Aurelius (161-180) also had braided and wavy hair. Julia copied Faustina’s hairstyle, while her husband Septimius was copying the portraiture style of Marcus Aurelius. The royal couple tried to remind the Roman people of Aurelius’ successful dynasty, to give the impression that they could do the same.Drora Baharal, “The Portraits of Julia Domna from the Years 193-211 A.D. and the Dynastic Propaganda of L. Septimius Severus,” p. 118.

Lucilla remembers her mother spending hours braiding her hair to resemble Faustina’s. Elite Roman women tried to recreate empresses’ hairstyles, because it showed power and wealth and their connection with the empress.Elizabeth Bartman, “Hair and the Artifice of Female Adornment,” pp. 14-15, 17.Lucilla made a mental note to address her housemaid tomorrow morning and show her Julia Domna’s hair on the coin and ask her to do the same with hers. Lucilla’s eye is drawn to the text on the coin...