The head portrays a young woman with an elaborate coiffure. He face shows a small, slightly smiling mouth, almond-shaped eyes with heavy lids, lightly incised irises and drilled pupils. She wears an elaborate centrally parted headdress which is swept back to the nape of her neck. There it is tied up over four braids wrapped around the crown. Two small curls fall down at the temples in front of the hears.
Note
Annia Galeria Faustina, also known as Faustina the Elder (Major), was the daughter of Marcus Annius Verus and Rupilia Faustina. She married Emperor Antoninus Pius around 110 A.D. and had four children, with only one, Faustina the Younger (Minor), surviving into adulthood. After the death of her uncle, Emperor Hadrian, on July 10, 138 A.D., her husband ascended to the throne. Antoninus, who was Hadrian's adopted son and heir, became the new emperor, and Faustina was granted the title of Augusta by the Senate, becoming Roman Empress. Antoninus was deeply devoted to her, and after her death in 140 A.D., she was deified. A temple dedicated to her was constructed near the Forum, later known as the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina. Throughout her life, Faustina was committed to charitable works and the improvement of the lives of the poor in Rome, particularly focusing on the education of Roman girls. It was Faustina the Elder who introduced the fashionable hairstyle of wavy locks drawn to the sides, combined with braided hair coiled above. This distinctive coiffure became widely popular and was later adapted into countless variations.
