Sosia Sabellia

[Sara]

Sosia Sabellia

27 | August 1st 58AD | 'Equite' (really a slave) | Professional Pretender | Bisexual | Original | Gugu Mbatha-Raw

 

 

Personality.

Out of her depth, sums up Sosia at present. She has lived a life in the background; quietly and diligently working away and never in the spotlight. Now she's in Rome and a respectable married woman, she's having to adapt and figure out her new role and keep up the pretence. Because of her history, she is naturally reserved but is trying her best to be the outgoing equite that she now 'is'. She has an easy laugh, and an easier smile, and makes friendships quickly. She doesn't generally enjoy flattery, finding it difficult to deal with and is relieved that her husband is abroad. Whilst she has never been in love, she enjoys the flirtation of women more than men - with several negative associations with her relationships with the latter. She suffers with anxiety and is deeply concerned about the consequences of being 'found out', and lives her life on edge as a result.

 

Appearance

Sosia has the complexion of many of her contemporaries of Africa Proconsularis; with darker skin and dark brown eyes. Her heritage is unknown, but her mother had told her previously that she had some Italian blood from the various owners the family had over the years, although she can't see much of the product of this. Her hair is tightly curled and now she finds herself in her new station, she oscillates between leaving it natural and trying to straighten it with hot irons. She has a few small scars on her person from her years as a slave, but these are fortunately concealed by her clothes. Her figure is well-maintained, with a good curve between her hip and her waist and a full chest, and unmarked from childbirth or rearing. She wears fine colours that compliment her complexion, but her years under slavery have made her frugal and she doesn't spend her money flippantly. 

 

Family

Father: Cronus (alive, 54 years old, born 21AD)

Mother: Labellia (alive, 50 years old, born 25AD)

Siblings: 3 brothers - Plutus (alive, 30 years old, born 40AD), Opiter (alive, 29 years old, born 41AD) and Herius (alive, 25 years old, born 50AD).

Spouse: Sextus Fadius Pennus (alive - 42 years old, born 33AD).

Children: None.

Extended family: Several cousins, aunts and uncles in slavery.

Other: None.

 

History

48AD (August) - Sosia is born, and named Antia, to a slave woman and her slave 'husband' in the household of an old equite, a famous recluse who lives on his modest estate two days outside of Carthage. She is the third child between them, with two older brothers. 

50AD (May) - Antia's younger, and final sibling is born - a brother. 

63AD (July) - Antia's dominus takes her to bed for the first time. It was not a pleasant affair, but his attentions occur frequently over the years as he cycles through the female slaves in his house.

74AD (April) - Antia's dominus dies a natural death, and the villa is thrown into chaos. With no natural or designated heir, or any free people on the estate, the slaves oscillate between doing their 'duty' and alerting the authorities, and keeping quiet. They know that to admit the death would mean their own sale, but to conceal the death could be eventually found out and punished. They take a vote, and decide on a majority - to quietly cremate the dominus and keep quiet. The man had received no visitors (at his insistence) for over a year, and they feel secure that they can continue the ruse - at least until they can get their affairs in order. 

74AD (March) - Antia cannot continue the ruse any longer, finding the deceit and anxiety difficult to bare. She decides to leave, even understanding that this will lead to her being considered a runaway. She leaves with the blessing of her parents, and intends to head to Carthage, disguising herself as a pleb and to seek employment. She renames herself Sosia Sabellia, and leaves for her new life.

74AD (June) - Sosia finds herself embroiled in a relationship with an equite, Sextus Fadius Pannus - the heir to an incredibly successful textile merchant - as his mistress, in a desperate attempt to keep afloat. She has no love for the man, but without any transferable skills and unwilling to fall into prostitution, he was an easy option. She moves into his domus in Carthage, where his wife tolerates her as a necessary evil.

74AD (September) - For once, fortune smiles on Sosia (or so she thought) and the man's wife dies of miasma fever. Apathetic to social convention, Sextus proposes marriage to his mistress. She tries to refuse his suit, but knowing it'd be her ruin (where else could she go?) she reluctantly agrees and Sosia somehow finds herself married to an equite, whereas she should be in a slave market or crucified after what happened with her dominus.

74AD (October - December) - Rumours, however, are quick to circulate (and still stick to her name to this day) that Sextus' first wife didn't die of miasma fever, but of poisoning. They frustrate Sextus, but he is unwilling to openly defend his new young wife. Discord festers in the union but Sosia clings on, to ensure her future. 

75AD (February) - Sextus is called away on business to Gallia Aquitania for the spring, leaving Sosia alone. The rumours increase in force, and the family of Sextus' first wife place increasing pressure on her. Finding it impossible to live in such a situation; with vandals ruining her walls, thugs following her in the streets and threatening letters and curses being left in her path, she plans to leave. She writes to Sextus and informs him of her situation. He muses on his options given he has no desire to have her in Gallia Aquitania, given his new mistress was in residence with him there, he sends her a stipend and instructions to travel to Rome - where he'd meet her in July, when his work in Gallia finishes. 

75AD (March) - Sosia arrives in Rome, terrified at being in the 'heart of the beast', but she quickly sets up her home with a few slaves. Despite the business of the city, and the fear she feels fluttering in her chest, she enjoys the peace it affords her and hopes her days of looking over her shoulder are over. She still keeps in contact with her family - she has learned to write in her years of 'freedom' and sends missives to her old villa, in the hope that all is well. 

 

Sara | GMT | Discord

@Gothic

[Anna]

 

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