Statilia Messalina Valeria Messalina, one of the daughters of Roman Senator, Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus who served as consul in 31 BC. Her first husband was the consul Marcus Julius Vestinus Atticus to whom she may have borne a son (who died in 88). Around 65, she became Nero's mistress. After the death of the emperor's second wife Poppaea Sabina, Vestinus was forced to commit suicide in 66, so Nero could marry Statilia. Although witty and scheming, she was far less flamboyant than her predecessor and kept a rather low profile in the public eye. She was one of the few of
Sabina Coyne Sabina Coyne Sabina Mary Coyne (born 7 May 1944) is an Irish actress, political activist and the wife of the current President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins. Coyne grew up on a small farm near Ballindine, County Mayo. Her mother would tell stories from Charles Dickens while milking the cows, an influence on her later decision to take up acting, in which she trained using Stanislavski's system. She was a bridesmaid at the wedding of singer Luke Kelly to Deirdre O'Connell, who trained her in this. She met Higgins in 1969 at a party in the family home of journalist