Valeria (wife of Sulla)

Valeria was the fifth wife of Lucius Cornelius Sulla, the Roman dictator. She belonged to the patrician Valeria gens, a prominent Roman family. Her marriage to Sulla occurred late in his life, following the death of his fourth wife, Caecilia Metella Dalmatica.

Their union was considered controversial due to the significant age gap between them, and because of Valeria's purported loose morals. Plutarch, in his biography of Sulla, claims that Valeria divorced her previous husband to marry Sulla, ostensibly drawn to his fame and power. However, he implies ulterior motives, portraying Valeria as driven by ambition and lust rather than genuine affection.

Their marriage was short-lived. Sulla died shortly after their wedding. Valeria bore him a posthumous daughter, Cornelia Postuma, who was born after Sulla's death. Little else is definitively known about Valeria's life after Sulla's passing. Her story is largely colored by the negative portrayal offered by ancient historians, influenced by the political biases of the time and Sulla's own controversial career.