Background
Elpinice was born to a distinguished and very rich family of consular rank. She was first daughter and among the children of the Greek Athenian Roman Senator, Sophist Lucius Vibullius Hipparchus Tiberius Claudius Atticus Herodes or Herodes Atticus and the Roman highly aristocratic, influential noblewoman Aspasia Annia Regilla.
The paternal grandparents of Elpinice were the Roman Senator Tiberius Claudius Atticus Herodes and the wealthy heiress Vibullia Alcia Agrippina while her maternal grandparents were the Roman Senator, Consul Appius Annius Trebonius Gallus and the aristocratic woman Atilia Caucidia Tertulla. Her paternal uncle was Tiberius Claudius Atticus Herodianus, while her paternal aunt was Claudia Tisamenis.
The maternal uncle of Elpinice was Appius Annius Atilius Bradua who served as an ordinary consul in 160.
Through her maternal grandfather, Elpinice was a relative to the Roman Empress Faustina the Elder, wife of the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius.
Faustina the Elder was the mother of Roman Empress Faustina the Younger and aunt of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Thus she was a relative to the family of Faustina the Younger and Marcus Aurelius.
