Her father's family originally came from Volceii, Lucania, Italy and were closely associated with the Roman emperors Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius.

Like most marriages of young members of the nobiles, it was arranged by patres—in Crispina's case by her father and her new father-in-law, the emperor Marcus Aurelius.

[12] The theory is mainly based on coins of Crispina which display imagery associated with empresses who gave birth to children and was originated from by J. Aymard in his article "La conjuration de Lucilla".

Hekster stated "Nothing is known of any children of the marriage, but the types of Diana Lucifera and Iuno Lucina clearly indicate hope, and Fecunditas, if rightly reported, should mean an actual birth".

In fact, both Lucius Antistius Burrus (with whom Commodus had shared his first consulate as sole ruler) and Gaius Arrius Antoninus, who were probably related to the imperial family, were allegedly put to death 'on the suspicion of pretending to the throne'.

Her eventual exile and death may instead have been a result of the fall of Marcus Aurelius Cleander, or of Commodus's inability to produce offspring with her to ensure the dynastic succession.