She was married to Helvidius Priscus and followed him twice into exile, once by Nero for sympathising with two outcasts (Brutus and Cassius), then by Vespasian for opposing his reign.
[citation needed] Eventually, Fannia herself was exiled in 93 AD for instigating the creation and publication of a biographical book about her husband under the rule of Domitian.
Whilst taking care of her, Fannia herself fell ill, and is described by Pliny thus: "She has constant fever and a cough that is getting worse; she is emaciated and generally in decline.
"[2] Though Pliny the Younger was regularly prone to exaggeration,[citation needed] his repeated expressions of worry suggest that the illness was one from which Fannia did not recover.
This statement was made in regard to a possible connection to a Roman barrister named C. Fannius, who wrote the biographies of Nero's victims.