Livia Drusilla (58 BCE–29 CE) was portrayed as the quintessential Roman matrona (mother)—modest, devoted, and virtuous. This image shaped imperial propaganda and earned her an extraordinary amount of public statuary as well as a considerable cult following during her lifetime, particularly in the Greek East, where she was worshipped as a goddess.
Livia Drusilla: Mother of the Country or Evil Stepmother? Read More »
Had Julia Agrippina Minor (Agrippina the Younger, 15 CE-59 CE) known that her son Nero would ultimately have her killed, she might have reconsidered giving
The Emperor’s Mother Read More »
At long last, Tiberius was dead. After twenty-three long years marked by fear, mistrust, and paranoia, the grim and utterly unlikable Emperor Tiberius met
Caligula’s Sisters in the Plot of the Three Daggers Read More »
Born into a life of privilege, Julia’s world was sent into a tailspin when Augustus executed her husband, accusing him of conspiring to overthrow his rule. Without the protection and political backing of a husband, Julia was vulnerable; elite women in Ancient Rome were expected to rely on a male guardian or husband to protect their interests and reputations.
The Forgotten Exile: Julia the Younger Read More »
At the legendary nuptials, the aroma of exotic spices and the sound of raucous laughter filled the air as guests were feted on savory
The Madness of Messalina Read More »
History has long been unkind to Fulvia (85/80 BCE-40 BCE)—the notoriously jilted wife whom Mark Antony abandoned for the Queen of the Nile. The
Fulvia: The “Fourth” Triumvir Read More »
The streets of Rome were drunk and riotous with delight in the summer of 29 BCE on the final, most opulent day of Octavian’s three-day-long
Cleopatra Selene: A Dynasty’s Last Breath Read More »
“Let her be banished for life,” Augustus (63 BC-14 AD) is recorded as saying about the harsh exile of his only biological child, Julia, to
Augustus’ Draconian Marriage Laws And The Banishment Of Julia Augusti Read More »
Long before her boat docked at the port of Brundisium in the winter of 19 CE, Agrippina (the Elder—14 BCE- 33 CE) might have known
Agrippina the Elder: The Woman Who Would Be Empress Read More »
When the executioners came for her on that otherwise bright and sunny day, Cornelia (50-91 CE) was many things, but penitent was not one
The Last Priestesses Read More »
