Julia Agrippina, most commonly referred to as Agrippina Minor or Agrippina the Younger, and after 50 known as Julia Augusta Agrippina (Minor Latin for the ‘younger’, Classical Latin: ;, 7 November 15 or 6 November 16 – 19/23 March 59) was a Roman Empress and one of the more prominent women in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. The Classical World, 88(1), 5-25. doi:10.2307/4351613. Cl. Legacy 28.2). Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Truly, she was the first empress of Rome. According to sources, Agrippina poisoned Claudius to death on October 13, AD 54 serving him a plate of poisoned mushrooms. However, it cannot be confirmed that Agrippina would have had any sort of direct influence on the images that are minted. Ann. She was executed on March 23, AD 59 in Misenum at the order of Nero and cremated on a dining couch that night. He even claimed to have procured handwritten letters where they talked about killing him. {{courseNav.course.mDynamicIntFields.lessonCount}} lessons Agrippina died looking her killers in the eye and holding her ground. (J. Jackson, trans.). As one of the most powerful women in Roman history, Agrippina the Younger held a major role in the drama that was royal life in ancient Rome. 12.42, 59, 65). But she had female power, amounting to influence over her male relatives who exerted the real, tangible power. Gaius, who held the consulship twice, was possibly treacherously killed by Agrippina around AD 47. The Lives of the Caesars. 13.14). At last, in March of 59, Nero succeeded in his assassination attempts. This corresponds to information from Tacitus, who hints that by the end of 54 A.D., the public was losing faith in Nero’s ability as emperor, asking “What hope was there in a youth swayed by a woman?” (Tac. He had been named Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus after his father, but everyone in Rome knew him as the youngest descendant of the divine Augustus. She tried going after a well-connected man named Galba, but her advances were apparently so shameless, he gave a hard pass. 12.1-2). In this version, Agrippina is an aggressive temptress, willing to sell her body to her own uncle in exchange for power. This theme of a mother going to extreme lengths to put her son in a position of power neatly parallels Tacitus’ story of Agrippina and Nero. At that point, Nero became emperor. When he came to power, Claudius was married to the notorious Empress Valeria Messalina, who was known for her dangerous court politics and her outsized jealousy. Agrippina the Younger was destined to play a key role in Roman history from the moment of her birth. Though Agrippina has an infamous reputation today and even ancient sources despised her, some modern experts believe that history has judged her too harshly. Catherine of Aragon was King Henry VIII’s first wife and longest-lasting Queen of England. 14.4, Suet. Gnaeus, who hailed from a prominent family of consular rank and served as consul in AD 32, was infamous for his despicable and dishonest character described by Roman historian Suetonius as "a man who was in every aspect of his life detestable".
- Structure, Uses & Hazards, Religion in Life of Pi: Analysis, Themes & Importance, Providing Patients with Anticipatory Guidance in Nursing, What Is Pharmacogenetics? Apparently, he examined the body and coldly discussed his recently deceased mother’s good points (mostly indestructible) and bad points (a tad controlling). As it went, “I will not value my life or that of my children less highly than I do the safety of the Emperor and his sisters.”. When it started to look like Claudius regretted making Nero his successor—maybe after watching all his subjects die around him—Agrippina set off her end game. Edit them in the Widget section of the, Lesbianism and Queer Female Sexuality in Ancient Greece, Women and Misogyny in Ancient Greek Philosophy, The Portrayal of Venus in Pompeian Frescoes, Roman Women in Textile Production and Commerce. Just as Caligula ascended to the throne, Agrippina announced she was pregnant with her husband’s child. Ann. Ner. Sources from the time describe him becoming mad with power, although much of this could have been propaganda meant to smear his reputation. This outraged later Roman commentators whose morals were offended by such an act and such a marriage. Are Parent-Taught Pandemic Pods a Good Low-Cost Education Alternative? He did apparently say that he wanted to treat Drusilla as his wife, so you know, fair point. The denarius at one point featured jugate busts of Claudius and Agrippina on the obverse, with a representation of the goddess Diana on the reverse (RIC I, 54), and the aureus featured a solo bust of Agrippina on the reverse (RIC 1, 53). One key player in this drama was Julia Agrippina, more often remembered as Agrippina the Younger (15-59 CE). Ann. Caligula had him summarily executed. Being around all these powerful people had its benefits, and Agrippina learned quickly how to manipulate people to get what she wanted. Ancient Roman Women, Born in: Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium, Spouse/Ex-: 28 AD - Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, 41 AD - Gaius Sallustius Crispus Passienus, 49 AD–54 AD - Claudius, See the events in life of Agrippina The Younger in Chronological Order. Agrippina always had good follow-through. Nero lost his popularity, and his reign never recovered.
A. Claudius asked wealthy, intelligent and powerful Gaius Sallustius Crispus Passienus to divorce his wife, Domitia Lepida the Elder, Nero’s first paternal aunt, and marry Agrippina. Ann. first two years of college and save thousands off your degree.
During Caligula’s reign, Agrippina was included on the reverse of the sestertius with her two sisters, Drusilla and Julia, and were designed to emulate Securitas, Concordia, and Fortuna (stability, harmony, and luck, respectively), by showing them holding cornucopias, a symbol of prosperity (RIC I, 26). Agrippina the Younger (AD 15 - 59) was one of the most prominent women in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Their portraits … Instead, a more feasible argument is that the frequency with which Agrippina appeared on coinage indicates that she was very well known, and up until a certain point was probably well-liked by the Roman public. We’re always looking for your input! The former two were writing at about the same time period (late 1st century CE – early 2nd century CE), while the latter was writing about 100 years later. (1948). To the horror of many, his eye fell on Agrippina. credit-by-exam regardless of age or education level. After all, he was 63 years old, a lifespan very few people in his job description lived to see.
When Nero was just a boy, the historian Tacitus claims Agrippina went to an astrologer to plan out her son’s glorious future. Caligula was murdered on January 24, AD 41 by his own Praetorian Guard on the Palatine in a conspiracy involving senators, officers of the Praetorian Guard and courtiers. She had two younger sisters - Julia Livilla and Julia Drusilla. Ann.
13.6). She married Cn. All the ruthless matriarch replied was, “Let him kill me, provided he becomes emperor.”. But it appears Nero was unaware of her strength as a swimmer. These included the rights of the Vestal Virgins and issuing coins portraying his images along with his sisters. He goes so far as to say that by this time, the public was catching on to Agrippina’s manipulations (Tac.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Ner., 34.1). As with all things Caligula, this kindness may have had a dark side. To learn more, visit our Earning Credit Page. London: William Heinemann Ltd. (Original work published in 1914.