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Biographies: Livia Drusilla
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Livia Drusilla Julia Augusta was a woman who lived in the 1st Century AD. She was the wife of Augustus and even after his death she still wielded the considerable power that the position enjoyed. She was without a doubt the most powerful woman of her era.
Livia was born of a mixed parentage. Livia Drusilla, the future Julia Augusta, was born on September 28, 58 BC in Rome itself. Her father was Marcus Livius Drusus Claudianus; a scion of the ancient and powerful House of Claudii, her mother was Alfidia, the daughter of a lowly town magistrate in Italia (modern Italy). Because of her mother’s lowly status Livia did not enjoy the life of a patrician, even though because of her father Livia was member of not only the Claudii, but of the equally impressive House of Livii. We know little of Livia’s childhood, other than it was a rough one due to her father’s political alliances. Marcus Claudianus had chosen to oppose the power of Julius Caesar, and this would result in turbulent times for his family. In 42 BC the forces of the assassins of Julius Caesar, Livia’s father among them, were defeated at Philippi in Macedon. Claudianus was found among those who committed suicide. As a result the choice was made to force Livia, then 15 years old, to marry her cousin Tiberius Claudius Nero in hopes of strengthening the family’s position in what was too come.
Livia’s first marriage would be a stormy one. As it turns out Livia’s new senator husband would be just as bad as her father was in making political alliances. Claudius Nero was a strong opponent of Octavian, the grand-nephew and adopted son of Julius Caesar. Despite Livia’s worries over what would happen to her new family she bore her new husband a son by year’s end, the future Emperor Tiberius. However things would soon shake up for the new family. Because of Claudius Nero’s choice to oppose Octavian he, Livia, and baby Tiberius, were forced to flee Italia to escape the charged climate of Rome. First they fled to Sicilia (modern Sicily) and took refuge there with the son of Pompey the Great, Sextus Pompeius. In 39 the family was forced to flee to Greece to take refuge there. Octavian announced a general amnesty later that year and Livia, along with Tiberius, left for home. No one knows the exact circumstances but apparently some one introduced Livia to Octavian soon after her arrival. Octavian was thunderstruck by Livia’s beauty, and despite the fact he already was married, he desired to have Livia for his wife (interestingly enough many people doubt this really happened and that Octavian merely wanted Livia for political purposes). When Claudius Nero returned to Rome Octavian met with him and told him to divorce Livia so that he could marry her. Claudius Nero agreed, but with one proviso, that Octavian make sure that when the child that Livia was carrying at the time (she had been six months pregnant already at the time of her meeting Octavian) was born that he was acknowledged as the father. Octavian agreed to the proviso and on January 16, 38 BC he divorced his wife Scribonia, at the same time Claudius Nero divorced Livia. They married the very next day, throwing the traditional ten month waiting period out the proverbial window. True to his word when Livia gave birth to the future Drusus the Elder, Octavian publicly acknowledged Claudius Nero as the father.
Thus would begin the long fifty year marriage of Octavian and Livia. Despite the fact that the marriage of Octavian to Livia was fraught with scandal (Julia the Elder, Octavian’s only biological child, was born on the day of divorce) the marriage would prove to be a happy one. Not much is known of Livia’s activities before the Battle of Actium and the subsequent ascension of Octavian to Imperial power. However we do know that even very early in their marriage Livia exercised a great deal of influence in her husband’s life. Around 35 B.C. Octavian gave Livia unprecedented control over her life, allowing her to manage her own finances among other things. Using this new found freedom Livia began to push through her own circle of friends to Octavian, among them the grandfather of the future emperor Otho. In 31 BC Octavian defeated Marc Anthony at the Battle of Actium, eliminating his last real obstacle to total power. In January, 27 BC Octavian officially handed over the emergency powers granted to him by the Senate back. But the Senate gave the powers back to Octavian, and insisted he keep them permanently. The Senate also bestowed upon Octavian a new name: Augustus (Latin: sacred, revered). The transformation of Octavian into Augustus would have a profound impact on his wife as well; her life would never be the same.
As the wife of Rome’s ‘First Citizen’ Livia was to have new responsibilities. An interesting faucet of Augustus’ personality was his insistence on the old conservative values. Augustus himself did not really adhere to these values, but it appears he saw Rome as denigrating morally. As the wife of Augustus, Livia was expected to take a large role in the conservative reforms movement, and she did. One of the first things was that Livia rejected all kinds of jewelry and gaudy costumes. She preferred to dress in a modest and unadorned fashion, quite a shock considering the way in which a Roman dressed in those days. Livia also preferred to keep her home simple as well, and did not go to any great lengths to beautify it (not that much would have been possible anyway, the home of the first Imperial couple was a small house). Rather then have the servants do the housework Livia actually insisted on doing it herself, cooking and cleaning was not something most Roman women did. Livia also sewed, Augustus could have chosen any fabric he wanted for his clothes, but he preferred to wear his wife’s homespun clothing. Livia also did some things which were not conservative, such as insisting that wherever Augustus went, she go too. In Roman society women did not follow their husbands in public, they stayed in the house. Livia also held over Augustus a great deal of influence, as mentioned above and many careers were started or ended on her word. Perhaps the greatest example of this influence was that she was able to convince Augustus to give women in general a greater deal of power, such as the ability to fund public buildings. Livia was also her husband’s chief advisor; Augustus would on occasion refuse do something unless he consulted with her first. However Livia’s power did not stop there, Augustus authorized her to be his official diplomatic representative on occasion. When Augustus could not be in Rome Livia was in charge of ruling. It is of interesting note that despite his conservative agenda Augustus was a secret adulterer, but though under Augustus’ own law Livia could divorce him she remained loyal to her husband. However Livia’s greatest power rested in the realm of family politicking. Livia’s involvement in the messy history of the Julio-Claudian dynasty has been much inflated and demonized, as a result of hostile Roman historians Livia has taken something of a bad rap and has been portrayed as the wicked step-mother. And while Livia did meddle in family affairs she was not the monster she is often portrayed as. Livia’s involvement began when Augustus arranged for his only biological child, Julia the Elder, to be married to his favored general, Vipsanius Agrippa. Livia arranged at the same time to have Tiberius married to Agrippa’s daughter Vipsania. At this point Livia’s goal was simply to secure her family a high place in Rome. But when Agrippa, who had been designated heir, died suddenly in 12 BC everything went to the dogs. Every relative of Augustus and his grandmother began to lobby for the position of heir. However at first it appeared that this was for naught, Augustus had chosen his two grandsons, Gaius and Lucius, would succeed him. At the same time Augustus forced Tiberius to divorce Vipsania and marry Julia. A prospect that Tiberius did not liken too; he truly loved Vipsania and found Julia repulsive. But Augustus was, as both ‘First Citizen’ and his stepfather in position to order this upon Tiberius. About this time the rumors began to circulate that Livia had arranged the marriage, but the records show that Augustus came up with the idea himself. Livia probably did have a hand in the marriage of her younger son, Drusus the Elder’s, marriage to Augustus’ favorite niece, Antonia Minor back in 16 BC. Tragedy struck Livia when Drusus died suddenly in 9 BC, and in a effort to comfort his wife Augustus had a statue of her built (interestingly enough this was the second statue of Livia constructed, the first was built back in 35 BC along with a statue of Octavia). In 2 BC when Augustus was honored with the title of Pater Patriae (Latin: Father of the Fatherland), Livia was honored as well with the title Mater Patriae (Latin: Mother of the Fatherland). Augustus had his own personal tragedy when in 2 and 4 AD he lost Lucius and Gaius respectively. Almost immediately the blame was laid on Livia, since she had the most to gain from their deaths. Augustus tried his best to dispel the rumors and it is from this that the bad reputation of Livia springs forth. By the end of the year a settlement over the succession crises was found. Augustus would adopt Tiberius and Agrippa Postumus as heirs; Tiberius would in turn adopt Germanicus, his younger brother’s oldest son as heir. For awhile things seemed to go smoothly then troubles started again when Germanicus’ young son Gaius (not Caligula) died. The child was dear to Augustus, so Livia had a statue made in secret and put in his bedroom to surprise him. When Agrippa Postumus was exiled Tiberius was the only one left to inherit, making many think that Livia was behind it, though in modern opinion Agrippa’s exile was more the fault of his attitude then anything else. In 14 AD Augustus Caesar died of old age, though the rumor mongers largely blamed Livia. According to the historian Suetonius, Augustus was too have said to Livia as he lay dying “Live mindful of our wedlock, Livia and farewell” (modern historians do not know what to make of this). With Augustus’ passing and the ascension of Tiberius the golden age of Livia’s power ended.
With the passing of her husband a new chapter of life opened for Livia. Soon after Augustus died uproar occurred because Livia did not immediately announce his death, the public, and the Senate, did not come to the knowledge of the death till sometime later. Nevertheless Livia emerged unscathed from the incident and was allowed to lead the funeral procession and attend the cremation ceremony. Livia and Tiberius jointly oversaw the burial and it is commonly believed that she authored the honors paid to Augustus at the burial. Livia probably played a huge part in the deification of her husband; it was later revealed she paid a man to say he saw Augustus ascend to heaven. After the deification Livia, along with her son, was the primary force behind the construction of a shrine dedicated to him, and thus the starting of the emperor cult. In fact Livia was to become the first high priestess of the cult. After the furry of activity began to die down Augustus’ will was read. In it an amazing discovery was made: one full third of his estate would go to Livia, the other two to Tiberius. It was not common at all for a woman to inherit anything, much less to the degree that Livia was. But there was one more surprise in the will. As his last act Augustus officially adopted Livia into the House of Julii, essentially making Livia a patrician. Finally Augustus bestowed the title of Augusta upon Livia, who to commemorate the occasion changed her name to Julia, thus making her name from then on Julia Augusta. In honor of her new position Livia was allowed to have one lictor (a person who symbolized power)follow her through the streets of Rome. Despite the death of Augustus Livia still exercised power, this time over Tiberius, who over time began to resent it. This was characterized by when in 16 AD Livia came out in person to help put out a fire and Tiberius forbade her from ever doing it again. When Germanicus died in 19 AD and Calpurnius Piso was accused of murdering him rather then use her power to bring Piso down Livia instead used it to save Piso’s wife Plancina, who was one of her best friends. Many Romans considered it unusual she choose to aid Plancina, rather then help bring her and Piso down for the murder of her favorite grandson Germanicus. Whatever Livia’s reasons when Piso was found dead of suicide and he was posthumously found guilty Plancina and her son were absolved of any wrongdoing on Piso’s side by Livia. It is interesting to note that when Germanicus’ widow arrived in Rome with young Gaius Caligula that custody of the boy passed to his great-grandmother Livia. Caligula would later write that during the time he stayed with Livia he thought her an Ulixes stolatus (Latin: Odysseus in a matron’s dress) or in other words he thought Livia a female version of Odysseus, the craftiest of the ancient Greeks. In 20 AD Livia managed to make speaking out against her a crime. Tiberius resented this greatly, and began to feel even more hostile to his mother when rumors began to spread if not for Livia he would not be on the throne. Tiberius openly then prevented the Senate from addressing Livia as Augusta and then Mater Patriae. However Tiberius showed his mother a great deal of respect. Livia meanwhile was jumpstarting the career of the future emperor Galba by adopting him into the House of Julii and starting him on the cursus honorum. In 22 AD she fell ill and the entirety of Rome began to pray for her, putting up alters everywhere. Tiberius prevented the construction of a great alter however. Perhaps feeling bad for this Tiberius had a seat amongst the Vestal Virgins provided for Livia in the theater in 24 AD. Two years later Tiberius left to a semi-retirement at the resort of Capri, he made only one short brief visit to his mother before leaving. Some rumors began to fly that Tiberius left for Capri just to get away from Livia. By this time Livia had lost all of her formers powers as the main consular to the emperor to the Prefect Sejanus. However Livia was still a formidable political mover which she proved when she pushed Furius Geminus to the Consulate in 29 AD. She died later that year in Rome. So died Livia Drusilla Julia Augusta, the most powerful woman of her time, at the age of 86.
Livia would leave a lasting legacy. Upon her death the Senate voted to give Livia a great and massive state funeral on the scale of Augustus’. But Tiberius vetoed the idea, and partly because of Sejanus he refused to attend the funeral. Livia was allowed a modest funeral with little of the honors accorded to her. Caligula would be the one to bestow full honors upon his great-grandmother and execute her will (which Tiberius had refused to do) and Claudius would deify her. Because of Augustus’ conservative programs all future generations of Roman women following her death were required to use Livia as a yardstick which to measure themselves by and it was by her name they swore oaths. Despite the mudslinging of many Roman historians to paint her as evil Livia Drusilla Julia Augusta still stands tall amongst the women of the Late Republic and Early Empire. |
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