Clodia Laeta (died 213), was a Roman

vestal virgin In ancient Rome, the Vestal Virgins or Vestals ( la, Vestālēs, singular ) were priestesses of Vesta, virgin goddess of Rome's sacred hearth and its flame. The Vestals were unlike any other public priesthood. They were chosen before puberty ...

. Clodia Laeta belonged to a prominent family. While the name of her father is unknown, he is noted to have been of senatorial rank. She was appointed a vestal by the Pontifex maximus, who was at that time the same person as the Emperor. In 211, Emperor

Caracalla Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (born Lucius Septimius Bassianus, 4 April 188 – 8 April 217), better known by his nickname "Caracalla" () was Roman emperor from 198 to 217. He was a member of the Severan dynasty, the elder son of Emperor S ...

succeeded to the throne. During his reign, four vestal virgins were prosecuted for having broken their vow of chastity (''crimen incesti''): Aurelia Severa, Pomponia Rufina, Cannutia Crescentina and Clodia Laeta. In contrast to the usual trials of this kind, no men were named and accused as accomplices of the crime. The accused vestals were all judged guilty as charged and sentenced to death. Cannutia Crescentina avoided the execution by committing suicide. Clodia Laeta was the central figure of the trial. The trial was regarded with suspicion because no men were named or accused as the lovers of the vestals. According to

Cassius Dio Lucius Cassius Dio (), also known as Dio Cassius ( ), was a Roman historian and senator of maternal Greek origin. He published 80 volumes of the history on ancient Rome, beginning with the arrival of Aeneas in Italy. The volumes documented the ...

, it was the Emperor himself who had raped Clodia Laeta; that other three vestals were witnesses, and that they were all falsely accused to hide the crime of the Emperor. Cassius Dio supported his theory on the behaviour of Clodia Laeta on her way to her execution, during which she screamed that the Emperor himself was well aware of her innocence. Philip Matyszak, Joanne Berry: 79. Clodia Laeta. In: Who is Who im alten Rom. Kaiser, Bürger, Gladiatoren. von Zabern, Mainz 2009, , S. 237–238

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clodia Laeta Vestal Virgins 2nd-century Roman women 3rd-century Roman women Executed ancient Roman women 3rd-century executions Clodii 3rd-century clergy Priestesses of the Roman Empire 213 deaths Year of birth unknown