Octavia the Younger ( la, Octavia Minor; c. 66 BC – 11 BC) was the elder sister of the first Roman Emperor,

Augustus Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pri ...

(known also as Octavian), the half-sister of

Octavia the Elder Octavia the Elder (died after 29 BC) was the daughter of the Roman governor and senator Gaius Octavius by his first wife, Ancharia. She was the elder half-sister to Octavia the Younger and Roman Emperor Augustus. Biography Early life Octavi ...

, and the fourth wife of

Mark Antony Marcus Antonius (14 January 1 August 30 BC), commonly known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general who played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic from a constitutional republic into the autoc ...

. She was also the great-grandmother of the Emperor

Caligula Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (31 August 12 – 24 January 41), better known by his nickname Caligula (), was the third Roman emperor, ruling from 37 until his assassination in 41. He was the son of the popular Roman general Germanicu ...

and Empress

Agrippina the Younger Julia Agrippina (6 November AD 15 – 23 March AD 59), also referred to as Agrippina the Younger, was Roman empress from 49 to 54 AD, the fourth wife and niece of Emperor Claudius. Agrippina was one of the most prominent women in the Julio-Claud ...

, maternal grandmother of the Emperor

Claudius Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (; 1 August 10 BC – 13 October AD 54) was the fourth Roman emperor, ruling from AD 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, Claudius was born to Nero Claudius Drusus, Drusu ...

, and paternal great-grandmother and maternal great-great-grandmother of the Emperor

Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68), was the fifth Roman emperor and final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 un ...

. One of the most prominent women in Roman history, Octavia was respected and admired by contemporaries for her loyalty, nobility and humanity, as well as for maintaining traditional Roman feminine virtues.

Life

Childhood

Octavia was born around 66 BC. Full sister to

, Octavia was the only daughter born of Gaius Octavius' second marriage to Atia, niece of

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...

. Octavia was born in

Nola Nola is a town and a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania, southern Italy. It lies on the plain between Mount Vesuvius and the Apennines. It is traditionally credited as the diocese that introduced bells to Christian worship. ...

, present-day

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

; her father, a Roman governor and senator, died in 59 BC from natural causes. Her mother later remarried, to the consul Lucius Marcius Philippus. Octavia spent much of her childhood travelling with her parents. Marcius was in charge of educating Octavia and her brother Octavian, later known as Augustus.

First marriage

Some time before 54 BC, her stepfather arranged for her to marry Gaius Claudius Marcellus. Marcellus was a man of consular rank, a man who was considered worthy of her and was consul in 50 BC. He was also a member of the influential

Claudian Claudius Claudianus, known in English as Claudian (; c. 370 – c. 404 AD), was a Latin poet associated with the court of the Roman emperor Honorius at Mediolanum (Milan), and particularly with the general Stilicho. His work, written almost ent ...

family and descended from

Marcus Claudius Marcellus Marcus Claudius Marcellus (; 270 – 208 BC), five times elected as consul of the Roman Republic, was an important Roman military leader during the Gallic War of 225 BC and the Second Punic War. Marcellus gained the most prestigious award a Roma ...

, a famous general in the

Second Punic War The Second Punic War (218 to 201 BC) was the second of three wars fought between Carthage and Rome, the two main powers of the western Mediterranean in the 3rd century BC. For 17 years the two states struggled for supremacy, primarily in Ital ...

. In 54 BC, Octavia's great-uncle Julius Caesar is said to have been anxious for her to divorce her husband so that she could marry

Pompey Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (; 29 September 106 BC – 28 September 48 BC), known in English as Pompey or Pompey the Great, was a leading Roman general and statesman. He played a significant role in the transformation of ...

, who had just lost his wife

Julia Julia is usually a feminine given name. It is a Latinate feminine form of the name Julio and Julius. (For further details on etymology, see the Wiktionary entry "Julius".) The given name ''Julia'' had been in use throughout Late Antiquity (e.g. ...

(Caesar's daughter, and thus Octavia's cousin once removed). The couple did not want to get a divorce, so instead Pompey declined the proposal and married

Cornelia Metella Cornelia Metella ( 73 BC – after 48 BC) was the daughter of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio Nasica (who was a consul in 52 BC and originally from the gens Cornelia). She appears in numerous literary sources, including an official dedicato ...

. Thus, Octavia's husband continued to oppose Julius Caesar, including in the crucial year of his consulship, 50 BC. Civil war broke out when Caesar invaded Italy from Gaul in 49 BC. Marcellus, a friend of

Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the estab ...

, was an initial opponent of Julius Caesar when Caesar invaded Italy, but did not take up arms against his wife's great uncle at the

Battle of Pharsalus The Battle of Pharsalus was the decisive battle of Caesar's Civil War fought on 9 August 48 BC near Pharsalus in central Greece. Julius Caesar and his allies formed up opposite the army of the Roman Republic under the command of Pompey. P ...

, and was eventually pardoned by him. In 47 BC he was able to intercede with Caesar for his cousin and namesake, also a former consul, then living in exile. Presumably, Octavia continued to live with her husband from the time of their marriage (she would have been between 12 and 15 when they married) to her husband's death. They had three surviving children:

Claudia Marcella Major Claudia Marcella Major (''PIR2'' C 1102; born some time before 40 BC) was the senior niece of Roman emperor Augustus, being the eldest daughter of his sister Octavia the Younger and her first husband Gaius Claudius Marcellus. She became the seco ...

Claudia Marcella Minor Claudia Marcella Minor (''PIR2'' C 1103, born some time before 39 BC) was a niece of the first Roman emperor Augustus. She was the second surviving daughter of the emperor's sister Octavia the Younger and her first husband Gaius Claudius Marcellu ...

and

. All three were born in Italy. Although according to the anonymous ''Περὶ τοῦ καισαρείου γένους'' Octavia bore Marcellus four sons and four daughters. Her husband Marcellus died in May 40 BC.

Second marriage

By a

Senatorial A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the e ...

decree, Octavia married

in October 40 BC, as his fourth wife (his third wife

Fulvia Fulvia (; c. 83 BC – 40 BC) was an aristocratic Roman woman who lived during the Late Roman Republic. Fulvia's birth into an important political dynasty facilitated her relationships and, later on, marriages to Publius Clodius Pulcher, Gai ...

having died shortly before). This marriage had to be approved by the Senate, as she was pregnant with her first husband's child, and was a politically motivated attempt to cement the uneasy alliance between her brother Octavian and

; however, Octavia does appear to have been a loyal and faithful wife to Antony. Between 40 and 36 BC, she travelled with Antony to various provinces and lived with him in his

Athenian Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

mansion. There she raised her children by Marcellus as well as Antony's two sons;

Antyllus Antyllus ( grc, Ἄντυλλος) was a Greek surgeon, who lived in the 2nd century AD in Rome. He is most notable for his method of treatment of aneurysms. He described the types of aneurysms, and created a taxonomy related to the lesions' poten ...

and Iullus, as well as the two daughters of her marriage to Antony,

Antonia Major Antonia the Elder. (born August/September 39 BC) was a niece of the first Roman emperor, Augustus, being the eldest daughter of Octavia the Younger and her second husband, the Triumvir Mark Antony. She married Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus and be ...

and

Antonia Minor Antonia Minor (31 January 36 BC - 1 May 37 AD) was the younger of two surviving daughters of Mark Antony and Octavia Minor. She was a niece of the Emperor Augustus, sister-in-law of the Emperor Tiberius, paternal grandmother of the Emperor Calig ...

who were born there.

Breakdown

The alliance was severely tested by Antony's abandonment of Octavia and their children in favor of his former lover Queen

Cleopatra VII Cleopatra VII Philopator ( grc-gre, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ}, "Cleopatra the father-beloved"; 69 BC10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler.She was also a ...

of Egypt (Antony and Cleopatra had met in 41 BC, an interaction that resulted in Cleopatra bearing twins, Alexander Helios, a boy, and Cleopatra Selene, a girl). After 36 BC, Octavia returned to Rome with the daughters of her second marriage. On several occasions she acted as a political advisor and negotiator between her husband and brother. For example, in the spring of 37 BC, while pregnant with her daughter Antonia Minor, she was considered essential to an arms deal held at Tarentum, in which Antony and Augustus agreed to aid each other in their Parthian and Sicilian campaigns. She had won over her brother's advisers Agrippa and Maecenas and convinced him to renew their aliance. She was hailed as a "marvel of womankind." In 35 BC, after Antony suffered a disastrous campaign in Parthia, she brought fresh troops, provisions, and funds to Athens. There Antony had left a letter for her, instructing her to go no further. Mark Antony divorced Octavia in late 33 BC. In 33, Antony sent men to eject her from his house in Rome. She became sole caretaker of their children, except for Antyllus who was already with his father in the East. After Antony's suicide in 30 BC, her brother executed Antyllus but allowed Octavia to raise Antony's younger son Iullus by Fulvia as well as his children by Cleopatra (the two sons Alexander Helios and

Ptolemy Philadelphus ; egy, Userkanaenre Meryamun Clayton (2006) p. 208 , predecessor = Ptolemy I , successor = Ptolemy III , horus = ''ḥwnw-ḳni'Khunuqeni''The brave youth , nebty = ''wr-pḥtj'Urpekhti''Great of strength , gold ...

, and one daughter, Cleopatra Selene II).

Later life

In 35 BC, Augustus accorded a number of honours and privileges to Octavia, and Augustus' wife

Livia Livia Drusilla (30 January 59 BC – 28 September AD 29) was a Roman empress from 27 BC to AD 14 as the wife of Roman emperor, Emperor Augustus Caesar. She was known as Julia Augusta after her formal Adoption in ancient Rome, adoption into the J ...

, previously unheard of for women in Rome. They were granted ''sacrosanctitas,'' meaning it was illegal to verbally insult them. Previously, this had been only granted to tribunes. Livia and Octavia were made immune from ''tutela,'' the male guardianship which all women in Rome except for the

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 ...

s were required to have. This meant they could freely manage their own finances. Finally, they were the first women in Rome to have statues and portraits displayed en masse in public places. Previously, only one woman, Cornelia, mother of the Gracchi, had been part of the public statues displayed in Rome. In Augustus' rebuilding of Rome as a city of marble, Octavia was featured. In all her representations she wore the "nodus" hairstyle, which at the time was considered conservative and dignified, and worn by women from many classes. Augustus adored, but never adopted, her son Marcellus. When Marcellus died of illness in 23 BC unexpectedly, Augustus was thunderstruck, Octavia disconsolate almost beyond recovery.

Aelius Donatus Aelius Donatus (; fl. mid-fourth century AD) was a Roman grammarian and teacher of rhetoric. Works He was the author of a number of professional works, of which several are extant: *Ars maior – A commentary on Latin grammar. * Ars minor – ...

, in his Life of Vergil, states that

Virgil Publius Vergilius Maro (; traditional dates 15 October 7021 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He composed three of the most famous poems in Latin literature: t ...

recited three whole books f_his_Aeneid.html" ;"title="Aeneid.html" ;"title="f his Aeneid">f his Aeneid">Aeneid.html" ;"title="f his Aeneid">f his Aeneidfor Augustus: the second, fourth, and sixth—this last out of his well-known affection for Octavia, who (being present at the recitation) is said to have fainted at the lines about her son, "… You shall be Marcellus" [''Aen''. 6.884]. Revived only with difficulty, she sent Virgil ten thousand sesterces for each of the verses."

She may have never fully recovered from the death of her son and retired from public life, except on important occasions. The major source that Octavia never recovered is

Seneca Seneca may refer to: People and language * Seneca (name), a list of people with either the given name or surname * Seneca people, one of the six Iroquois tribes of North America ** Seneca language, the language of the Seneca people Places Extrat ...

(''

De Consolatione ad Marciam Seneca's Consolations refers to Seneca the Younger, Seneca’s three consolatory works, ''De Consolatione ad Marciam'', ''De Consolatione ad Polybium'', ''De Consolatione ad Helviam'', written around 40–45 AD. Context of the Consolations Seneca ...

'', II.) but Seneca may wish to show off his rhetorical skill with hyperbole, rather than adhere to fact. Some dispute Seneca's version, as Octavia publicly opened the Library of Marcellus, dedicated in his memory, while her brother completed the Marcellus's theatre in his honor. Undoubtedly Octavia attended both ceremonies, as well as the Ara Pacis ceremony to welcome her brother's return in 13BC from the provinces. She was also consulted in regard to, and in some versions advised, that Augustus's daughter

marry

Agrippa Agrippa may refer to: People Antiquity * Agrippa (mythology), semi-mythological king of Alba Longa * Agrippa (astronomer), Greek astronomer from the late 1st century * Agrippa the Skeptic, Skeptic philosopher at the end of the 1st century * Agri ...

after her mourning for Marcellus ended. Agrippa had to divorce Octavia's daughter

in order to marry Julia, so Augustus wanted Octavia's endorsement very much.

Death

Octavia died of natural causes. Suetonius says she died in Augustus' 54th year, thus 11 BC with Roman inclusive counting. Her funeral was a public one, with her sons-in-law (Drusus, Ahenobarbus, Iullus Antony, and possibly Paullus Aemillius Lepidus) carrying her to the grave in the Mausoleum of Augustus. Drusus delivered one funeral oration from the rostra and Augustus gave her the highest posthumous honors (building the Gate of Octavia and

Porticus Octaviae The Porticus Octaviae (Portico of Octavia; it, Portico di Ottavia) is an ancient structure in Rome. The colonnaded walks of the portico enclosed the temples of Jupiter Stator and Juno Regina, as well as a library. The structure was used as a fi ...

in her memory).Dio 54.35.5 Augustus also had the Roman senate declare his sister to be a goddess. Augustus declined some other honors decreed to her by the senate, for reasons unknown. She was one of the first Roman women to have coins minted bearing her image; only Antony's previous wife Fulvia pre-empted her.

Issue

;Children with Marcellus Octavia and her first husband had one son and two daughters who survived to adulthood. #

;Children with Mark Antony Octavia and Mark Antony had two surviving daughters by their marriage (her second, his fourth), and both were the ancestors of later Roman emperors. #

: grandmother to Emperor

. #

: mother to Emperor

, grandmother to Emperor

, and great-grandmother to Emperor Nero.

Descendants

Three

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...

and

, were amongst the most famous of her descendants. *Octavia the Younger **

(42 BC – 23 BC), no issue **

(born 41 BC) *** Vipsania Marcella Major *** Vipsania Marcella Minor ***Iullus Antonius (? – ?), issue unknown *** Lucius Antonius (20 BC – AD 25), issue unknown ***

Iulla Antonia Iulla Antonia or Antonia Iulla is thought to be a daughter of Roman consul of 10 BCE Iullus Antonius (son of Mark Antony) and Claudia Marcella Major (niece of emperor Augustus). The only direct evidence of her existence that has been found is a fu ...

(? – ?), issue unknown **

(born 40 BC) *** Paullus Aemilius Regulus (? – ?), issue unknown ***

Claudia Pulchra Claudia Pulchra (14 BCAD 26) (''PIR2'' C 1116) was a Patrician woman of Ancient Rome who lived during the reigns of the Roman emperors Augustus and Tiberius. Biography Early life She was a daughter of Claudia Marcella Minor and the Roman consul ...

(14 BC–26) ***

Marcus Valerius Messala Barbatus The gens Valeria was a patrician family at ancient Rome, prominent from the very beginning of the Republic to the latest period of the Empire. Publius Valerius Poplicola was one of the consuls in 509 BC, the year that saw the overthrow of the ...

(11 BC – 20/21) ****

Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus (64 BC – AD 8 or c. 12) was a Roman general, author, and patron of literature and art. Family Corvinus was the son of the consul in 61 BC, Marcus Valerius Messalla Niger,Syme, R., ''Augustan Aristocracy'', ...

(? – ?), possibly son of Aurelius Messalinus ****

Valeria Messalina Valeria Messalina (; ) was the third wife of Roman emperor Claudius. She was a paternal cousin of Emperor Nero, a second cousin of Emperor Caligula, and a great-grandniece of Emperor Augustus. A powerful and influential woman with a reputation ...

(17 AD or 20 AD – 48 AD) *****

Claudia Octavia Claudia Octavia (late 39 or early 40 – June 9, AD 62) was a Roman empress. She was the daughter of the Emperor Claudius and Valeria Messalina. After her mother's death and father's remarriage to her cousin Agrippina the Younger, she became ...

(39 AD or 40 AD – 62 AD), no issue ***** Tiberius Claudius Caesar ''Britannicus'' (41 AD – 55 AD), no issue *** Valeria Messallia (c. 10 BC – ?) ****

Lucius Vipstanus Poplicola Lucius Vipstanus Poplicola Messalla (c. 10 – aft. 59) was a Roman Senator. Life Messalla was ordinary consul in 48 as the colleague of the future emperor Vitellius. Based on the elements of his ''cognomeni'' Poplicola Messalla, Ronald Sy ...

(c. 10 – after 59) ***** Gaius Valerius Poplicola (? – ?), issue unknown ****

Gaius Vipstanus Messalla Gallus (Gaius) Vipstanus Messalla Gallus (c. 10 BC – aft. 60) was a Roman senator. Life He was ''consul suffectus'' in the ''nundinium'' of July-December 48 as the colleague of Lucius Vitellius. J. Devrecker has offered the argument that the elemen ...

Syme, Ronald. ''The Augustan Aristocracy'' (1986), pg. 242 (c. 10 BC – after 60) ***** Lucius Vipstanus Messalla (c. 45 – c. 80) ****** Lucius Vipstanus Messalla (c. 75 – after 115), according to some authors, this man may be one of Saint

Melania Melania is a feminine given name that derives from the Greek word (melania) meaning "black, dark". People named Melania include: * Melania the Elder (350–410), a Christian saint and an influential figure in the ascetic movement * Melania the ...

's ancestors.Mennen, Inge. ''Power and Status in the Roman Empire, AD 193-284'' (2011), pg. 123-124-125-127.Settipani, Christian. ''Continuité gentilice et continuité sénatoriale dans les familles sénatoriales romaines à l'époque impériale'' (2000), pgs. 227-228-229. **

(39 BC – before 25 AD) *** Domitia Lepida the Elder (c. 19 BC – 59 AD) ****

Quintus Haterius Antoninus Quintus Haterius Antoninus or known as Antoninus was a Roman senator, who was active during the reign of Claudius and Nero. Life He was suffect consul in the year AD 53 as the colleague of Decimus Junius Silanus Torquatus. Antoninus was the only ...

(? – ?) *** Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus (17 BC – 40 AD) **** Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus) (37 AD – 68 AD) *****

Claudia Augusta Claudia Augusta (; January 63 – April 63) was the only daughter of the Roman Emperor Nero and his second wife, the Roman Empress Poppaea Sabina. Claudia and her mother were honored with the title of Augusta by Nero. She was born in Antium on ...

(January 63 AD – April 63 AD), died young ***

Domitia Lepida the Younger Domitia Lepida (c. 5 BC – AD 54) was a Roman aristocrat, related to the imperial family. She was mother of Valeria Messalina, wife of the Emperor Claudius. Lepida was a beautiful and influential figure. Like her sister, she was also very wealth ...

(10 BC – 54 AD) **** Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus (same man as above), possibly son of Aurelius Messalinus or Valerius Barbatus (same man as above) **** Valeria Messalina (same woman as above) ***** ''See her line above'' ****

Faustus Cornelius Sulla Felix Faustus Cornelius Sulla Felix (22 – 62 AD) was one of the lesser known figures of the Julio-Claudian dynasty of Ancient Rome. Life Felix was the son of Domitia Lepida the Younger and the suffect consul of 31, Faustus Cornelius Sulla Lucullus, a ...

(22 AD – 62 AD) ***** A son, died young **

(36 BC – 37 AD) *** ''Germanicus'' Julius Caesar (15 BC – 19 AD) **** Nero Julius Caesar Germanicus (6 AD – 30 AD), no issue **** Drusus Julius Caesar Germanicus (8 AD – 33 AD), no issue **** Tiberius Julius Caesar Germanicus (born between 7 and 12 AD), died as an infant **** ''Ignotus'' (born between 7 and 12 AD), died as an infant **** Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus Major (born between 7 and 12 AD), died in childhood **** Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (''Caligula'') (12 AD – 41 AD) *****

Julia Drusilla Julia Drusilla (16 September AD 16 – 10 June AD 38) was a member of the Roman imperial family, the second daughter and fifth child of Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder to survive infancy. She was the favorite sister of Emperor Caligula, wh ...

(39 AD – 41 AD), died young **** Julia ''Agrippina'' (Agrippina Minor) (15 AD – 59) ***** Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus) (same man as above) ****** ''See his line above'' ****

(16 AD – 38 AD), no issue ****

Julia Livilla Julia Livilla ( – ) was the youngest child of Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder and the youngest sister of the Emperor Caligula. Life Julia Livilla was the youngest great-granddaughter of Emperor Augustus, great-niece and adoptive grandda ...

(18 AD – 42 AD), no issue *** Claudia Livia Julia (Livilla) (13 BC – 31 AD) ****

Julia Livia Julia Livia (7 – 43 AD), was the daughter of Drusus Julius Caesar and Livilla, and granddaughter of the Roman Emperor Tiberius. She was also a first cousin of the emperor Caligula, and niece of the emperor Claudius. Biography Early life Julia ...

(7 AD – 43 AD) *****

Gaius Rubellius Plautus Rubellius Plautus (33–62 AD) was a Roman noble and a political rival of Emperor Nero. Through his mother Julia, he was a relative of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. He was the grandson of Drusus (only son of Tiberius Caesar), and the great-grandson ...

(33 AD – 62 AD), had several childrenTheir names are unknown, but it is known that all of them were killed by Nero, thus descent from this line is extinct. ***** Gaius Rubellius Blandus (? – ?), issue unknown ***** Rubellius Drusus (? – ?), issue unknown **** Tiberius Julius Caesar Nero Gemellus (19AD – 37 AD or 38 AD), no issue **** Tiberius Claudius Caesar Germanicus II Gemellus (19 AD – 23 AD), died young *** Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (10 BC – 54 AD) **** Tiberius Claudius Drusus, died young ****

Claudia Antonia Claudia Antonia (Classical Latin: ANTONIA•CLAUDII•CAESARIS•FILIA (edd), ''Prosopographia Imperii Romani saeculi I, II et III'', Berlin, 1933 - A 886) (c. AD 30–AD 66) was the daughter and oldest surviving child of the Roman Emperor ...

(c. 30 AD – 66 AD) ***** A son (same individual as above) **** Claudia Octavia (same woman as above) **** Tiberius Claudius Caesar ''Britannicus'' (same man as above)

Cultural depictions

A famous anecdote, recorded in the late fourth-century ''

vita Vita or VITA (plural vitae) is Latin for "life", and may refer to: * ''Vita'', the usual start to the title of a biography in Latin, by which (in a known context) the work is often referred to; frequently of a saint, then called hagiography * Vit ...

'' of

, in which the poet read the passage in Book VI in praise of Octavia's late son Marcellus and Octavia fainted with grief, has inspired several works of art. The most famous example is

Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres ( , ; 29 August 1780 – 14 January 1867) was a French Neoclassicism, Neoclassical Painting, painter. Ingres was profoundly influenced by past artistic traditions and aspired to become the guardian of academic ...

's 1812 painting ''

Virgil reading The Aeneid before Augustus, Livia and Octavia ''Virgil reading the Aeneid before Augustus, Livia and Octavia'', known in French as '' Tu Marcellus Eris'', is an 1812 painting by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres. It is an oil on canvas measuring 304 x 323 cm (120 x 127 in.) and is in the Mus� ...

'' but other artists, including

Jean-Joseph Taillasson Jean-Joseph Taillasson (; 6 July 1745 – 11 November 1809) was a French history painter and portraitist, draftsman, and art critic. Biography Taillasson was born at Blaye, near Bordeaux. His poem "Le Danger des règles dans les Arts" was noted ...

Antonio Zucchi Antonio Pietro Francesco Zucchi (1 May 1726 – 1 December 1795) was an Italian painter and printmaker of the Neoclassic period. Life Zucchi was born in Venice, he studied under his uncle Carlo Zucchi and later Francesco Fontebasso and Jacopo ...

Jean-Baptiste Wicar Jean-Baptiste Wicar (22 January 1762 – 27 February 1834) was a French Neoclassical painter and art collector. Life The son of a carpenter, Wicar was born in Lille. He studied drawing at the free school in Lille before further honing his t ...

Jean-Bruno Gassies Jean-Bruno Gassies (1786–1832), a French historical and genre painter, was born at Bordeaux. He studied under François-André Vincent, Vincent and Pierre Lacour, and died in Paris in 1832. He chiefly executed historical subjects from the Old ...

and

Angelica Kaufmann Maria Anna Angelika Kauffmann ( ; 30 October 1741 – 5 November 1807), usually known in English as Angelica Kauffman, was a Swiss Neoclassical painter who had a successful career in London and Rome. Remembered primarily as a history painter, ...

, have also been inspired to depict this scene. Octavia's later life, around the time of the death of Marcellus, is depicted in the 1976 television adaptation of

Robert Graves Captain Robert von Ranke Graves (24 July 1895 – 7 December 1985) was a British poet, historical novelist and critic. His father was Alfred Perceval Graves, a celebrated Irish poet and figure in the Gaelic revival; they were both Celtic ...

's novel ''

I, Claudius ''I, Claudius'' is a historical novel by English writer Robert Graves, published in 1934. Written in the form of an autobiography of the Roman Emperor Claudius, it tells the history of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and the early years of the Roma ...

''. The role was played by Angela Morant, and should not be confused with her great-granddaughter

(also referred to as "Octavia" in the series),

's daughter and wife of the future emperor

, who was played by Cheryl Johnson. In the 1963 film ''Cleopatra'', she is played by

Jean Marsh Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * Jea ...

in an uncredited role. A highly fictionalized version of Octavia's early life is depicted in the 2005 television series ''

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

'', in which Octavia of the Julii (

Kerry Condon Kerry Condon (born 9 January 1983) is an Irish actress. She was the youngest actress to play Ophelia in a Royal Shakespeare Company production of ''Hamlet'' (2001–2002). She has since played Octavia of the Julii in ''Rome'' (2005–2007), St ...

) seduces and sleeps with her younger brother, Gaius Octavian, has a lesbian affair with

Servilia of the Junii This is a list of characters from the HBO series ''Rome''. The historical figures upon which certain characters are based are noted where appropriate. Main Recurring Guest * (historically, ''Antonia the Elder'' or ''Antonia Minor''), dau ...

(the series' version of Servilia) and a romantic relationship with

Marcus Agrippa Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa (; BC – 12 BC) was a Roman general, statesman, and architect who was a close friend, son-in-law, and lieutenant to the Roman emperor Augustus. He was responsible for the construction of some of the most notable build ...

(based on the historical

Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa (; BC – 12 BC) was a Roman general, statesman, and architect who was a close friend, son-in-law, and lieutenant to the Roman emperor Augustus. He was responsible for the construction of some of the most notable buildi ...

), none of which has any historical basis. In the TV series '' Domina'' (2021), Octavia was played by Alexandra Moloney and

Claire Forlani Claire Antonia Forlani (born 17 December 1971) is an English actress. She became known in the mid-1990s for her leading role in the film ''Mallrats'', and in the Jean-Michel Basquiat 1996 biopic, ''Basquiat''. In 1998, she achieved wide recog ...

Notes

References

;Sources *

External links

entry in historical sourcebook by Mahlon H. Smith

{{authority control 60s BC births 11 BC deaths 1st-century BC Roman women 1st-century BC Romans Octavii Rufi Family of Augustus Julio-Claudian dynasty Wives of Mark Antony