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Women of Rome
Source: Costumes of All Nations by Albert Kretschmer

• Livia Drusilla - Livia was the wife of the first Roman Emperor Augustus. She was probably the most powerful woman in the history of Ancient Rome. Livia exerted considerable influence over her husband. She also made sure that her son Tiberius was named emperor after Augustus died.



• Julia Agrippina - Julia Agrippina was the great-granddaughter of the Emperor Augustus. She was exiled from Rome by her brother, the Emperor Caligula, when she tried to have him killed. Later, after Caligula died, she was allowed to return by her uncle Emperor Claudius. Agrippina then contrived to marry Claudius and become empress. She was a very powerful empress. Some historians believe she poisoned Claudius in order to place her son Nero as emperor. She ruled Rome through Nero during his early reign.



• Fulvia - Fulvia was married to three of the most powerful men in Rome. She gained power and control of many gangs in Rome through her first two husbands. Her final husband was Marc Antony. Fulvia raised troops in support of Antony to help him defeat Octavian. Antony lost to Octavian in battle, however, and Octavian became the first emperor of Rome (he changed his name to Augustus).



• Octavia - Octavia was viewed by many as the role model for Roman women. She was smart, beautiful, and loyal to her husband. She was the older sister of Octavian (who later became the first emperor of Rome) and the wife of Marc Antony. She tried to keep the peace between the two rivals, but eventually was divorced from Antony when he left her for Cleopatra VII.



• Helena - Helena was the mother of Constantine the Great. Her conversion to Christianity influenced her son and had a major influence in bringing Christianity to Rome. Today she is considered a saint and is called Saint Helena.

• A few women worked as priestesses to the goddess Vesta. They were called Vestal Virgins and were not allowed to marry or have children.
• Porcia Catonis, wife of Marcus Brutus, was involved in the conspiracy to assassinate Julius Caesar. She later committed suicide supposedly by swallowing hot coals.
• Roman girls usually married around the age of fourteen or fifteen.
• In 216 BC, the senate passed the Oppian Law which limited the amount of money a woman could own. In 195 BC, Roman women took to the streets to get the law repealed.

History >> Ancient Rome

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