Roman imperial dynasties
Julio-Claudian dynasty

Bust from Louvre Augustus Children    Natural - Julia the Elder    Adoptive - Gaius Caesar, Lucius Caesar, Agrippa Postumus, Tiberius Tiberius Children    Natural - Julius Caesar Drusus    Adoptive - Germanicus Caligula Children    Natural - Julia Drusilla    Adoptive - Tiberius Gemellus Claudius Children    Natural - Claudia Antonia, Claudia Octavia, Britannicus    Adoptive - Nero Nero Children    Natural - Claudia Augusta

Octavia Thurina Minor (69 - 11 BC), also known as Octavia the Younger or simply Octavia, was the sister of the first Roman Emperor, Augustus (known also as Octavian), half sister of Octavia Thurina Major, and fourth wife of Mark Antony. The Julio-Claudian Dynasty refers to the first five Roman Emperors: Augustus (Octavian Tiberius, Caligula (Gaius Claudius, and Augustus ( Latin: IMPERATOR·CAESAR·DIVI·FILIVS·AVGVSTVS September 23 63 BC – August 19 AD 14) born Gaius Octavius Thurinus, was Julia the Elder (October 39 BC - 14 known to her contemporaries as Julia Caesaris filia or Julia Augusti filia ( Classical Latin: IVLIA•CAESARIS•FILIA See also Gaius Julius Caesar, for others of the same name Gaius Julius Caesar (20 BC - AD 4 most commonly known as Julius Caesar, was For other men named Lucius (Julius Caesar see Lucius Julius Caesar Lucius Julius Caesar (17 BC-2 most commonly known as Lucius Caesar Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa Postumus (12 BC-14 also known as Agrippa Postumus or Postumus Agrippa, was a son of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and Julia the Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus (or Tiberius I) born Tiberius Claudius Nero (November 16 42 BC – March 16 AD 37) was the second Roman Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus (or Tiberius I) born Tiberius Claudius Nero (November 16 42 BC – March 16 AD 37) was the second Roman Nero Claudius Drusus, later Drusus Julius Caesar (his adoptive name (13 BC- September 14 23) was the only child of Roman Emperor Tiberius Germanicus Julius Caesar ( 24 May 16 BC or 15 BC&ndash October 10, 19) Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (August 31 AD 12 &ndash January 24 AD 41 more commonly known by his nickname Caligula (kəˈlɪɡjʊlə was a Roman Emperor For the identically named daughter of Germanicus, see Drusilla (sister of Caligula. Tiberius Julius Caesar Nero Gemellus, known as Tiberius Gemellus, ( 10 October AD 19 &ndash AD 37 or 38 was the son of Drusus and Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus or Claudius I ( August 1, 10 BC &ndash October 13, AD 54 ( Tiberius Claudius Drusus from birth to Claudia Antonia ( Classical Latin: ANTONIA•CLAUDII•CAESARIS•FILIA (ca Claudia Octavia ( Classical Latin: CLAVDIA•OCTAVIA (Late 39 or early 40- 9 June 62 was a Roman Empress step-sister and first wife to Roman Emperor For the 1669 Tragedy by French Dramatist Jean Racine, see Britannicus (play. Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( December 15, 37 – June 9, 68) born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( December 15, 37 – June 9, 68) born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called Claudia Augusta (PIR2 C 1061 was the only daughter of the Roman Emperor Nero by his second wife Roman Empress Poppaea Sabina. Year 69 BC was a year of the pre-Julian calendar. Events By place Rome Consuls Quintus Caecilius Metellus Creticus The Roman Emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period (starting at about 27 BC Augustus ( Latin: IMPERATOR·CAESAR·DIVI·FILIVS·AVGVSTVS September 23 63 BC – August 19 AD 14) born Gaius Octavius Thurinus, was Octavia Maior ( Maior Latin for the elder, flourished 1st century BC) was a daughter of the Roman governor and senator Gaius Octavius from his Marcus Antonius (in Latin: M·ANTONIVS·M·F·M·N ( c January 14 83 BC&ndash August 1, 30 BC known in English as Mark

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

Life

Childhood

Full sister to Augustus, Octavia was the only daughter born of Gaius Octavius' second marriage to Atia Balba Caesonia, niece of dictator Julius Caesar. Augustus ( Latin: IMPERATOR·CAESAR·DIVI·FILIVS·AVGVSTVS September 23 63 BC – August 19 AD 14) born Gaius Octavius Thurinus, was Gaius Octavius (about 100 BC-59 BC was the father of emperor Augustus. Atia Balba Caesonia (85 BC-43 BC was a Roman noblewoman She was the mother of the Roman Emperor Augustus, and daughter of Julius Caesar 's sister Octavia was born in Nola, Italy; her father, a Roman Governor and Senator, died in 59 BC from natural causes. Nola is a city of Campania, Italy, in the Province of Naples, situated in the plain between Mount Vesuvius and the Apennines. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Her mother later remarried, to the consul Lucius Marcius Philippus. Lucius Marcius Philippus (flourished 1st century BC) was a member of a Roman senatorial family Octavia spent much of her childhood traveling with her parents.

First marriage

Before 54 BC her stepfather arranged for her to marry Gaius Claudius Marcellus Minor. See Gaius Claudius Marcellus for other men of this name or Gaius Claudius Marcellus Maior for his cousin consul of 49 BC Marcellus was a man of consular rank, a man who was worthy of her and was consul in 50 BC. He was also a member of the influential Claudian family and descended from Marcus Claudius Marcellus, a famous general in the Second Punic War. The Gens Claudia was one of the oldest families in ancient Rome, and for centuries its members were regularly leaders of the city and empire Marcus Claudius Marcellus (ca 268 BC-208 BC was a Roman general one of the commanders of the Roman Army during the Second Punic War and the conqueror of Syracuse The Second Punic War (referred to as "The War Against Hannibal" by the Romans lasted from 218 to 201 BC and involved combatants in the western In 54 BC, her great uncle Caesar is said to have been anxious for her to divorce her husband so that she could marry Pompey who had just lost his wife Julia (Julius Caesar's daughter, and thus Octavia's cousin once removed). Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, commonly known as Pompey /'pɑmpi/ Pompey the Great or Pompey the Triumvir ( Classical Latin abbreviation Julia Caesaris ( Classical Latin: IVLIA•CAESARIS 83 or 82 BC-54 BC was the daughter of Gaius '''Julius Caesar''' the dictator, by his However, Pompey apparently declined the proposal and Octavia's husband continued to oppose Julius Caesar including in the crucial year of his consulship 50 BC. Year 50 BC was a year of the pre-Julian calendar. Events By place Rome Consuls Lucius Aemilius Paullus and

Marcellus, a friend of Cicero, was an initial opponent of Julius Caesar when he invaded Italy, but did not take up arms against his wife's great uncle at the Battle of Pharsalus, and was eventually pardoned by him. Marcus Tullius Cicero ( Classical Latin ˈkikeroː usually ˈsɪsərəʊ in English January 3, 106 BC &ndash December 7, 43 BC was a Roman The Battle of Pharsalus was a decisive battle of Caesar's Civil War. 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 about 15 when they married) to her husband's death when she was about 29. They had three children: Claudia Marcella Major, Claudia Marcella Minor and Marcus Claudius Marcellus. Claudia Marcella was the name of the two daughters of Octavia Minor, the sister of Emperor Augustus, from her first husband the Consul Gaius Claudius Claudia Marcella was the name of the two daughters of Octavia Minor, the sister of Emperor Augustus, from her first husband the Consul Gaius Claudius Marcus Claudius Marcellus (42-23 BC was the eldest son of Octavia Minor, sister of Augustus, and Gaius Claudius Marcellus Minor, a former consul All three were born in Italy. Marcellus died in May 40 BC.

Second marriage

Mark Antony and Octavia

By a Senatorial decree, Octavia married Mark Antony, in October 40 BC, as his fourth wife (his third wife Fulvia having died shortly before). The Roman Senate was a political institution in Ancient Rome. Marcus Antonius (in Latin: M·ANTONIVS·M·F·M·N ( c January 14 83 BC&ndash August 1, 30 BC known in English as Mark Year 40 BC was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Julian calendar. Fulvia (77 BC-40 BC was a Roman woman who lived in the 1st century BC This marriage had to be approved by the Senate as she was pregnant with her first husband's child and was a political marriage to cement the uneasy alliance between her brother Octavian and Mark Antony - however, Octavia appears to have been a loyal and faithful wife to Antony. Marcus Antonius (in Latin: M·ANTONIVS·M·F·M·N ( c January 14 83 BC&ndash August 1, 30 BC known in English as Mark Between 40 BC–36 BC, Octavia lived with him in his Athenian mansion. Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's She raised her children by Marcellus; Antony's two sons and their two daughters: Antonia Major and Antonia Minor, who were born there. Antonia Major ( in Latin Antonia Maior, PIR2 A 884 (b August/September 39 BC also known as Antonia the Elder, was a daughter to Antonia Minor ( PIR2 A 885 also known as Antonia the Younger or simply Antonia ( 31 January 36 BC-September/October 37 was a She travelled with him to various provinces.

Breakdown

The alliance was severely tested by Octavia's second husband abandoning her and their children for his former lover Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt. Cleopatra VII Philopator (in Greek, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ; January 69 BC &ndash 30 BC was a Hellenistic ruler of Egypt Mark Antony and Cleopatra had already met in 41 BC, and subsequently had twins. After 36 BC, Octavia returned to Rome with her children by Mark Antony. On several occasions she acted as a political adviser and negotiator between her husband and brother. Mark Antony divorced Octavia circa 32 BC, after she had supplied him with men and troops in 35 BC (to be used in his eastern campaigns). With Antony's rejection, divorce, and eventual suicide in 30 BC, Octavia became the sole caretaker of their children. She also became guardian of Antony's remaining children from his unions with both Fulvia and Cleopatra:

• Iullus Antonius (Fulvia),
• Alexander Helios (Cleopatra),
• Cleopatra Selene II (Cleopatra), and
• Ptolemy Philadelphus (Cleopatra)

Octavia did not remarry. Fulvia (77 BC-40 BC was a Roman woman who lived in the 1st century BC Iullus Antonius (43 BC-2 BC also known as Iulus, Julus or Jullus, was the second son of Mark Antony and his third wife Fulvia. Alexander Helios ( Greek: ο Αλέξανδρος Ήλιος, 25 December 40 BC - between 29 BC - 25 BC was a Ptolemaic prince and was the eldest Cleopatra Selene II ( Greek: η Κλεοπάτρα Σελήνη, 25 December 40 BC - 6 AD) also known as Cleopatra VIII of Egypt Ptolemy Philadelphus (ο Πτολεμαίος Φιλάδελφος August/September 36 BC - 29 BC was a Ptolemaic Prince and was the youngest child of Greek

Life after Antony

Virgil reading Aeneid, Book VI, to Augustus and Octavia, by Tailasson

Augustus had adopted her son Marcellus as his heir, but Marcellus died of illness in 23 BC. Octavia had opened the Library of Marcellus in his memory, while her brother completed Marcellus's theatre in his honor. The Theatre of Marcellus (Latin Theatrum Marcelli; Italian Teatro di Marcello) is an ancient theatre built at the beginning of the Roman Empire.

Aelius Donatus, in his Life of Virgil, states that Virgil

She never fully recovered from the death of her son and retired from public life, spending her final years dressing in mourning.

Death

Octavia died in 11 BC, sometime after her niece Julia the Elder married Tiberius. Julia the Elder (October 39 BC - 14 known to her contemporaries as Julia Caesaris filia or Julia Augusti filia ( Classical Latin: IVLIA•CAESARIS•FILIA Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus (or Tiberius I) born Tiberius Claudius Nero (November 16 42 BC – March 16 AD 37) was the second Roman Her funeral was a public one, with her sons-in-law carrying her to the grave. While her brother Augustus delivered the funeral oration and gave her the highest posthumous honors (e. g. building the Gate of Octavia and Porticus Octaviae in her memory, declaring her a goddess and built temples for her), he also declined many of the honors decreed to her by the senate, for reasons unknown. Not to be confused with the Porticus Octavia. The Porticus Octaviae ( Portico of Octavia Italian: Portico di Ottavia She was one of the first Roman women to have coins minted in her image.

Issue

Octavia's Children with Marcellus

Octavia and her first husband had one son and two daughters born late in their marriage:

1. Marcellus
2. Claudia Marcella Major
3. Claudia Marcella Minor

Octavia's Children with Mark Antony

Octavia and Mark Antony had two daughters by their marriage (her second, his fourth), and were the ancestors of three later Roman Emperors. Marcus Claudius Marcellus (42-23 BC was the eldest son of Octavia Minor, sister of Augustus, and Gaius Claudius Marcellus Minor, a former consul Claudia Marcella was the name of the two daughters of Octavia Minor, the sister of Emperor Augustus, from her first husband the Consul Gaius Claudius Claudia Marcella was the name of the two daughters of Octavia Minor, the sister of Emperor Augustus, from her first husband the Consul Gaius Claudius The Roman Emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period (starting at about 27 BC

1. Antonia Major--grandmother to Emperor Nero. Antonia Major ( in Latin Antonia Maior, PIR2 A 884 (b August/September 39 BC also known as Antonia the Elder, was a daughter to Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( December 15, 37 – June 9, 68) born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called
2. Antonia Minor--mother to Emperor Claudius, grandmother to Emperor Caligula, and great-grandmother to Emperor Nero. Antonia Minor ( PIR2 A 885 also known as Antonia the Younger or simply Antonia ( 31 January 36 BC-September/October 37 was a Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus or Claudius I ( August 1, 10 BC &ndash October 13, AD 54 ( Tiberius Claudius Drusus from birth to Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (August 31 AD 12 &ndash January 24 AD 41 more commonly known by his nickname Caligula (kəˈlɪɡjʊlə was a Roman Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( December 15, 37 – June 9, 68) born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called

Octavia in popular culture

A highly fictionalized version of Octavia's early life is depicted in the 2005 television series Rome, in which Octavia of the Julii (Kerry Condon) commits incest with her brother, has a lesbian affair with Servilia of the Junii (the series' version of Servilia Caepionis) and a romantic relationship with Marcus Agrippa (based on the historical Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa). Rome is a BAFTA, Golden Globe and Emmy -nominated historical drama Television series co-created by John Milius Octavia of the Julii is a fictional character in the HBO / BBC2 original Television series Rome, played by Irish actress Kerry Condon (born 4 January 1983) is a television and film actress Incest refers to any sexual activity between closely related persons (often within the immediate family that is illegal or socially Taboo. Servilia of the Junii is a character from the HBO / BBC2 original Television series, ''Rome'', played by Lindsay Duncan. Servilia Caepionis (b c107 BC - d after 42 BC is one of the few Roman women cited by ancient sources mainly due to her being the mistress of Julius Caesar, mother Agrippa redirects here For other uses of the name see Agrippa (disambiguation.

Octavia's later life, around the time of the death of Marcellus, is depicted in the acclaimed 1976 television adaptation of Robert Graves's novel I, Claudius. Robert Graves (24 July 1895 &ndash 7 December 1985 was an English Poet, Translator and Novelist. I Claudius is a Novel by English writer Robert Graves, first published in 1934, that deals sympathetically with the life of The role was played by Angela Morant, and should not be confused with Claudia Octavia (also referred to as 'Octavia' in the series), Claudius' daughter and wife of the future emperor Nero, who was played by Cheryl Johnson. Claudia Octavia ( Classical Latin: CLAVDIA•OCTAVIA (Late 39 or early 40- 9 June 62 was a Roman Empress step-sister and first wife to Roman Emperor Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus or Claudius I ( August 1, 10 BC &ndash October 13, AD 54 ( Tiberius Claudius Drusus from birth to Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( December 15, 37 – June 9, 68) born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called

Sources

Octavia's life and virtues

• Details on Octavia pt 1 "Octavian was much attached to his sister, and she possessed all the charms, accomplishments and virtues likely to fascinate the affections and secure a lasting influence over the mind of a husband. Her beauty was universally allowed to be superior to that of Cleopatra and her virtue was such as to excite even admiration in an age of growing licentiousness and corruption. "
• Details on Octavia pt 2
• Nuttall Encyclopedia profile says merely that she was "distinguished for her beauty and her virtue"

Discussion of Octavia

• Octavia's birth and life discussed briefly
• Octavia's marriage discussed briefly

Octavia's family and descendants

• Marcellus, Octavia's only son who died aged 20
• Julia, Octavia's daughter-in-law and niece
• Octavia's descendants include the Roman emperors Caligula, Claudius, and Nero. Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (August 31 AD 12 &ndash January 24 AD 41 more commonly known by his nickname Caligula (kəˈlɪɡjʊlə was a Roman Emperor Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus or Claudius I ( August 1, 10 BC &ndash October 13, AD 54 ( Tiberius Claudius Drusus from birth to Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( December 15, 37 – June 9, 68) born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called

External links

• A statue of Octavia Minor
• Octavia entry in historical sourcebook by Mahlon H. Smith
• Livius.org: Octavia Minor