Livia Drusill A Successful Woman In Ancient Rome

Improved Essays
For more than a half-century, Livia Drusilla was recognized as the most noticeable and powerful woman in ancient Rome. Her noticeable quality and power were not because of her riches or patrician family, in spite of the fact that she had both, rather it was the way that she had the favorable luck to marry the man who turned into Rome 's first emperor, Augustus, and bring forth its second, Tiberius. While coincidence placed Livia in recognitions way, she was brilliant and sufficiently skillful to exploit her circumstance and obtained a genuine impact during an era when women couldn 't vote, hold open office, or show up out in the open without a guardian. While Augustus directed the lives of women around Livia by proclaiming strict good and marriage …show more content…
Her granddad had been killed as a consequence of Rome 's developing open viciousness and her own reality was turning around in the year 44 BC. At fourteen years old, the death of Julius Caesar occurred, which made a noteworthy rebellion in the city. In the next year, the resulting political chaos saw the formation of the Triumvirate, a three-man tyranny, and the foundation of banishment records whereby an abundance was placed on the leaders of the triumvirs ' adversaries. During the following years, both Livia’s father and husband would get themselves into grave danger. A great part of the riches to which Livia had been conceived was lost, however in some design, she had gone to the consideration of Octavian, Caesar 's received child and beneficiary and an individual from the Triumvirate. Livia Drusilla was overwhelmingly beautiful, who later married Octavian. The marriage was managed hastily on January 17 th, 38 BC, and the twenty-year-old Livia 's fortunes had changed everlastingly, however, neither she nor Octavian could be sure that their future was …show more content…
Livia Drusilla matters so much, because she was Rome 's first empress and Rome 's first genuine authority. Additionally, it was Livia who supplanted Cleopatra on the antiquated world stage after the Battle of Actium since it was Livia 's attractive face that replaced Cleopatra 's intriguing look on the Egyptian coinage. This obtrusive transference of female power starting with one lady then onto the next is particularly striking since it was selective. While Augustus was satisfied to see Livia supplant Cleopatra as ruler of Egypt, he never hit coins with his significant other 's picture in Rome. Included with Augustus when still pregnant with another man 's youngster, she regardless wondrously changed herself into the very image of virtuous Roman womanhood. Committed to her eldest child and his splendid political future, she turned out to be the first mother among moms while, in the meantime, plotting in the face of her child 's good faith to gain his royal power for herself. As Rome 's first empress, Livia was openly respected and adoringly imitated. What Livia wore and how she dressed her hair was a matter of colossal interest and her computed individual decisions about her closet and her haircut were underscored over and over as ladies from all levels of Roman culture embraced her choices as their

Related Documents

  • Superior Essays

    The Roman Republic was built on the traditional policy of compromise, devoted to ensure the welfare of the people. In time, the struggle for authority brought fundamental changes to the traditional sentiments of the Republic. As territory expansions brought great wealth into the country, power hungry senators and government officials harbored political ambitions and competed for power. Political treachery and self-interest within the senate and the assemblies gave way to economic turmoil and social unrest. The fight for control under the existing Republic ultimately demanded a conversion toward Empire, but before the transition could take place Rome would have to go through a series of civil war, mob violence and murder.…

    • 1796 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Even more politically aware were the two imperial consorts Livia wife of Augustus and mother of Tiberius, and Agrippina the Younger, wife of Claudius and mother of Nero implies that both poisoned their husbands. Whether or not suggestions of strings of other murders and, in the case of Agrippina, of lovers too, including her own son, are justified, both women undoubtedly manipulated the system to ensure that their sons by an earlier marriage became emperor, and both sons grew actively to demonstrate distaste for their mothers. Livia had a distinguished aristocratic pedigree. At 19, however, and six months pregnant, she was forced to divorce, or be divorced by, her husband, in order to marry Octavian, who had conveniently divorced his own wife.…

    • 282 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Young Theodora fell in love with and wanted to marry Justinian, the future leader of the Byzantine Empire. However, a long-standing law forbade high-ranking men from marrying women of flower classes. At a time when women had little or no political power, Theodora, empress of the byzantine Empire, was a rare exception. Though from poor and humble beginnings,she helped maintain her husband’s empire as Persian forces…

    • 152 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The presence of this influence indicates that although women were generally viewed as the inferior sex, they were valued in their households as individuals. Lucius Valerius used this sentiment when he argued that men “should act as their guardians and keep them in hand, but not in slavery” (Sources, 70B). The victory of women in the Oppian Law’s repeal is but one of the rare occasions when women’s influence overcame their lack of power in the public arena. It is difficult to comprehend the extent of this influence because men historians, like Cato and Livy, rarely reported about the lives of women in their societies. In fact, even this chronicled struggle against the Oppian Law was not exactly about women in general.…

    • 1184 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Legendary Foundation of Rome Republic vs. Historical Realities and Women. I will attempt to compare the legendary foundation of the republic of Rome described by Livy in a document called The Rape of Lucretia with the historical realities described in The History of Western Societies, a text book. I will also look at the structure of the Roman family and views on women. I will show that the description by Livy and the realities of Rome are very close and my hope is that you will be able to see how Livy’s myth could be plausible. I also hope that you will be able to see in my argument that women at this time were no more than a piece of property with minimal rights, but there was an aspect of respect as to the need for and devotion of women…

    • 805 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The name of the document that I will analyzes is called A Women's Uprising in Republican Rome. The document is told by a historian who goes by the name of Livy. It was written in 195 B.C.E. It occurred two decades after the Second Punic War. The author Livy talks about the events of women during that time trying extensively to repeal the Oppian Law.…

    • 721 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Much of their participation was through their husbands, as woman could not actively particpate in politics within Rome. Some promient woman who influenced politics was Livia, the wife of Augustus; Agrippina, the mother of Nero; and Plotina, the wife of Trajan; were all influencers. Upper-class woman in ancient-Rome Republic were close to independent. Woman did not need tutors to watch them like other woman. They had acquired the right to own, inherit, and dispose of property.…

    • 750 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Women were accorded an important place in ancient Roman society. “Women from higher class of society were invariably educated to a high degree. ”(History for Kids: Roman Women) Clearly women were treated fairly because the higher class of society women were educated to a high degree. “Roman women were considered equal to their male siblings by their parents.…

    • 270 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Livia and Octavian were married for over fifty years until he died in fourteen CE. Dio stated that Livia “occupied a very exalted station, far above all women of former days” (66). She, unlike other women of the time, could hear people ranging from regular citizens to senators at her home. Based on recent historical documents, Dio’s research found that she thought of herself as the superior to Augustus, shown by the assumption of credit for Tiberius eventually becoming emperor. She refused to enter into the Senate, camps, or public assemblies because she would have rathered to manage the empire.…

    • 1007 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Women were expected to marry, take care of their husbands and children, and complete other tasks needed for their families while staying in their place under men. The documents we read so far demonstrate the dependent nature of women in the early republic. We can look at a towering figure such as Thomas Jefferson to see the dependent status of women in the early republic. This notion that women were unequal to men was very prominent at the time and created a drastic divide. Thus, first we will examine Jefferson and then we will hear from Judith Sargent Murray who calls for equality within America regarding women’s rights.…

    • 592 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Caesar’s wife has a dream about his death the night before it happens, she tells him about it and he just brushes it off as it was nothing, this is showing how women during this time are not of the same importance of men (Strauss, 2015). If Caesar had listened to her he would have been looked at as a coward for doing what a woman said. Women are excluded from politics and public roles because that would-be weakness of Rome (Shmoop). Rome was the most powerful region of this time and women having important roles would have made other empires think they were…

    • 1319 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Cleopatra VII Philopator

    • 1074 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Cleopatra VII Philopator, commonly known as just Cleopatra, is one of the most recognizable names in all of history. In a time of only male rulers, she became a female ruler. Cleopatra is a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty. She represented herself as the reincarnation of an Egyptian goddess, Isis. Cleopatra’s need for power is seen in her early years, her return to power and her death.…

    • 1074 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Women always have kept the most important part in any societies. Naturally, women have been responsible for the perpetuation of the society, and they also can be seen as the focal point of worship in some ancient religions. However, societies of ancient Rome viewed women differently from some societies of past eras. By examining how men see women, and women see themselves in “Haunted house” by Plautus, we can see that women was only considered as the secondary gender in ancient Rome societies. Women characters in the haunted house include Philematium (a girl of joy), Scapha (her maid, an old hag), and Delphium (a girl of joy to Callidamates).…

    • 736 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Beyond the Beauty of Cleopatra VII – Genius of the Ancient World The real story of the last queen of Egypt, her strategic thinking, quick-wittedness, political skills and brilliant leadership. Cleopatra VII died on the 12th August 30BCE after ruling Egypt for 22 years. Her death followed her defeat to Octavian, future first emperor of Rome, ending an important Egyptian era and leaving behind a legacy to be passed through many generations. From a young age Cleopatra was raised to rule Egypt and received one of the best educations in the ancient world.…

    • 763 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Rise Of Cleopatra

    • 647 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Before Cleopatra was born, Egypt was not the greatest country in the world. The Egyptian king, Ptolemy XII, depended on the Romans for a lot of heavy lifting. They need them for things like money, architectural ideas, etc. After Ptolemy XII died, Ptolemy XIII rose to power. Around 70 BC, Cleopatra VII emerged from Cleopatra V Tryphaena, who was Ptolemy XIII Aulete's wife and could've possibly been his half-sister.…

    • 647 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays