The place of the matrona (a Roman woman) in the society was taking
care of the family and household. She was under the protection of the
pater familias (the master of the house), either the father or the
husband. She was not entitled to have any public office or to
participate in any political activities. Travel, even accompanied, was
all but impossible.
Some women (i.e. the Vestal Virgins) were able to gain respect and
honor as priestesses. The primary task of the Vestal Virgins was to
maintain the sacred fire of Vesta; priestesses' presence was considered
necessary in certain rituals. Wealthier women could also gain respect
by funding these ceremonies.
Other women like Livia Drusilla, (58 BC-AD 29), Augusta (honorific),
was the wife of Caesar Augustus and the most powerful woman in the
early Roman empire, acting several times as regent and being Augustus'
faithful advisor.
On the other side of the coin was Valeria Messalina. Around AD 38, she
married her second cousin Claudius. They had two children: a daughter
Claudia Octavia, who was first wife to future Emperor Nero, and a son
called Britannicus.
Valeria Messalina
The unstable Caligula was assassinated on 24 January 41. Claudius was
proclaimed Emperor by the Praetorian Guard and thus as Claudius' wife,
Messalina became Empress.
Caligula Assassinated
Messalina, among the ancient sources, has a very poor reputation.
According to Suetonius and Tacitus. Messalina was cruel, avaricious and
foolish. Many women of her age and station enjoyed festivities and
great parties, but the two historians contended that Messalina unwisely
combined this zest for meeting people with an insatiable sexual
appetite. A widely reported tale was of Messalina's challenge to a
notorious Roman prostitute named Scylla of an all-night sex
competition. Scylla gave up at dawn when each woman had taken 25
lovers, but Messalina saw no reason to stop copulating until well into
the morning. It is said that she was exhausted, but not satisfied.
Old Fool
Messalina certainly duped Claudius and manipulated him into executing
those who displeased or spurned her. She is also recorded as a cheerful
player of court politics who sold her influence to Roman nobles and
foreign notables. Her name is used as a synonym for others with her
supposed vices.
In 48, Messalina conspired with Gaius Silius to kill Claudius while her
husband was in Ostia. She actually went through a public marriage
ceremony with Silius (he was already married to an aristocratic woman
named Junia Silana). Apparently, she was motivated by the protection
the powerful and popular Silius could give her over the weakness of
Claudius.
Death of Messalina
Her plotting was sufficiently promising that many senior officials were
swayed to her side. However, the plot was exposed by Narcissus, an
advisor to Claudius. Messalina, Silius and a number of others were
summarily executed. Messalina was apparently offered the opportunity of
suicide but was unable to do it. Claudius was at dinner when he was
informed of her death; his response was to ask for more wine.
