Livia, later Iulia Augusta, from the south frieze of the Ara Pacis.
Livia, later Iulia Augusta, from the south frieze of the Ara Pacis.
THE FAMILY AND PROPERTY OF LIVIA DRUSILLA, by Eric Dennis Huntsman
A Dissertation in Ancient History Presented to the Faculties of the University of Pennsylvania in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, 1997
Abstract
Because Livia’s prominence was based largely upon the same factors—family and property—that brought any woman of the Roman elite class prestige and influence, she serves as a paradigm of the increasing social and economic aggrandizement possible for women in the late republic and early empire. Nevertheless, Livia’s wealth and influence surpassed that of women before her largely because of the unique circumstances in which she found herself as wife of the first emperor and mother of the second. Furthermore, Livia occupies an important position in Roman history as a foundational figure in the Julio-Claudian dynasty and as the first woman to attain the title
Augusta, a title that she received as an honor but which she effectively defined as a position for subsequent imperial women.This study examines the sources of Livia’s prestige and influence, appraising the major phases of her life to illustrate how many of the same factors contributed to the unprecedented position that she held at her death. Beginning with a review of her family background and early life, this thesis explores her status during the triumviral years, her position during the principate of Augustus, her accumulation of wealth and exercise of patronage, and finally her role during the reign of her son Tiberius—all of which lead to the conclusion that her greatest historical significance was not in being the wife of the first emperor but rather in being the first Augusta, a title that came to represent the cumulative prestige and honors that Livia had attained at the end of her life. This final position, both because of its novelty and Livia’s own longevity, was difficult for subsequent imperial women to surpass, and few equaled or exceeded her in standing or influence.
For the complete, copyrighted text, contact UMI Dissertation Services, under THE FAMILY AND PROPERTY OF LIVIA DRUSILLA (ROMAN EMPIRE); HUNTSMAN, ERIC DENNIS, PHD; UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, 1997; 343 pp. Advisor: SHAW, BRENT D.; order number 9814861.
Stemmata
Possible Connections with the Claudii Nerones
Family and Descendants of Livia
Livia and the Adoptive Family of Augustus
Papers Read on related topics:
"A Claudian Property at Antium? A Stepson, a Mother-in-law, and the Country House," read at the CAMWS National Convention in Omaha on April 22, 1995.
"Livia Before Octavian: Some Issues of Inheritance and Family Alliances," read at the CAMWS National Convention in Nashville on April 10, 1996.
"Redefining Women's ‘Power’ in the Early Roman Empire: The Julio-Claudian Women," read at the CAMWS National Convention in Charlottesville in April 1998.
"Roman Augustae and Their Sons: The Historiographical Depiction of Imperial Mothers," read at the CAMWS National Convention in Cleveland in April 1999.
"The Emperor's Mother and the S.C. de Cn. Pisone Patre: Reevaluating Livia's Status Under Tiberius," read at the CAMWS National Convention in Knoxville in April 2000.
"The Republican Roots of Livia's Political Patronage," read at the AAH National Convention in Madison, Wisconsin in May 2000.