Octavia

:For information about the Metal band commonly known as Octavia, see Octavia Sperati

Related Topics:
Metal - Octavia Sperati

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Octavia was the name of three women of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty of ancient Rome: two were sisters of Augustus Caesar, and the younger was the daughter of Claudius and wife of Nero.

Related Topics:
Julio-Claudian Dynasty - Augustus Caesar - Claudius - Nero

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Octavia Thurina Major: The daughter of the Roman general, governor and senator Gaius Octavius from his first wife, Ancharia. Little is known of her and she lived in 40 BC. Plutarch states that she was a beautiful and admirable woman.

Related Topics:
Gaius Octavius - 40 BC - Plutarch

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Octavia Thurina Minor: (69 - 11 BC.) The only daughter of her father's second marriage to Atia Balba Caesonia, the niece of the Roman Dictator Julius Caesar and full blood sister of Caesar Augustus. She was born in Nola, Italy.

Related Topics:
69 - 11 BC - Atia - Julius Caesar - Caesar Augustus - Nola - Italy

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Octavia Minor is one of the most prominent women in Roman history. She was respected and admired for her loyalty, nobility and humanity and for maintaining traditional Roman feminine virtues. This beautiful and remarkable woman lived at a time when many succumbed to treachery and intrigue.

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Much of her childhood she spent travelling with her parents. Before 54 BC her step-father arranged for her to marry Gaius Claudius Marcellus. Marcellus was a man of consular rank, a member of the influential Claudian family and was a man worthy of her.

Related Topics:
54 BC - Gaius Claudius Marcellus - Claudian

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They had three children: Claudia Marcella Major, Claudia Marcella Minor and Marcus Claudius Marcellus. All three were born in Italy. Marcellus died in May 40 BC.

Related Topics:
Claudia Marcella - Marcus Claudius Marcellus - 40 BC

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By a Senatorial decree, Octavia married Mark Antony, in a political alliance, in October 40 BC. Between 40 BC–36 BC, Octavia lived with him in his Athenian mansion. She raised her children by Marcellus; Antony's two sons and their two daughters: Julia Antonia Major and Julia Antonia Minor, who were born there. She had travelled with him to various provinces.

Related Topics:
Senatorial - Mark Antony - 40 BC - 36 BC - Athenian - Antonia Major - Antonia Minor

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After 36 BC, Octavia returned to Rome with the children. On several occasions she acted as a political adviser and negotiator between her husband and brother.

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With Antony's rejection, divorce in 32 BC and suicide in 30 BC, Octavia became the sole caretaker of the children. She became guardian to Cleopatra Selene, Ptolemy Philadelphus and Iullus Antonius, her ex-husband's remaining children. Octavia never remarried.

Related Topics:
32 BC - 30 BC - Cleopatra Selene - Ptolemy Philadelphus - Iullus Antonius

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Augustus had adopted her son Marcus as his heir, but Marcus died of illness in 23 BC. Octavia had opened the Library of Marcellus in his memory, while her brother built a threatre in Rome in his honor. She never recovered from his death and retired from public life. Her final years were spent hiding in the dark and dressing in mourning.

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She had woven clothes for her brother. Augustus built two monuments for his public works program, the Colonnades of Octavia and the Paragon of Virtue in her honor. She was one of the first Roman women to have coins minted in her image.

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She died in 11 BC, sometime after her niece Julia Caesaris married Tiberius. Her beloved brother gave her the highest posthumous honours, built the Gate of Octavia in her memory, declared her as a goddess and built temples for her.

Related Topics:
11 BC - Julia Caesaris - Tiberius

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The image is Augustus' full blooded sister.

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