Junia Claudilla
Junia Claudilla from "Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum"
Bornca. 18 AD
Died37 AD
Capri
Cause of deathcomplications from childbirth
Other namesJunia Claudia
Known forfirst wife of emperor Caligula
SpouseCaligula
Children1[lower-alpha 1]
ParentMarcus Junius Silanus
FamilyJunii Silani

Junia Claudilla (d. AD 34, 36 or 37),[1] also known as Junia Claudia,[1][2] was the first wife of the Roman Emperor Caligula before he came to power.

Biography

Early life

Her father was a distinguished senator named Marcus Junius Silanus,[1] one of emperor Tiberius closest friends.[3] She was the sister of Junia Silana who was a friend of Caligula's sister Julia Agrippina.[4] Maxwell Craven has speculated that her mother may have been a Claudia and a relative of Tiberius.[5] Ronald Syme agrees that Claudilla was likely related to Tiberius, but thinks the descent came from her father.[6] She was likely also closely related to Appius Junius Silanus through the Claudii Pulchri.[7]

Marriage

Claudilla was given in marriage to the young prince by his grand-uncle the Emperor Tiberius.[4] Tiberius reasons for arranging the match is unknown. In terms of succession it made no obvious sense as each of Caligula's brothers had been married off to a cousin within the Julio-Claudian family, adding extra prestige to the men, while Claudilla is not known to have had any such ancestry.[lower-alpha 2] It seems that Tiberius did not consider the possibility of Caligula remarrying one of his brothers widows.[3] Tiberius may have picked her simply because there were no women of appropriate background for Caligula.[3] It is also possible that Tiberius arranged the match because it would bring Caligula more under his control due to his new father-in-law being a firm supporter of Tiberius.[9] Anthony Barrett on the other hand has argued that the marriage implied favour from Tiberius towards Caligula, since it was impressive compared to those of his sisters.[10] They were married at Antium either in 31 before Sejanus fell from favour[11] or in 33[1] when the last of Sejanus supporters were ousted (if it was in 33 then it would likely have been between the second half of July and first half of August).[12] Tiberius himself attended the ceremony which would have been a rare appearance for him on the mainland (Tiberius preferred to stay on his island during this period).[13] Claudilla likely accompanied her husband to Capri where the political intrigues were in full force during his youth.[14]

Death and legacy

Claudilla died when giving birth to Caligula's first child who did not survive either.[15] The exact date of her death is uncertain but is believed to have been 34,[16] 36,[17] or early 37.[18] The ancient historian Cassius Dio incorrectly states that Caligula divorced her before she died.[19][20]

It is hard to guess what the marriage would have meant to Caligula[3] but he seems to have begun an affair with the woman Ennia Thrasylla, the wife of Naevius Sutorius Macro, only after Claudilla's death.[21][22] Anthony Barrett has speculated that since Dio and Tacitus claim that Macro introduced his wife to Caligula upon Claudilla's death, that it is possible that Macro was taking advantage of the prince's vulnerable state and intended to gain influence by having his wife console the young man.[14]

Ancient sources claim that Caligula ordered her father to commit suicide to deliver her a message, but the veracity of this claim is doubtful.[23]

There were no known coins issued of Claudilla, possibly because she died before Caligula became emperor.[24] There have however been falsified coins purported to be of Claudilla found.[25]

Roman imperial historian Suetonius for unknown reasons almost entirely omits Claudilla from his account of the emperor's life.[26] This may have been done because there was little opportunity to paint Caligula poorly during the period. Suetonius's portrayal of his later three marriages includes mentions of adultery, homosexuality and debauchery.[27] Suetonius even twists Caligula's wife Milonia's fertility as a flaw.[26]

A flat Sardonyx cameo (numbered 578) from the Marlborough gem collection is described as depicting Junia Claudia.[28][29]

Cultural depictions

In the opera Arminio by Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber, parts of Claudilla are incorporated with those of the fellow historical woman Thusnelda to create the character "Claudia" who serves as a love interest for "Caligola". Claudilla is mentioned in I, Claudius and parts of her story are incorporated in the TV series into the character of Drusilla, Caligula's sister, who dies while pregnant with Caligula's child. Claudilla appears in Simon Turney's novel Caligula (2018). In the book Caligula is described to genuinely love her and is heartbroken upon her death. It is stated that the midwife refused to choose between her and the child and ended up losing both of them.[30] She is mentioned by her husband in Caligula: The Tyranny of Rome as he laments that had she not died along with their son he may have turned out to be a different man. He describes her as beautiful and kind while explaining to the main character Rufus why he wants to save Rufus sons life.[31]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ If the child was a girl she would have been named Julia, if a boy the child would have likely been named after his father; Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus. In accordance with Roman naming conventions.
  2. ↑ Although the book A History of the Roman People claims she was a direct descendant of Octavia Minor and Marcus Antonius.[8]

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 Barrett (1989), p. 32
  2. ↑ Tacitus, Book 6 p20
  3. 1 2 3 4 Winterling, Aloys (2015). Caligula: A Biography. Univ of California Press. p. 45. ISBN 9780520287594.
  4. 1 2 Baring-Gould, Sabine (1895). The Tragedy of the Caesars: A Study of the Characters of the Caesars of the Julian and Claudian Houses. Scribner. p. 355.
  5. ↑ Craven, Maxwell (2019). The Imperial Families of Ancient Rome. Fonthill Media.
  6. ↑ Barrett, Anthony A. (2002). Caligula: The Corruption of Power. Roman Imperial Biographies. Routledge. p. 32. ISBN 9781134609888.
  7. ↑ Wiseman, Timothy Peter (1987). Roman Studies: Literary and Historical. Collected classical papers. Vol. 1 (illustrated ed.). University of Michigan: F. Cairns. p. 89. ISBN 9780905205625.
  8. ↑ Mason Ward, Allen; Moritz Heichelheim, Fritz; Yeo, Cedric A. (1999). A History of the Roman People (third, illustrated ed.). University of Michigan: Prentice Hall. p. 304. ISBN 9780138965983.
  9. ↑ Bowman, Alan K.; Champlin, Edward; Lintott, Andrew (1996). The Cambridge Ancient History. Vol. 10 (illustrated, reworked ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 219. ISBN 9780521264303.
  10. ↑ Barrett, Anthony A. (2002). Caligula: The Corruption of Power. Roman Imperial Biographies. Routledge. p. 33. ISBN 9781134609888.
  11. ↑ Wardle, D. (1998). "Caligula and his Wives". Latomus. 57 (1): 109–126. JSTOR 41538212.
  12. ↑ Sekunda, Nick (2007). Corolla Cosmo Rodewald. Foundation for the Development of Gdańsk University. p. 154. ISBN 9788375310603.
  13. ↑ Barrett, Anthony (2008). Lives of the Caesars. Wiley. p. 62. ISBN 9781405127554.
  14. 1 2 Barrett, Anthony A. (2002). Caligula: The Corruption of Power. Roman Imperial Biographies. Routledge. p. 34. ISBN 9781134609888.
  15. ↑ Suetonius, 12.2
  16. ↑ Ferrill (1991), p. 90
  17. ↑ Ferrill (1991), p. 106
  18. ↑ Garzetti (1974), p. 86
  19. ↑ Smallwood, Edith Mary (1970). Philonis Alexandrini Legatio Ad Gaium. Brill Archive. p. 13.
  20. ↑ Wardle, David (1994). Suetonius' Life of Caligula: A Commentary. Collection Latomus: Revue d'études latines. Vol. 225. University of Michigan: Latomus. p. 145. ISBN 9782870311653.
  21. ↑ Winterling, Aloys (2015). Caligula: A Biography. Univ of California Press. p. 48. ISBN 9780520287594.
  22. ↑ Adams, Geoff W. (2007). The Roman Emperor Gaius "Caligula" and His Hellenistic Aspirations. Universal-Publishers. p. 136. ISBN 9781599424231.
  23. ↑ Baring-Gould, Sabine (1895). The Tragedy of the Caesars: A Study of the Characters of the Caesars of the Julian and Claudian Houses. Scribner. p. 399.
  24. ↑ Mathews, George D. (1876). The Coinages of the World: Ancient and Modern. Scott & Company. p. 279.
  25. ↑ Humphreys, Henry Noel (1853). The Coin Collector ́s Manual, or guide to the numismatic student in the formation of a cabinet of coins. Vol. 1. H.G. Bohn. p. 639.
  26. 1 2 Lindsay, Hugh (1993). Suetonius: Caligula. Latin Texts. University of California: Bloomsbury Academic. p. 112. ISBN 9781853993756.
  27. ↑ Kugener, Marc-Antoine; Herrmann, Léon (1998). Latomus. Vol. 57. University of California: Editions Latomus. p. 109.
  28. ↑ Story-Maskelyne, Mervin Herbert Nevil (1870). "The" Marlborough Gems, Being a Collection of Works in Cameo and Intaglio, Formed by George, Third Duke of Marlborough. Catalogued with Descriptions and an Introduction. Bradbury. p. 95.
  29. ↑ Catalogue of the Marlborough Gems: Being a Collection of Works in Cameo and Intaglio Formed by George, 3rd Duke of Marlborough ... which Will be Sold by Auction by Christie, Manson & Woods ... June 28, 1875, and Three Following Days. Oxford University. 1875. p. 89.
  30. ↑ Turney, Simon (2018). Caligula. The Damned Emperors. Vol. 1. Hachette UK. ISBN 9781409175193.
  31. ↑ Jackson, Douglas (2008). Caligula. Random House. p. 283. ISBN 9781407033853.

References

  • Barrett, Anthony A. (1989). Caligula: The Corruption of Power. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-04653-7.
  • Ferrill, Arther (1991) Caligula: Emperor of Rome. New York: Thames and Hudson. ISBN 0-500-25112-6.
  • Garzetti, Albino (1976) From Tiberius to the Antonines: A History of the Roman Empire from AD 12-192. London: Methuen & Co. LTD. ISBN 0-416-70480-8.
  • Suetonius, Life of Caligula
  • Tacitus, The Annals/Book 6

Further reading

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