Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Illustrations
- Map
- Acknowledgements and Editorial Note
- List of Contributors
- Chapter One The Educated Traveller’s Guide
- Chapter Two Pope Leo I the Great (ca. 400–461, r. 440–61 CE) at the Basilica di S. Pietro and the Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo
- Chapter Three Saint Dominic de Guzmán (ca. 1170–1221 CE ) at the Basilicas of S. Marco al Campidoglio, San Sisto Vecchio, and Santa Sabina
- Chapter Four John Keats (1795–1821 CE ) and Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822 CE ) at the Keats-Shelley House and the Cimitero Acattolico
- Chapter Five Julius Caesar (100–44 BCE ) at the Teatro di Pompeo, Rostra, Tempio del Divo Giulio, and Basilica Giulia
- Chapter Six Empress Livia (58 BCE –29 CE ) on the Palatino
- Chapter Seven Emperor Hadrian (76–138 CE ) at Castel Sant’Angelo, the Pantheon, and the Tempio di Venere e Roma
- Chapter Eight Pope Clement I of Rome (ca. 35–99 or 101, r. 88–99 or 101 CE ) at the Basilica di San Clemente
- Chapter Nine Emperor Constantine (ca. 277–337, r. 324–37 CE) at the Arco di Costantino, the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano, and the Basilica dei Santi Quattro Coronati
- Chapter Ten Pope Paul III (1468–1549, r. 1534–49 CE ), Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564), and the Campidoglio
- Chapter Eleven St. Thomas Aquinas (1225–74 CE ) at Santa Sabina, the Angelicum, and the Basilica di Santa Maria Sopra Minerva
- Chapter Twelve Maria Clementina Sobieska (1702–35 CE) at the Basilica di S. Pietro, Palazzo Muti, and the Basilica dei XII Santi Apostoli
- Chapter Thirteen Pope Urban VIII (1568–1644, r. 1623–44 CE ) at the Basilica di S. Pietro, Fontana del Tritone, and Palazzo Barberini
- Chapter Fourteen John Henry Newman (1801–90 CE ) at the Palazzo di Propaganda Fide, Basilica di Sant’Andrea delle Fratte, and the Chiesa di S. Giorgio in Velabro
- Chapter Fifteen Philip Neri (1515–95 CE) at the Catacombe di S. Sebastiano, the Chiesa di San Girolamo della Carità, the Basilica di San Giovanni dei Fiorentini, and the Chiesa Nuova
- Chapter Sixteen Pope Julius II (1443–1513, r. 1503–13 CE) at the Basilica di San Pietro, the Musei Vaticani, and Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli
- Chapter Seventeen St. Peter (ca. 10–64 CE ) and St. Paul (5–67 CE ) at the Basilica di San Pietro, the Basilica di San Paolo Fuori le Mura, and the Abbazia delle Tre Fontane
- Chapter Eighteen Raphael Sanzio (1483–1520 CE ), Tommaso “Fedra” Inghirami (1470–1516 CE ), and Pope Julius II (1443–1513, r. 1503–13 CE ) at the Stanza della Segnatura (1508–11 CE )
- Chapter Nineteen Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564 CE )at the Cappella Sistina
- Appendix A Concordance of Place Names
- Appendix B Timeline of the People and Places Mentioned in this Volume
- Index
Chapter Six - Empress Livia (58 BCE –29 CE ) on the Palatino
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 November 2020
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Illustrations
- Map
- Acknowledgements and Editorial Note
- List of Contributors
- Chapter One The Educated Traveller’s Guide
- Chapter Two Pope Leo I the Great (ca. 400–461, r. 440–61 CE) at the Basilica di S. Pietro and the Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo
- Chapter Three Saint Dominic de Guzmán (ca. 1170–1221 CE ) at the Basilicas of S. Marco al Campidoglio, San Sisto Vecchio, and Santa Sabina
- Chapter Four John Keats (1795–1821 CE ) and Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822 CE ) at the Keats-Shelley House and the Cimitero Acattolico
- Chapter Five Julius Caesar (100–44 BCE ) at the Teatro di Pompeo, Rostra, Tempio del Divo Giulio, and Basilica Giulia
- Chapter Six Empress Livia (58 BCE –29 CE ) on the Palatino
- Chapter Seven Emperor Hadrian (76–138 CE ) at Castel Sant’Angelo, the Pantheon, and the Tempio di Venere e Roma
- Chapter Eight Pope Clement I of Rome (ca. 35–99 or 101, r. 88–99 or 101 CE ) at the Basilica di San Clemente
- Chapter Nine Emperor Constantine (ca. 277–337, r. 324–37 CE) at the Arco di Costantino, the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano, and the Basilica dei Santi Quattro Coronati
- Chapter Ten Pope Paul III (1468–1549, r. 1534–49 CE ), Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564), and the Campidoglio
- Chapter Eleven St. Thomas Aquinas (1225–74 CE ) at Santa Sabina, the Angelicum, and the Basilica di Santa Maria Sopra Minerva
- Chapter Twelve Maria Clementina Sobieska (1702–35 CE) at the Basilica di S. Pietro, Palazzo Muti, and the Basilica dei XII Santi Apostoli
- Chapter Thirteen Pope Urban VIII (1568–1644, r. 1623–44 CE ) at the Basilica di S. Pietro, Fontana del Tritone, and Palazzo Barberini
- Chapter Fourteen John Henry Newman (1801–90 CE ) at the Palazzo di Propaganda Fide, Basilica di Sant’Andrea delle Fratte, and the Chiesa di S. Giorgio in Velabro
- Chapter Fifteen Philip Neri (1515–95 CE) at the Catacombe di S. Sebastiano, the Chiesa di San Girolamo della Carità, the Basilica di San Giovanni dei Fiorentini, and the Chiesa Nuova
- Chapter Sixteen Pope Julius II (1443–1513, r. 1503–13 CE) at the Basilica di San Pietro, the Musei Vaticani, and Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli
- Chapter Seventeen St. Peter (ca. 10–64 CE ) and St. Paul (5–67 CE ) at the Basilica di San Pietro, the Basilica di San Paolo Fuori le Mura, and the Abbazia delle Tre Fontane
- Chapter Eighteen Raphael Sanzio (1483–1520 CE ), Tommaso “Fedra” Inghirami (1470–1516 CE ), and Pope Julius II (1443–1513, r. 1503–13 CE ) at the Stanza della Segnatura (1508–11 CE )
- Chapter Nineteen Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564 CE )at the Cappella Sistina
- Appendix A Concordance of Place Names
- Appendix B Timeline of the People and Places Mentioned in this Volume
- Index
Summary
Rome's First Empress
Livia was a pivotal figure in ancient Rome and the Roman Empire in general. Her unique role as the first Roman empress is reflected in the series of honours she received and tasks she accomplished, many of which had never been possible for a Roman woman and some of which would only ever be achieved by her. Her life ushered in several historical changes and many firsts, particularly after her second husband Octavian ended the Roman Republic and founded the Roman Empire. Octavian then became Rome's first emperor and officially took on the title Augustus while Livia, as his wife, became empress and Augusta. Despite her long life, it is difficult to formulate a well-rounded picture of Livia. This is partially a result of the nearly two thousand years that have elapsed since her death. Another contributing factor is that ancient authors often pay little attention to women, and when they discuss them they often provide stereotypes and few personal details. In Livia's case, she is repeatedly overshadowed by the accomplishments of her second husband, the emperor Augustus, and her son, the emperor Tiberius. Even when we do find references to her, some are inherently biased, making it difficult to separate the real story from the spin. Nevertheless, Livia's biography yields important insights into the early period of the Roman Empire. Although many of the places associated with her can no longer be seen, visits to areas such as the Palatino that were significantly associated with Livia provide a deeper connection to her and to the world that she inhabited.
Early Life and First Marriage
We know very little about Livia Drusilla's early life. She was born on January 30 of 59 or 58 in Italy, perhaps in Rome. Her father's family was very distinguished: he came from the Claudius family and was adopted into the Livius family. The Claudii boasted such ancestors as Appius Claudius Caecus, the commissioner of Rome's first aqueduct and its first consular road. The Livius family, on the other hand, included Marcus Livius Drusus, famous for his defence of the plebeians’ rights in Rome at the time of the Gracchi. In contrast, Livia's mother Alfidia likely came from a wealthy family that had not participated in Roman government. Livia was probably their only natural child.
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- People and Places of the Roman PastThe Educated Traveller's Guide, pp. 57 - 68Publisher: Amsterdam University PressPrint publication year: 2019