Livia - Livia Augusta (Livia Drusilla); Wife of Augustus; Mother of Tiberius and Nero Claudius Drusus; Grandmother of Germanicus, Claudius, Livia and Drusus.

Biography: Livia Drusilla was born the daughter of Marcus Livius Drusus Claudianus and Alfidia. Her first husband was Tiberius Claudius Nero, and by him she had two children, of whom the future emperor Tiberius was born in 42 BC. She was six months pregnant with a second son when she married Octavianus Augustus, and gave birth to Nero Claudius Drusus, or Drusus the Elder. The marriage was political but the tow developed deep affection to each other. Augustus needed connections with aristocrats like Nero and the marriage to Livia secured this. Livia played the role of a loving and dutiful wife. She and other female members of his household spun and wove and provided him with clothing. She sometimes accompanied him when he traveled from Rome and always served as a trusted confidante and advisor. Unfortunately, she never bore Augustus any living children; a premature infant died. She, however, exercised a great deal of private power. Livia was also wealthy in her own right and had her own circle of clients whom she rewarded. The marriage of her grandson, the future emperor Claudius to Plautius' daughter Urgulanilla was presumably the result of her influence as well. Most importantly, she had her husband's ear and he had hers. After the death of Augustus, Livia remained with the knights when they gathered his bones and took them to the Mausoleum. For a time, letters were addressed to both her and Tiberius as though she were co-regent, and her name was on the letters that he sent, but things were not the same for Livia after Augustus' death. It was rumored that Tiberius left Rome for Capri (AD 26) in order to avoid her. Indeed, he only saw her once more after he departed and then briefly. He did not go to her during her final illness, nor did he attend her funeral. After she died, he forbade the deification proposed for her and disregarded her will. Livia died in AD 29 at the advanced age of 86. She received a public funeral, although a relatively modest one, and was buried in the Mausoleum of Augustus. Claudius deified her in 42.

List all Livia coins in the Catalog.

Search Livia coins in our Shopping Mall.

« back