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Livia
Mother of Rome
Series: Ancient Lives
Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.
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Brief Description
A bold new portrait of Livia, ancient Rome's first First Lady, who shaped the empire from behind the throne Livia was no ordinary Roman woman. As wife of Augustus and mother of Tiberius—the first and second Roman emperors—she stood at the heart of the first imperial...
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Livia
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Description
A bold new portrait of Livia, ancient Rome's first First Lady, who shaped the empire from behind the throne
Livia was no ordinary Roman woman. As wife of Augustus and mother of Tiberius—the first and second Roman emperors—she stood at the heart of the first imperial dynasty, wielding extraordinary influence in a world that denied women formal power. In this vivid biography, Caitlin C. Gillespie reclaims Livia (58 BCE–29 CE) from centuries of scandal and rumored villainy, tracing her journey from elite birth and early traumatic exile through her rise to wealth and influence as the matriarch of the imperial household, the Domus Augusta.
Drawing on literary and archaeological sources, Gillespie explores Livia's inner life through her personal losses, including the death of her son Drusus; her political savvy; and her later life as Julia Augusta, high priestess of Augustus's divine cult. Though she never held an official political position, Livia emerges as a complex figure whose story of ambition, resilience, and maternal power resonates over millennia, captivating audiences from antiquity through today.
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Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780300275100
Publisher: Yale University Press
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 21 July 2026
Country: United States
Imprint: Yale University Press
Illustration: 1 b-w illus.
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 140.0mm
Height: 216.0mm
Weight: 0g
Pages: 240
About the Author
Caitlin C. Gillespie is the Helaine and Alvin Allen Chair in Literature and assistant professor in the Department of Classical Studies at Brandeis University. She is the author of Boudica: Warrior Woman of Roman Britain. She lives in Cambridge, MA.
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