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Livia YuliaDaughter of Drusus the Elder and Antonia the Younger, niece of Tiberius.
Country:
 Italy |
Content:
Biography of Livilla Julia
Livilla Julia was born around 13 BCE into the family of her uncle, Tiberius, and her parents, Druzus the Elder and Antonia the Younger. She was named after her grandmother, Livia Drusilla, the wife of Octavian Augustus. Livilla's only purpose was to serve as a means of strengthening the dynasty.
Marriages and Family
Livilla was married twice in her lifetime. Her first marriage took place at a very young age, around ten years old, to Gaius Julius Caesar Vipsanianus, the son of Agrippa and adopted by Augustus after his father's death. The wedding occurred in 2 BCE, and despite the age difference of seven years, Gaius Julius was the most likely successor to Augustus' power.
Their marriage lasted for six years, but they did not have any children as Livilla had just reached reproductive age by the time her husband died. During this marriage, Livilla was involved in a confrontation with Agrippina the Elder, the successful and arrogant wife of Germanicus. Livilla was often compared unfavorably to Agrippina, although she was considered a beautiful woman, except for her angular youthfulness.
After the death of her first husband, Livilla remarried. Her second husband was Drusus the Younger, the son of Tiberius and the sole heir to Augustus. A year after their wedding, they had a daughter named Julia Drusi, who later married Nero Drusus, the son of Livilla's rival, Agrippina.
Their next children were born 14 years later. In 19 CE, Livilla gave birth to twins, Tiberius Gemellus and Germanicus Gemellus, but unfortunately, Germanicus died shortly after birth. In 23 CE, Drusus unexpectedly died, leaving Livilla a widow.
The Rise and Fall of Sejanus
Around 17 or 18 CE, Tiberius introduced 30 cohorts of the Praetorian Guard to Rome. Their prefect, Lucius Aelius Sejanus, became one of the most powerful men in Rome. His position grew stronger every day, eventually surpassing that of Drusus, the emperor's son. Sejanus began to eliminate his rivals, starting with Livilla's first husband, Gaius Julius, whom he seduced, leading to Livilla becoming one of his most devoted followers.
In 23 CE, Drusus died, and the true cause of his death was only revealed during Sejanus' exposure. Apicata, Sejanus' first wife, wrote in her dying letter that Drusus had been poisoned by Livilla, a claim later confirmed by her slaves.
By this time, Tiberius was living on Capri and rarely visited Rome. Sejanus became the second most powerful person after the emperor. The only restraining factor on his power was Livia, Tiberius' mother, who was a powerful and ambitious woman and, in many matters, acted as the ruler of the state.
In 25 CE, Sejanus asked Tiberius for permission to marry Livilla, hoping to solidify his position as the most likely successor. However, the emperor, aware of their relationship, refused. The likely reason for the refusal was Sejanus' unpopularity among the people, who would not have approved of such an advancement for him.
Downfall and Death
In 29 CE, Livia died, leaving Sejanus with no restraints. With his influence, the Senate exiled Livilla's eternal rival, Agrippina, the widow of Germanicus, along with her two children. Sejanus' position continued to strengthen.
In 30 CE, Sejanus solidified his plans to seize power. He began to plot against Tiberius, using the branches of the Julian family as his support. His plan was to adopt into one of the branches and eventually become either the princeps or the ruler of the underage Tiberius Gemellus, Livilla's son.
However, Tiberius became aware of his plans. In late 30 CE, Sejanus received preliminary consent from the emperor to marry Livilla and was appointed consul alongside him. It seemed as though the conspirators' plans were almost realized. However, in October 31 CE, Sejanus was summoned to the Senate, where Tiberius read aloud a revealing letter demanding the condemnation of the conspirators.
Nevius Macron, who had secured the support of the Praetorian Guard in favor of the emperor during the exposure of the conspiracy, and later became the prefect, as well as Livilla's mother, Antonia, were the ones who exposed the plot. On October 18, Sejanus was executed. Cruel persecutions of all those associated with him swept through Rome. Livilla was not spared, despite her connection to the imperial family. It is likely that she took her own life. However, there is a version that Tiberius sent her to her mother's house as punishment, and Antonia locked her in a room where Livilla died of starvation.
