Vipsania Agrippina Eldest daughter of Marcus Vipsania Agrippa, first wife of Tiberius. Country: Italy

1. Biography of Vipsania Agrippina
2. Marriage and Family
3. Divorce and Second Marriage
4. Second Marriage and Children
5. Legacy and Death
6. Tiberius and Gaius Asinius Gallus

Biography of Vipsania Agrippina

Vipsania Agrippina, the eldest daughter of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, was the first wife of Tiberius. She was born in 36 BCE into the family of Octavian's friend, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, and his first wife, Pomponia Cecilia Attica. Agrippa came from a plebeian family of humble origin, but they were wealthy enough to belong to the equestrian class. Pomponia Cecilia Attica was from the equestrian Pomponian family, and her paternal grandfather was Titus Pomponius Atticus, a friend and associate of Cicero, while her maternal line traced back to Publius Licinius Crassus.

Marriage and Family

Octavian and Agrippa arranged the marriage between Vipsania and Tiberius when she was just a year old. In 20 BCE, at the age of 16, she married Tiberius, the stepson of Octavian and son of his wife Livia Drusilla from her first marriage to Claudius Nero. The marriage was successful, and the young couple loved each other, although they did not have children for a long time. Their only child was born in 13 BCE, a boy named Nero Claudius Drusus. The child was adopted by Octavian and given the name Julia Caesar Drusus. He was raised in Octavian's household.

Divorce and Second Marriage

In 12 BCE, Agrippa, Vipsania's father, passed away. At that time, he was married to Julia the Elder, Octavian's only daughter. Octavian forced Tiberius to divorce Vipsania and marry Julia instead. The divorce was heartbreaking for Tiberius and Vipsania, as they still loved each other deeply. Tiberius never forgave Julia for the dissolution of their marriage, and she also had a low opinion of him. According to Suetonius, Tiberius became gloomy and upset Augustus with his behavior when he saw Vipsania in a litter long after their divorce. Vipsania was then ordered to leave Rome.

Second Marriage and Children

In 11 BCE, Vipsania married Gaius Asinius Gallus, most likely at Octavian's behest. Gallus was the consul of 8 BCE and proconsul of Asia in 6-5 BCE. He was the son of the renowned orator and historian Gaius Asinius Pollio. Vipsania and Gallus had six children together: Gaius Asinius Pollio II, who was consul in 23 CE and was accused of a conspiracy by Messalina and executed in 45 CE. His granddaughter, Pomponia Grechina, married the Roman general Aulus Plautius and is known as one of the first members of the Roman nobility to embrace Christianity. Vipsania's other children included Mark Asinius Agrippa, who served as consul in 25 CE and died in 27 CE, Asinius Saloninus, who passed away in 22 CE, Servius Asinius Celer, who became suffect consul in 38 CE, Asinius Gallus, who was implicated in a conspiracy against Claudius and exiled in 46 CE, and Gnaeus Asinius, mentioned as a patron of the city of Puteoli.

Legacy and Death

Despite Octavian's coldness, Vipsania was a respected Roman matron. She died in 20 CE. Immediately after her death, her son, Julia Caesar Drusus, immortalized her memory through statues and coins.

Tiberius and Gaius Asinius Gallus

Tiberius despised Gaius Asinius Gallus, especially after he claimed that Julia Caesar Drusus was his child. Although he restrained his hatred for a long time, in 30 CE, at Tiberius' instigation, the Senate declared Gallus an enemy of the people and imprisoned him. Gallus died three years later from exhaustion.