Livia Drusilla was a very powerful women in her time. Her husband, Octavian Augustus Caesar, often looked to Livia for advice on certain decision making in the government. Livia had great influence on people, and also set a proper example of how the women of her time should act.
Livia was born in Fondi, a little town outside of Rome. She was raised according to the Roman traditions, and had a rather happy childhood. She was taught how to act like a lady, how to be a good wife, and how to manage the home. All of these lessons would become very important to her in her future marriages.
Livia married for the first time and had two sons, Tiberius and Drusus. After her first husband died, she married a second time. She lived with her second husband for a few years and then was wed to Augustus. She wed Augustus before her second marriage ended, but Augustus made Livia leave her husband. Livia did not feel bad, however, because she was never really happy and they fought with each other a lot. When she married Augustus, her sons came with her, and so they became the sons of a Roman ruler.
Augustus was never able to have any children with Livia, but he did learn to love her two sons. He especially liked Drusus. He adopted him and raised him as his own son. He would have left him his wealth and power when he died, but Drusus died at a young age and would never get to the throne. Tiberius, Liviaís other son, was respected, but not particularly liked by Augustus because of his tendency to stay away in his own world. The chance that Tiberius would get the throne after Augustusís death seemed highly unlikely.
Livia was a very good example of how a Roman wife and mother was to act at that time.She kept house, did charity work, helped the parents of large families, provided dowries for poor brides, and maintained orphans at her own expense. She made the people of Rome her main priority, and also helped Augustus in his decision making. She was a very intelligent woman and had good looks,which were two very ideal characteristics of a wife in Ancient Rome.
Her husband, Augustus, was the first emperor of Rome. He restored the unity and orderly government to Rome after many centuries of civil wars. He was the grandnephew of Julius Caesar, whom he succeeded to the throne. Augustus was a very important man in the history of Ancient Rome because he turned what was once a chaotic country, into one with a strong government and peace between the people.
Livia wanted one of her sons to be the emperor of Rome, and would do anything in her power to achieve this very noble goal. But after Augustus forced Tiberius to marry his daughter Julia, Tiberius no longer wanted anything to do with Rome. Julia committed adultery to Tiberius more than once, and he was finally tired of it. He left Rome and went to lead a normal life in a small town elsewhere. When Augustus banished Julia from Rome because of her actions, he realized that he needed Tiberius to follow in his footsteps and become the emperor of Rome. So he called for Tiberius to come back to Rome, and when Tiberius came back, Augustus adopted him as his own son and left him in charge of the Roman Empire after he died.
Livia poisoned many of Juliaís children so that Tiberius would surly get to be ruler. She was very evil and it is said that she tried to take over the Roman Empire after Augustusís death.
Augustus Caesar died on August 14 AD.To his friends at his bedside, he muttered before he died, ìSince well Iíve played my part, clap now your hands, and with applause dismiss me from the stage.î He also turned to Livia, embraced her, and said, "Remember our long union, Livia; farewell!"
After the death of Augustus, Tiberius became ruler, and Livia was very pleased that her line of kin continued to rule Rome.
Livia died in 29 AD. She was a great influence on the Roman Empire, a good mother, and a loyal wife. She poisoned many of Augustusís other children (from previous marriages) so that her son could be Ruler of Rome. She was an example of what a woman should be at the time. She will always be remembered as a powerful and influential woman.