Julia

Julia (born 39 bc—died ad 14, Rhegium [present-day Reggio di Calabria, Italy]) was the Roman emperor Augustus’ only child, whose scandalous behaviour eventually caused him to exile her.

Julia’s mother was Scribonia, who was divorced by Augustus when the child was a few days old. Julia was brought up strictly, her every word and action being watched. After a brief marriage to Marcus Marcellus, who died in 23 bc, Julia wedded Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Augustus’ chief lieutenant, in 21 bc. Their two eldest sons were adopted by Augustus in 17 bc and given the names Gaius and Lucius Caesar. Julia had a third son, Agrippa Postumus, and two daughters, Julia and Vipsania (later known as Agrippina the Elder).

With Agrippa’s death in 12 bc, Augustus’ wife, Livia, was able to convince him to favour her own sons by a former marriage, Tiberius and Drusus, as possible successors; Augustus forced Tiberius to divorce his wife and marry Julia in 11 bc. It was an unwanted and unhappy marriage for both of them. After an infant son by Julia perished in 6 bc, Tiberius went into voluntary exile, leaving Julia in Rome. Julia was accused of leading a promiscuous life, her adulteries becoming common knowledge in Rome. An affair with Mark Antony’s son Jullus Antonius was politically dangerous.

Finally Augustus discovered how Julia was behaving. After threatening her with death, he banished her to Pandataria, an island off the coast of Campania, in 2 bc. In ad 4 she was moved to Rhegium. Upon becoming emperor, Tiberius withheld her allowance, and Julia eventually died of malnutrition.

Julia’s faithlessness is not in question, but, according to the 5th-century-ad Roman author Macrobius (Saturnalia), she was a witty and intelligent woman and was loved by the people. Augustus showed her no mercy, however, calling her a “disease in my flesh.”