Livia: Mother of Rome

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 (59 or 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.

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.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Author: Caitlin C. Gillespie
Published: 07/21/2026
Publisher: Yale University Press
ISBN: 9780300275100
Pages: 240
Weight: 0.79lbs
Size: 1.01″ H x 8.61″ L x 5.51″ W

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.