Agrippina
15-59 A.D.
Agrippina's life would make a great mini series. Her fortunes rose and fell dramatically throughout her life. She was the sister of one emperor, Caligula, who exiled her from Rome for scandalous behavior; she was the wife of his successor, Claudius (her uncle!); and she was the mother of Claudius' successor and adopted son, Nero. Like her great-great grandmother Livia, Agrippina played a major role in the administration of the Empire during the reigns of both her husband Claudius and her son Nero. Also like Livia, she had a falling out with her son eventually, though in her case it led to her execution.
Student Work: Eric, Casey
Ancient Sources: Though no work is specifically devoted to Agrippina's life, she is featured frequently in Tacitus' Annals of Imperial Rome and Suetonius' Lives of the Twelve Caesars (Vita Divi Claudii, Vita Neronis)
