Claudius and his Four Wives
Valeria Messalina (c. 17/20–48) was the third wife of the Roman Emperor Claudius. She was also a paternal cousin of the Emperor Nero, second cousin of the Emperor Caligula, and great-grandniece of the Emperor Augustus. A powerful and influential woman with a reputation for promiscuity, she married her lover while still married to Claudius. An act for which she was executed.
Little is known about Messalina’s life prior to her marriage in 38 to her second cousin Claudius, who was then about 48 years old. But it is clear that the came from Rome's inner circle and would have been used to the taste of pwer. Two children were born as a result of their union: a daughter Claudia Octavia (born 39 or 40), a future empress, stepsister and first wife to the emperor Nero; and a son, Britannicus.
Her husband is represented as easily led by her. At best he is either unaware of her many adulteries or at worst a cuckolded husband unable or unwilling to satisfy her sexual demands. She grew powerful in the Emperor’s court and one could only surmise that she could have only have done this with Claudius’ consent. Either, he was truly enamored with her and would deny her nothing or she was able to bully or manipulate a weak man to get what she wanted. Whatever the truth, it would take an unbelievable degree of arrogance mixed with stupidity to believe she could marry the Senator roman::Gaius Silius]] in AD48 while still married to Claudius. Perhaps this was a precursor to a coup but she underestimated her power, the contempt she was held in and the power Claudius wielded through the office of Emperor, especially amongst the soldiery. He ordered her death and she was offered the choice of suicide. Too frightened to stab herself, she was killed by a praetorian guard. The Roman Senate then ordered that Messalina's name be removed from all public or private places and all statues of her taken down We get our history from Tacitus and Suetonius, as well as Pliny the Elder and Juvenal. Suetonius rarely needs much smoke to narrate to us a gossipy, scandalous blazing fire yet he seems to hold back a little with Messalina. He does not so much recount her adulteries for their own sake but as proofs of Claudius’ weaknesses and poor judgment.
when he learned that besides other shameful and wicked deeds she had actually married Gaius Silius, and that a formal contract had been signed in the presence of witnesses, he put her to death and declared before the assembled praetorian guard
So, not much detail beyond a vague and all encompassing ‘’shameful and wicked deeds’’. His next reference to Messalina likewise is made only to show Claudius bemoaning and fearful of conspiracies from all directions rather than a strong leader taking charge of events
His ardent love for Messalina too was cooled, not so much by her unseemly and insulting conduct, as through fear of danger, since he believed that her paramour Silius aspired to the throne. On that occasion he made a shameful and cowardly flight to the camp, doing nothing all the way but ask whether his throne was secure.
Even when Suetonius recounts a particularly nasty piece of subterfuge by Messalina, he is really making the point that Claudius was gullible and superstitious
Appius Silanus met his downfall. When Messalina and Narcissus had put their heads together to destroy him, they agreed on their parts and the latter rushed into his patron's bed-chamber before daybreak in pretended consternation, declaring that he had dreamed that Appius had made an attack on the emperor. Then Messalina, with assumed surprise, declared that she had had the same dream for several successive nights. A little later, as had been arranged, Appius, who had received orders the day before to come at that time, was reported to be forcing his way in, and as if were proof positive of the truth of the dream, his immediate accusation and death were ordered.
Finally, Suetonius wants to paint Claudius as dithering, doddery, forgetful old man, who does not remember executing his wife. Although you wonder if Suetonius has his tongue firmly in his cheek when he says.
When he had put Messalina to death, he asked shortly after taking his place at the table why the empress did not come. He caused many of those whom he had condemned to death to be summoned the very next day to consult with him or game with him, and sent a messenger to upbraid them for sleepy-heads when they delayed to appear
We pick up on Messalina in the eleventh book of Tacitus’ Annals when she is at the height of her power. Tacitus provides much more of a narrative account of Messalina’s character and events. He starts by telling us that she, although a great beauty herself was jealous of Poppaea Sabina (mother of the wife of Nero of the same name) and attempted to smear hear name alongside her lover. She was helped by Lucius Vitellius, father of the short lived emperor Vitellius
