Jan 23 2009
Messalina
The Roman empress Messalina, synonym for deceit and sexual excesses came to a very undignified end. Born in about 17, she was the sister of Caligula. During his reign, she became very influential and wealthy and shared many honors with her brother. In 37 or 38, she married Claudius, who was about 48 years old. When in 41 the probably insane Caligula and his family were murdered, Claudius was proclaimed Emperor by the praetorian guard and Messalina became empress. Messalina and Claudius had a son, Britannicus. When she became empress, Messalina started on her intrigues and infamous sexual adventures.
By the accounts of Tacitus, she was ambitous, vicious and knew no sexual restraints. He recounts the incident when Messalina and a prostitute engaged in a competition of who would have more men in one night. Messalina won with reportedly a score of 25. Another incident is of the bewitched senator Vitellius who was granted the ‘privilege’ to remove and kiss her shoe.
Messalina wanted to secure Britannicus’ succession to the throne and when Agrippina and Nero returned from exile, feared that the equally devious Agrippina might push for Nero. So she ordered him murdered, but when the soldiers spotted a snake crawling out from under Nero’s pillow, they fled in terror.
Messalina’s downfall begann, when she fell in love with the happily married senator Silius. Such was her influence, that she forced him to divorce his wife. Silius finally recognised the dangerous position he had put himself in whilst committing adultery with the empress. He and Messalina conspired to murder the weak Claudius and Silius hoped, that Messalina would make him emperor. However, a freedman got wind of the plot and alerted Claudius. In an unusual act of determination and courage, Claudius ordered the execution of Messalina. His soldiers found her in her garden and gave her the chance to commit suicide. She however, a coward at heart, was afraid to do so and was stabbed to death by an officer. Her body was left to rot in the garden.
