VALERIA MESSALINA (47)

Third wife of the Roman emperor Claudius I notorius for licentious behaviour and for instigating murderous court intrigues.

Born into a patrician family she was married to Claudius before he became emperor.
They had two children: Octavia (later Nero´s wife) and Britannicus.

Early sources maintain that Messalina allied herself to Claudius´ freedmen secretaries to dominate the Emperor and to gratify her avarice and lust.

While some scholars believe that these records exaggerate the situation others accept their testimony.

In 42 Messalina caused Claudius to condemn to death a senator Appius Silanus who had slighted her advances. This heigtened tension between Emperor and Senate and prepared the way for a reign of terror in which many senators were executed after they had been denounced by Messalina.

When he caused the death of Claudius´ freedman secretary Polybius the other freedmen turned against her.

The correspondence secretary Narcissus managed to have her put to death by convincing Claudius that she and her lover Gaius Silius had secretly married and were plotting to seize power.