Livia First Lady Of Imperial Rome

This is the first biography in English of one of Rome's most famous and infamous women, Livia (58 BC-AD 29), wife of Augustus and mother of Tiberius, who dominated imperial politics for decades. The first half of the study presents a chronological history of her extraordinary life followed by a thematic exploration of her groundbreaking role which was a continuous source of contention between Livia and Tiberius. Almost half of the book comprises appendices, sources and notes, leaving the first part of the study more accessible to general readers. This is a scholarly work which strives to correct the lasting impression that Robert Graves has left of a manipulative murderess.

Livia--wife of the first Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus, and mother of the second, Tiberius-- wielded extraordinary power at the center of Roman politics. In this biography of Livia, the first in English, Anthony Barrett sets aside the portrait of a cunning and sinister schemer to reveal Livia as a complex figure whose enduring political influence helped shape Roman government long after her death.

An excellent biography of Livia-as appealing to the general reader as it is satisfying to the scholar.--Colin M. Wells, Trinity University, San Antonio

In reading Anthony Barrett's biography of Livia, I not only learned about this remarkable woman, but also gained a meaningful appreciation of life and society in her time.--Howard Alper, President, The Royal Society of Canada

First-rate.--Mary Beard, Times Literary Supplement