Valeria Messalina Wife Of Claudius Caesar

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In this essay, I will be discussing the Roman figure Messalina, wife of the Emperor Claudius Caesar. She was portrayed as a mischievous woman in Maiers writing. I know I may be unoriginal to write about only the first few chapters, and that it makes it seem like I didn't read the book. The reason I chose this event is because of Messalina’s manipulative ways, this woman was very smart. I will focus the second chapter and include details from three and four as well. As my primary source, I will be using Suetonius Tranquillus’ The Lives of the Twelve Caesars. For secondary sources, I have Donna Hurleys’ writing “Valeria Messalina (Wife of Claudius)” and David Wasson's “Valeria Messalina”. It will be shown, in this essay, that Paul Maier's representation of these events is more entertaining than others and it’s also not completely fictional The second chapter focuses Claudius Caesar's wife Messalina. She was young when they got …show more content…

The chapter was entirely focused on Claudius but did give details of Messalina's affair with Gaius. The book is by Suetonius and is called The Lives of the Twelve Caesars. He was writing in the early Imperial age of the Roman Empire. In the 37th to 39th paragraphs are when they discuss the issue of Messalina's ways. Suetonius states “When Messalina and Narcissus had put their heads together to destroy him, they agreed on their parts.” This was his way of showing the downfall of Claudius while he was away on Military business and that she made plans about this with more than just Gaius. After Claudius sends his tribune to force her to commit suicide she cannot and he does it for her trying to make it an honorable death. He made it seem as though Claudius was in denial about the situation because he later says “When he had put Messalina to death, he asked shortly after taking his place at the table why the empress did not come.” Which is understandable after an event like