Julia Augusti

Book excerpt: This scholarly biography details the life of an extraordinary woman in an extraordinary society. Julia Augusti studies the life of the only daughter of Augustus, the first Roman emperor, and the father who sacrificed his daughter and her children in order to establish a dynasty. Studying the abundant historical evidence available, this biography studies each stage of Julia’s life in remarkable detail: her childhood - taken from her divorced mother to become part of a complex and unstable family structure her youth - set against the brilliant social and cultural life of the new Augustan Rome her marriages - as tools for Augustus’ plans for succession Julia’s violation of her father’s moral regime, and the betrayal of her absent husband. Reflecting new attitudes, and casting fresh light on their social reality, this outstanding biography will delight, entertain and inform anyone interested in this engaging Classical figure.