Messalina and scylla
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Messalina
"Lively and sardonic. In Messalina, Honor Cargill-Martin looks at the limited evidence with empathy, arguing that a notorious empress was also a canny politician."
– New York Times Book Review, Editor's Choice
“Honor Cargill-Martin’s book throws an academic bucket of cold water over steamy male fantasy. Cargill-Martin has attempted to rediscover Messalina, her endeavour part of a wider movement to give voice to the silent women of history and myth. I am all for this enterprise and this book is an erudite and entertaining example of the form. Splendid.”
– The Times (London), "Book of the Week"
“The book is a lesson in ancient Rome, but more interesting is what it says about misogyny, patriarchy, and how women get written in or out of history.”
– New Statesman
"Classicist Cargill-Martin reexamines the life of a notorious Roman empress in this vibrant tome. Cargill-Martin does an excellent job of bringing the tumult, intrigue, and danger of the Julio-Claudian dynasty to life, mining original sources to get to the heart of who this complica
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Review
"Lively and sardonic. In Messalina, Honor Cargill-Martin looks at the limited evidence with empathy, arguing that a notorious empress was also a canny politician."--New York Times Book Review, Editor's Choice
"Honor Cargill-Martin's book throws an academic bucket of cold water over steamy male fantasy. Cargill-Martin has attempted to rediscover Messalina, her endeavour part of a wider movement to give voice to the silent women of history and myth. I am all for this enterprise and this book is an erudite and entertaining example of the form. Splendid."--The Times (London), "Book of the Week"
"As a doctoral student working on political sex scandals in ancient Rome, [Cargill-Martin] can handle the sources--and their endless problems--with sophistication, while keeping it palatable for the general reader. She guides us deftly through the warren of high politics and the famously confusing Julio-Claudian family tree. Her writing achieves a rare, old-fashioned, waspish elegance."--The Sunday Telegraph
"The book is a lesson in ancient Rome, but more interesting is what it says
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Messalina – The Most Notorious Women in Rome?
The Real Messalina wearing the clothes of a Roman matron holding her son Britannicus.
Messalina: The Most Notorious Woman in Roman History
When it comes to infamous figures in Roman history, few names can match the notoriety of Messalina. Born around 20 CE, she was not only a cousin of the infamous emperors Nero and Caligula but also ascended to the prestigious position of Empress through her marriage to Emperor Claudius.
Her life is shrouded in mystery, but her reputation as one of Rome’s most promiscuous women has endured throughout history. However, it’s essential to ask whether Messalina truly deserved this notorious reputation or if it was a result of politically motivated hostility.
A Tumultuous Marriage
Suetonius – A Woman of Abandoned Incontinence
In 37 CE, Messalina married Claudius, a man who was over 30 years her senior. At the time, Caligula still ruled as Emperor, and the union was not without controversy. Suetonius, the Roman historian, painted a vivid and scandalous portrait of Messalina
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