The women of the Caesars

In the glittering world of the early empire, the women who stood beside the Caesars were more than ornamental figures; they managed estates, oversaw religious rites, and negotiated the complex web of family alliances. Through vivid portraits of Livia, Octavia, Agrippina and others, the narrative brings to life the textures of their daily routines—spinning cloth, hosting banquets, and patronizing the arts. Listeners will hear how these matriarchs shaped political decisions while navigating personal ambitions and the expectations of a society that prized both domestic virtue and public influence.

The book then turns to the broader legal and social framework that gave Roman women a degree of independence rare in the ancient world. By comparing Roman marriage customs—such as the choice between manus and sine manu unions—to those of Greece, it highlights how women could retain property, conduct business, and even appear in public spaces. This first act sets the stage for a nuanced exploration of gender, power, and family in a civilization that forged its own path toward gender parity.