Thread by @DocCrom

Ancient History Quote of the Day:

"Who would not think that Pheidias made you,
Julia, or else Minerva's artistry?
In marble white your statue seems to speak
And living beauty shines in your calm face"

(Martial, Epig. 6.13.1-4) #AHQOTD

Image: J. Paul Getty Museum (58.AA.1)

Today's thread focusses on one of the most tragic figures of the Flavian period, Flavia Julia - the daughter of the emperor Titus, and thus niece to Domitian - depicted here on an aureus of AD 82/3.

Image: RIC 2.1 Domitian 147

She was offered in marriage by her father to her uncle, most likely under the same legislation that had allowed Claudius to marry his own niece Agrippina, but Domitian rejected this (Suetonius, Domitian 22). Thus she was married to her cousin, T. Flavius Sabinus.

This was not to be a lucky match, as Domitian would execute her husband and, after his death, would go on to seduce his own niece.

CW - Abuse / Abortion

Julia would die, allegedly as a result of the abortion she had to undertake after falling pregnant by Domitian. Both Pliny the Younger (Letters 4.11.6) and Juvenal (Satire 2.29-35) detail this, with Juvenal describing it as "worthy of a tragic play".

Domitian would deify Julia, adding her to the canon of Flavian 'divi', and we know that there was a cult of Diva Julia Pia Augusta in central Italy, where she was associated with Isis (ILS 6487).

Image: RIC 2.1 Domitian 717 - sestertius 'For the Deified Julia', AD 90/91

Julia's tragic end reinforces just how mistreated women of the imperial court could be, adding her to a catalogue that includes Agrippina the Elder, Julia the daughter of Augustus, and others from the Julio-Claudian period alone.

#AHQOTD