Livia: Mother of Rome

A bold new portrait of Livia, ancient Rome’s first First Lady, who shaped the empire from behind the throne

Livia was no ordinary Roman woman. As wife of Augustus and mother of Tiberius—the first and second Roman emperors—she stood at the heart of the first imperial dynasty, wielding extraordinary influence in a world that denied women formal power. In this vivid biography, Caitlin C. Gillespie reclaims Livia (58 BCE–29 CE) from centuries of scandal and rumored villainy, tracing her journe...