History Year 8 Ancient Rome

The Romans were always very clear about the correct place of women. In Roman law, women were treated as minors and given male guardians to look after them. Women were forbidden from the places and positions of power and had no access to public life officially. However, Agrippina refused to comply with these standards.

Agrippina the Younger was the sister, wife, and mother of Roman Emperors. She was one of the most powerful women in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Because of her position, she has often been maligned in history. Ancient sources portray her as “a consummate schemer, lusting after power, manipulating men and women to her own ends, and when thwarted, retaliating with calculated ruthlessness.”[1] However, according to Anthony Barrett, while Agrippina was not a virtuous woman, she was a politically-adept woman and very shrewd.

Julia Agrippina (Agrippina the Younger) played a notable role in the Julio-Claudian family drama. Her influence had as its origin the only resource available to women of her time, proximity to male power.