Antonia the Elder
Antonia the Elder, also known as Antonia Major, was a prominent figure in Roman history, born to the alliance of Marc Antony and Octavia, Augustus's sister. Her birth was part of a strategic dynastic marriage that aimed to secure political stability and avoid civil conflict, a theme echoed in Virgil's Fourth Eclogue. As the niece of Augustus, she was closely connected to the Julio-Claudian dynasty, though her life is often eclipsed by her sister, Antonia Minor. Antonia the Elder married Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, a descendant of notable Roman senators, and together they had a son, Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, who would marry Agrippina the Younger. This union ultimately led to the birth of Nero, who became emperor from 54 to 68 CE. Antonia the Elder is also depicted in art, notably on the Ara Pacis, a monumental altar that symbolizes peace during Augustus's rule. Her legacy is particularly significant as she is recognized as the grandmother of Emperor Nero, reflecting her influence in the continuity of Roman leadership.
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Antonia the Elder
Related civilization: Imperial Rome
Major role/position: Member of the Julio-Claudian royal family
Life
Dynastic marriages transferred legitimacy and were agents of power for the Julio-Claudians. Antonia (an-TOH-nee-uh) the Elder was born out of the union of Marc Antony and Octavia, the sister of Augustus. Their marriage averted civil war, and the hoped-for issue of this dynastic marriage is most likely referred to in Virgil’sFourth Eclogue (n.d.; English translation, 1934-1935). Antonia the Elder’s life was overshadowed by that of her sister, Antonia Minor.
Antonia the Elder married Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, who was the son of the senator cleared of Julius Caesar’s murder. Antonia and Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus’s son was Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, who married Agrippina the Younger. Their marriage produced the future emperor Nero, who reigned from 54-68 c.e.
Antonia the Elder is portrayed in bas-relief on the Ara Pacis (13-9 b.c.e.) with her children Domitius and Domitia and husband Domitius Ahenobarbus. This frieze portrays the successors of Augustus.
Influence
Antonia played a role in Roman history as the grandmother of the emperor Nero.
Bibliography
Cary, M., and H. H. Scullard. A History of Rome: Down to the Reign of Constantine. 3d ed. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1976.
Hawley, Richard, and Barbara Levick, eds. Women in Antiquity: New Assessments. New York: Routledge, 1995.
Wood, Susan E. Imperial Women: A Study in Public Images, 40 b.c.-a.d. 68. Mnemosyne Supplementum 194. Leiden, Netherlands: E. J. Brill, 1999.