Valeria Messalina

Not to be confused with Statilia Messalina, third wife of Nero

Valeria Messalina (c. 17/20–48) was the third wife of the Roman Emperor Claudius. Messalina was child of Domitia Lepida the Younger and Marcus Valerius Messalla Barbatus. She was also a paternal cousin of the Emperor Nero, second cousin of the Emperor Caligula, and great-grandniece of the Emperor Augustus. A powerful and influential woman with a reputation for promiscuity, she married her lover while still married to Claudius. An act for which she was executed.

Little is known about Messalina’s life prior to her marriage in 38 to her second cousin Claudius, who was then about 48 years old. But it is clear that the came from Rome's inner circle and would have been used to the taste of power. Two children were born as a result of their union: a daughter Claudia Octavia (born 39 or 40), a future empress, stepsister and first wife to the emperor Nero; and a son, Britannicus.

She slipped in the role of empress effortlessly, starting with the re-exile of Julia Livilla. She later had her executed. Agrippina sensing the same fate made her self scarce PDQ

While Claudius was away in Britain, rumor had it that Messalina challenged Rome’s top prostitute to see who could sleep with the most men in one night. Needless to say Messalina came out on top with a total of 25 lovers. Roman historians also claim that Messalina used sex as a weapon to control politicians, and that she had a brothel under an assumed name, where she forced upper class women to work as prostitutes, and then blackmailed them. Then there was her affair with the dancer Mnester, who came from peasant stock, but who had worked hard . Messalina was his biggest devotee, she had statues erected, and hired poets to write odes to his hotness. But Mnester spurned her advances because he feared what would happen if Claudius found out. But Messalina had a trick up her sleeve, she told her husband that Mnester had refused to follow her orders (she didn’t tell him what those orders were of course). She convinced Claudius to inform everyone to treat her wishes with the utmost respect. Claudius told Mnester to precisely what Messalina wished

Her husband is represented as easily led by her. At best he is either unaware of her many adulteries or at worst a cuckolded husband unable or unwilling to satisfy her sexual demands. She grew powerful in the Emperor’s court and one could only surmise that she could have only have done this with Claudius’ consent. Either, he was truly enamored with her and would deny her nothing or she was able to bully or manipulate a weak man to get what she wanted. Whatever the truth, it would take an unbelievable degree of arrogance mixed with stupidity to believe she could marry the Senator Gaius Silius in AD48 while still married to Claudius. Perhaps this was a precursor to a coup but she underestimated her power, the contempt she was held in and the power Claudius wielded through the office of Emperor, especially among the soldiery. He ordered her death and she was offered the choice of suicide. Too frightened to stab herself, she was killed by a praetorian guard. The Roman Senate then ordered that Messalina's name be removed from all public or private places and all statues of her taken down We get our history from Tacitus and Suetonius, as well as Cassius Dio, Pliny the Elder and Juvenal. Suetonius rarely needs much smoke to narrate to us a gossipy, scandalous blazing fire yet he seems to hold back a little with Messalina. He does not so much recount her adulteries for their own sake but as proofs of Claudius’ weaknesses and poor judgment.

Do stories of Messalina Come from Credible Historical Resources?

Several great Roman writers mentioned Valeria Messalina in their works. The list of names is impressive: Cassius Dio, Josephus, and Pliny the Elder, Juvenal, Plutarch, Suetonius, Tacitus, Sextus Aurelius Victor, and Seneca the Younger.

However, it should be noted that Messalina died before most of them were born. Josephus was a little boy when she died as well. Pliny the Elder, who was born in 23 AD during the lifetime of Messalina stayed in the northern part of Italy. He was a student of law and in 46 AD became a soldier. Also, it must be noted that in his writings, he's influenced by the works of Seneca. Therefore, the only known person who was active as a writer and who could have met Messalina in person was Seneca the Younger.

Was Messalina a Victim of Seneca's Revenge?

When Caligula became emperor in 38 AD, a conflict between the new ruler and Seneca appeared. It was caused by Caligula’s jealousy of Seneca’s remarkable gift for rhetoric. With Agrippina’s support, Seneca narrowly avoided execution, and when Claudius lost interest in his wife Aelia Paetina, Seneca hoped that the emperor would marry Agrippina (who appreciated Seneca). Thus, it could be said that from the beginning, Seneca was never in the group of Messalina’s supporters.

Claudius succeeded Caligula in 41 AD and, due to the decision by the new emperor and his wife, Seneca was banished to the island of Corsica. Some historians exclusively blame Messalina for this act. They say that she was aware of the attention which Seneca gave Agrippina and she wanted to send him far away from Rome. She was said to be afraid that the intrigue created by these two was dangerous for her position and life. Nevertheless, when Messalina died, Claudius married Agrippina and Seneca was finally able to return to Rome. He became a tutor to her son, Nero, who was 12 years old.

Seneca wrote his accounts of Messalina during his stay in Corsica. He was banished out of Rome and unhappy with the situation he was in. Moreover, his wife Pompeia Paulina was in conflict with an empress.

when he learned that besides other shameful and wicked deeds she had actually married Gaius Silius, and that a formal contract had been signed in the presence of witnesses, he put her to death and declared before the assembled praetorian guard

So, not much detail beyond a vague and all encompassing ‘’shameful and wicked deeds’’. His next reference to Messalina likewise is made only to show Claudius bemoaning and fearful of conspiracies from all directions rather than a strong leader taking charge of events

His ardent love for Messalina too was cooled, not so much by her unseemly and insulting conduct, as through fear of danger, since he believed that her paramour Silius aspired to the throne. On that occasion he made a shameful and cowardly flight to the camp, doing nothing all the way but ask whether his throne was secure.

Even when Suetonius recounts a particularly nasty piece of subterfuge by Messalina, he is really making the point that Claudius was gullible and superstitious. He recounts the tale of Appius Silenus who despite being her step-father she harboured an un-reciprocated crush

Appius Silanus met his downfall. When Messalina and Narcissus had put their heads together to destroy him, they agreed on their parts and the latter rushed into his patron's bed-chamber before daybreak in pretended consternation, declaring that he had dreamed that Appius had made an attack on the emperor. Then Messalina, with assumed surprise, declared that she had had the same dream for several successive nights. A little later, as had been arranged, Appius, who had received orders the day before to come at that time, was reported to be forcing his way in, and as if were proof positive of the truth of the dream, his immediate accusation and death were ordered.

Finally, Suetonius wants to paint Claudius as dithering, doddery, forgetful old man, who does not remember executing his wife. Although you wonder if Suetonius has his tongue firmly in his cheek when he says.

When he had put Messalina to death, he asked shortly after taking his place at the table why the empress did not come. He caused many of those whom he had condemned to death to be summoned the very next day to consult with him or game with him, and sent a messenger to upbraid them for sleepy-heads when they delayed to appear

We pick up on Messalina in the eleventh book of Tacitus’ Annals when she is at the height of her power. Tacitus provides much more of a narrative account of Messalina’s character and events. He starts by telling us that she, although a great beauty herself was jealous of Poppaea Sabina (mother of the wife of Nero of the same name) and attempted to smear hear name alongside her lover. She was helped by Lucius Vitellius, father of the short lived emperor Vitellius

She hastened herself to effect Poppaea's destruction, and hired agents to drive her to suicide by the terrors of a prison. Caesar meanwhile was so unconscious that a few days afterwards he asked her husband Scipio, who was dining with him, why he sat down to table without his wife, and was told in reply that she had paid the debt of nature.

Messalina had a eye for good looking men and it was not long before she used her charms to lure a young noble called Caius Silius to her bed. He knew to refuse her would lead to his destruction. Yet to fall under her control was equally dangerous. He thought it best to go along for the ride as it were Tacitus observes that danger itself was the best safety. She showered him with gifts to such an extent that...

the very furniture of the emperor were to be seen in the possession of the paramour.

Why Silius thought that he and Messalina could marry without consequence while Claudius was visiting Ostia was truly astonishing even in a debased Rome. Even Tacitus is lost of explanation when he says I do but relate what I have heard and what our fathers have recorded

It was likely that Narcissus, one of Claudius' most trusted freedmen had also had an affair with Messalina and was not best disposed to her when she married Silius. It was he who hatch the plan to have the ex-prostitute and trusted friend of Claudius to tell him of the marriage The next step in the plan was to prevent Messalina from seeing Claudius and begging for mercy

On this, Calpurnia (that was the woman's name), as soon as she was allowed a private interview, threw herself at the emperor's knees, crying out that Messalina was married to Silius

Messalina was apparently unaware partying at her house with her friends, drinking and indulging in Bacchanalian dances when the troops came to arrest her. Caught up in this debacle many Roman knights met their doom on the orders of Narcissus. Claudius seemed unwilling to take charge and let event s fall as they may. Messalina meanwhile believed that she could have Octavia and Brittanicus entreat Claudius on her behalf even if she could not see him personally. However Narcissus knew time was short and sent troops with an order of execution. Time was up and Messalina held a dagger to her throat in the presence of her mother but she could not bring herself to commit suicide even when the troops rushed in. Still she hesitated until on ethe guards dispatched her.

Claudius was hosting a banquet when he was told of the news. He was not curious as to how he had died but asked for his wine cup to be refilled.

they told him that Messalina was dead, without mentioning whether it was by her own or another's hand. Nor did he ask the question, but called for the cup and finished his repast as usual

Surprisingly for an author not shy about repeating Gossip, Suetonius does not relate the competition between Messalina and a local prostitute. Apparently they vied to see how many men they could have intercourse with. In keeping with a good story Messalina won with 25 successful conquests according to Pliny the Elder

The Empresse Messalina, wife of Claudius Cæsar, thinking it the onely victorie for a Ladie and Queene to excell in this feat, chose the most gallant curtisan and commonest strumpet in all Rome, to trie masteries and to contend with for the best game: and in verie truth, she woon the prize: for in the space of 24 houres she outwent her [a beastly thing to be written] no fewer than 25 times.

Why Pliny should relate this story is somewhat baffling. He makes the point that animal procreate for purely biological and instinctive reasons while in humans in addition use sex as pleasurable experience and can be at times be insatiable. Apparently the story of Messalina and the prostitute was apropos to sell his argument.

Juvenal went further by claiming she ofter willing worked as a prostitute at the local Lupinar. Of course given her position she could have any man she wanted and(indeed she did) would not need to work the local brothel and service corpulent, drunken Romans. Nonetheless, it makes for a titillating account

When his wife, Messalina, knew he was asleep, She would go about with no more than a maid for escort. The Empress dared, at night, to wear the hood of a whore, And she preferred a mat to her bed in the Palatine Palace. Dressed in that way, with a blonde wig hiding her natural Hair, she’d enter a brothel that stank of old soiled sheets, And make an empty cubicle, her own; then sell herself, Her nipples gilded, naked, taking She-Wolf for a name, Displaying the belly you came from, noble Britannicus, She’d flatter her clients on entry, and take their money. Then lie there obligingly, delighting in every stroke. Later on, when the pimp dismissed his girls, she’d leave Reluctantly, waiting to quit her cubicle there, till the last Possible time, her taut sex still burning, inflamed with lust, Then she’d leave, exhausted by man, but not yet sated,

Cassius Dio also recounts the story of Messalina's destruction of Appius Silanus and is incredulous that he could be executed on the strength of a shared dream. We should not forget that Claudius, due to the sympathetic treatment given to him by Robert Graves in I-Claudius is supposed to be the decent Emperor book-ended by two monsters and someone who was well read and less likely to be swayed by the auguries.

Thus Silanus perished because of a mere vision. After his death the Romans no longer cherished fair hopes of Claudius, and Annius Vinicianus with some others straightway formed a plot against him

Vinicianus plotted against Claudius on the assumption that he was a tyrant as bad as the other Caesars rather than some weak-willed husband totally in snared by a calculating wife. Messalina could not be trusted to save the necks of those she actually liked. Claudius was keen to remind his soldiers to avenge those who have injured you and by this measure Caecina Paetus was also but on trial for treasonable remarks. His wife, being close to Messalina might have thought to use her influence to save herself as well as her husband but no such help was forthcoming.

You also get the feeling that Cassius Dio, like Suetonius will include a good story even if its veracity is barely tenable. For instance the actor Mnester had refused to sleep with Messalina. Apparently, Messalina went hot foot to Claudius and told him to Mnester to deny her nothing. This, Claudius, obligingly did and without qualifying the precise definition of "deny her nothing" he took to her bed. She played this card with other suitors with similar outcomes and explained to her conquests that Claudius knew what was going on and countenanced her unchastity May be he did!

It is said that Claudius, who is considered a benign emperor, bookended by two monsters, nevertheless executed thirty five senators and three hundred Romans, mostly during his marriage to Messalina. What are we to make of Messalina's stories? It is too easy to dismiss these accounts as rantings of misogynistic men who have their nose put out by a powerful women who eventually overplayed her hand. It was not unknown that Roman women in imperial circles were not always faithful wives, the brothel story is almost surely an invention but her life as an over sexed adulterer married to older, doddery old man seems plausible. Even in recent times we are reminded of Princess Diana and her numerous affairs as evidence that these things can happen. Who knows what future historians will make of Diana's antics. Just because some of the more lurid tales are an exaggeration the charges against Messalina do seem to have more than a grain of truth. It is also possible that there was an element of subterfuge by Claudius and his inner circle. How easy would it have been to get rid of enemies and and blame it on the wife

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  Caligula II, aka Messalina, Empress of Love 1977

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  Messalina in Lisisica's booth - Agostino Carracci

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  Gustave Moreau, "Messalina"

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  Georges Antoine Rochegrosse "The Death of Messalina"

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  Bernardelli Henrique "Messalina"