Poppaea

Poppaea Sabina (died 65) was the second wife of the Roman Emperor Nero. The historians of Antiquity see in her few good qualities apart from her beauty and focus on her intrigues to become empress. Fifteen centuries later, Claudio Monteverdi depicted her in a more favorable light in his last opera, highlighting her love for the emperor. Poppaea File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Poppaea File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... For other uses, see number 65. ... Jump to: navigation, search Roman Emperor is the title historians use to refer to rulers of the Roman Empire, after the epoch conventionally named the Roman Republic. ... Jump to: navigation, search Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (December 15, 37–June 9, 68), born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called (50–54) Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, was the fifth and last Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. ... Jump to: navigation, search It has been suggested that Greco-Roman be merged into this article or section. ... Emperor is also a Norwegian black metal band; see Emperor (band). ... Jump to: navigation, search Portrait of Claudio Monteverdi in Venice, 1640, by Bernardo Strozzi Claudio Monteverdi (May 15, 1567 (baptised) – November 29, 1643) was an Italian composer, violinist and singer. ... Jump to: navigation, search The foyer of Charles Garniers Opéra, Paris, opened 1875 Opera refers to an art form particular to Europe, which is made up of a dramatic stage performance set to music. ...

Life

Ancestry

Sabina was the daughter of Titus Ollius, a praetor in the reign of the Emperor Tiberius. His friendship with Sejanus ruined him, before gaining public office. Her mother, also called Poppaea Sabina, was a distinguished woman, whom the ancient sources describe as a wealthy beauty and a woman of distinction. Tacitus describes her as one of the loveliest women of her day. In A.D. 47, she committed suicide as an innocent victim of the intrigues of Empress Messalina. Jump to: navigation, search A bust of younger Emperor Tiberius For the city in Israel, see Tiberias. ... Lucius Aelius Sejanus (or Seianus) (20 BC– October 18, 31 AD) was an ambitious soldier, friend and confidant of Tiberius, and for a time the most influential and feared citizen of Rome. ... Anno Domini (Latin: In the Year of the Lord), or more completely Anno Domini Nostri Iesu Christi (In the Year of Our Lord Jesus Christ), commonly abbreviated AD or A.D., is the designation used to number years in the dominant Christian Era in the world today. ... Valeria Messalina (23–48 CE) was the third wife of the Roman emperor Claudius. ...

The father of the elder Sabina was Gaius Poppaeus Sabinus, who was consul of A.D. 9. In Tiberius’ reign, he received a miliary triumph, for ending a revolt in Thrace in A.D. 26. From A.D. 15 until his death, he served as Imperial Governor of Greece and in other provinces. This competent administrator enjoyed the friendship of the imperial family. He died in A.D. 35.

Poppaea Sabina had a stepfather called Publius Cornelius Lentulus Scipio. He served as a divisional commander in A.D. 22, consul in A.D. 24 and later senator. Her half-brother of the same name was consul in A.D. 56 and later served as a senator.

Marriage to Rufrius Crispinus

Poppaea Sabina's first marriage was to Rufrius Crispinus, a man of equestrian rank. He was the leader of the Praetorian Guard during the reign of the Emperor Claudius. In A.D. 51, Agrippina, then married to Claudius and Empress, removed him from this position, as she regarded him loyal to Messalina's memory and replaced him with Burrus. Later under Nero he was executed. Poppaea had borne him a son of the same name, who later, after her death, would be drowned on a fishing trip by the Emperor Nero. Jump to: navigation, search Rufrius Crispinus was a knight that lived during the later Julio-Claudian Dynasty. ... The Praetorian Guard of Augustus - 1st century A.D. Depicted in a marble bas-relief. ... Jump to: navigation, search A statue of Emperor Claudius Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (August 1, 10 BC–October 13, 54), originally known as Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus, was the fourth Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, ruling from January 24, 41 to his death in 54. ... Several notable women of Ancient Rome bore the name Agrippina. ... Jump to: navigation, search Sextus Afranius Burrus, Pretorian Prefect, was Neros tutor and later advisor. ... Jump to: navigation, search Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (December 15, 37–June 9, 68), born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called (50–54) Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, was the fifth and last Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. ... Jump to: navigation, search Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (December 15, 37–June 9, 68), born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called (50–54) Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, was the fifth and last Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. ...

Marriage to Otho

Poppaea Sabina then married Otho, if only as a stepping stone to reach her ultimate goal; Emperor Nero. After attaining a 'position' as his mistress, she divorced her husband Otho (who later became emperor after Nero's death) and focused her attentions solely on becoming empress of Rome. Before marrying Otho, Nero ordered her to leave her first husband and they divorced. Jump to: navigation, search Emperor Otho. ... Jump to: navigation, search Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (December 15, 37–June 9, 68), born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called (50–54) Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, was the fifth and last Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. ...

Empress

Ambitious and ruthless, Poppaea was initially Nero's favourite mistress. Even as a mistress, she was hated and feared by many in Rome. It is said that Nero's mother Agrippina the Younger, saw the danger and tried to persuade Nero to get rid of her. This dispute over Poppaea was one of the reasons that saw Nero finally murder his mother. With Agrippina gone, Poppaea's influence over Nero became so great that due to the pressure she put on him, he divorced (and later executed) his first wife Octavia in order to marry Poppaea in A.D. 62. The new empress had many other unfortunates who challenged her power murdered or sent into exile. Nero's former tutor Seneca is thought to be among her victims. In some Church sources it is claimed that it was Poppaea and not Nero who instigated the persecutions against Christians, in order to cover up her murderous deeds. Octavia was the name of three women of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty of ancient Rome: two were sisters of Augustus Caesar, and the younger was the daughter of Claudius and wife of Nero. ...

She bore Nero one daughter, Claudia Augusta, who died at only four months of age. Claudia Augusta was the only daughter of the Roman Emperor Nero by his second wife Poppaea Sabina. ...

According to Suetonius, while she was awaiting the birth of her second child, she quarreled fiercely with Nero over his spending too much time at the games. In a fit of rage, Nero kicked her in the abdomen, so causing her death.

Poppaea enjoyed having milk baths. She would have them daily, because she was once told 'there in lurked a magic which would dispel all diseases and blights from her beauty'.(1)

Monteverdi's opera

The opera L'Incoronazione di Poppea by Claudio Monteverdi concerns her life. Lincoronazione di Poppea (The Coronation of Poppea) is an opera seria in three acts by Claudio Monteverdi to an Italian libretto by Giovanni Francesco Busenello, based on historical incidents described in the Annals of Tacitus. ... Jump to: navigation, search Portrait of Claudio Monteverdi in Venice, 1640, by Bernardo Strozzi Claudio Monteverdi (May 15, 1567 (baptised) – November 29, 1643) was an Italian composer, violinist and singer. ...

(1)- Cosmetics, Children's Britannica Volume 5. Church to Czech