Octavia Thurina Minor
See also: Octavie
Octavia Thurina Minor (69 av. J. - C. - 11 av. J. - C.), also known under the name of Octavie the Young person , or simply of Octavie , is the sister of the first Roman Emperor, Auguste and the half-sister of Octavia Thurina Major. She is the girl of Gaius Octavius and Atia Balba, the niece of Jules César. She was one of the women more for the Roman history, respected and admired by her contemporaries for her fidelity, her nobility and her humanity. Moreover, Octavia survived during one time of the ancient Rome where much succumbed to treasons and the intrigues.
Biography
Its childhood
Octavie is born with Nola in Italy. It is the second girl of Gaius Octavius, but the only one of its second marriage with the niece of Jules César, Atia Balba Caesonia. From this second marriage is born also Octave, which will become thereafter the first Roman Emperor under the name of Auguste.
His/her father, governor and Roman senator, die in 59 av. J. - C. of natural causes. Thereafter, his/her mother remarie with the consul Lucius Marcius Philippus.
Its first marriage
Towards 54 av. J. - C., his/her father-in-law is arranged to marry it with Gaius Claudius Marcellus Minor. This last is a man of high ranking which will become besides consul in 50 av. J. - C. and which belongs to a branch of the powerful family patrician of the Claudii , connects which goes down from Marcus Claudius Marcellus, a large general who illustrated himself at the time of the Second Punic War.
In 54 av. J. - C., its César great-uncle is impatient that she divorces her husband, so that she can marry with Pompée, which has just lost his wife Julia (girl of Jules César). However, Pompée apparently declined courteously the proposal, and the husband of Octavie continuous to be opposed to César, in particular during its year of Consul in 50 av. J. - C.
Friend of Cicéron, Marcellus is already adverse of Jules César when this one invades Italy, but it does not take the weapons against the great-uncle of his wife to the Bataille of Pharsale. He will be forgiven thereafter by this one. Consequently, Octavia probably continues to live with her husband until the death of this one in 40 av. J. - C.. It is then 29 years old - it had approximately 15 of them when they married.
They have three children: two girls Claudia Marcella Minor and Claudia Marcela Major, as well as a son Marcus Claudius Marcellus.
Its marriage with Marc Antoine
By a senatorial decree, Octavie Marie with Marc Antoine in October 40 av. J. - C., and becomes thus his fourth wife - its third wife Fulvia not very front having died. This marriage had to be approved by the senate because it was pregnant of its first husband, recently deceased. Moreover, it was about a political marriage making it possible to cement an unstable alliance between his brother Octave and Marc Antoine at the time of the Paix of Brindes. In spite of that, Octavie seems to have been a faithful and honest wife.
Between 40 and 36 av. J. - C., Octavie and Marc Antoine live together with Athens. It raises the children of its first marriage with Marcellus, the two wire of the first marriage of Marc Antoine as well as the two girls whom they had together, Antonia Major and Antonia Minor. During this period she travels with her husband through the various provinces of the Empire.
Whereas the relations between Auguste and Marc Antoine are degraded more and more, this last gives up his wife and her children to join his old love, the queen Cléopâtre VII of Egypt - they had already met in 41 av. J. - C. and had had twins. In 36 av. J. - C., Octavie returns to Rome with his/her children. On several occasions, she plays the part of adviser and negociator policies between her husband and her brother.
Thereafter, Marc Antoine divorces Octavie in 32 av. J. - C., then dies in 30 av. J. - C. after having been demolishes by Auguste. Octavie lives then quietly by raising his/her five children, as well as the children of Marc Antoine: Iullus Antonius, Alexandre Hélios, Cléopâtre Séléné and Ptolémée Philadelphe.
End of its life
Auguste had adopted his son Marcus Claudius Marcellus as a heir, but this one dies of disease in 23 av. J. - C.. Octavie creates the Bibliothèque of Marcellus in its memory, whereas his/her Auguste brother, sets up a theater, the Théâtre of Marcellus, in its honor. Not managing to recover from its death, it withdraws public life and spends its last years in the darkness while carrying the mourning of her son.
Octavie dies in 11 av. J. - C.. Its public burial takes place the same year, with his/her sons-in-law who carry the coffin. Although his/her brother, the emperor Auguste proclaimed the funerary solemn speech and gave him the posthumous honors highest (for example by building the Door of Octavie and the Portique of Octavie in its memory, or by proclaiming it goddess and by building temples in its honor), it however refused, for unknown reasons, several of the honors issued for her by the senate.
Octavie was one of the first Roman women to have coins struck with its effigy. Its portrait of profile accompanies that by Marc Antoine on emissions the period 39-36 av. J.C.