View source for Octavia the Younger

{{short description|Roman noblewoman, full-sister of Augustus}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name         = Octavia Minor
| image        = 8106 - Roma - Ara Pacis - Ottavia Minore - Foto Giovanni Dall'Orto - 30-Mar-2008.jpg
| image_size   = 225px
| caption      = 
| birth_date   = {{circa|69 BC}}
| birth_place  = [[Nola]], [[Roman Italy|Italy]], [[Roman Republic]]
| death_date   = 11 BC (aged c. 58)
| death_place  = [[Rome]], [[Roman Italy|Italy]], [[Roman Empire]]
| burial_place = [[Mausoleum of Augustus]]
| spouse       = {{plainlist|
*[[Gaius Claudius Marcellus (consul 50 BC)|Gaius Claudius Marcellus]]
*[[Mark Antony]]}}
| issue        = {{plainlist|
*[[Claudia Marcella Major]]
*[[Claudia Marcella Minor]]
*[[Marcellus (nephew of Augustus)|Marcus Claudius Marcellus]]
*[[Antonia the Elder]]
*[[Antonia Minor]]}}
| dynasty      = [[Julio-Claudian dynasty|Julio-Claudian]]
| father       = [[Gaius Octavius (praetor 61 BC)|Gaius Octavius]]
| mother       = [[Atia (mother of Augustus)|Atia]]
}}

'''Octavia the Younger''' ({{langx|la|Octavia Minor}}{{hsp}}; 69 BC – 11 BC) was the elder sister of the first [[Roman emperor]], [[Augustus]] (known also as Octavian), the half-sister of [[Octavia the Elder]], and the fourth wife of [[Mark Antony]]. She was also the great-grandmother of the Emperor [[Caligula]] and Empress [[Agrippina the Younger]], maternal grandmother of the Emperor [[Claudius]], and paternal great-grandmother and maternal great-great-grandmother of the Emperor [[Nero]].

One of the most prominent women in Roman history, Octavia was respected and admired by contemporaries for her loyalty, nobility and humanity, as well as for maintaining traditional Roman feminine virtues.

==Life==
===Childhood===
Octavia was born around 69 BC.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Octavia {{!}} Roman, Queen, Cleopatra {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Octavia-wife-of-Mark-Antony |access-date=2025-03-15 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> Full sister to [[Augustus]], Octavia was the only daughter born of [[Gaius Octavius (proconsul)|Gaius Octavius]]' second marriage to [[Atia (mother of Augustus)|Atia]], niece of [[Julius Caesar]].<ref>[[Suetonius]], ''Augustus'' 4.1</ref> Octavia was born in [[Nola]], present-day [[Italy]]; her father, a Roman governor and senator, died in 59 BC from natural causes. Her mother later remarried, to the consul [[Lucius Marcius Philippus (consul 56 BC)|Lucius Marcius Philippus]]. Octavia spent much of her childhood travelling with her parents. Marcius was in charge of educating Octavia and her brother Octavian, later known as Augustus.<ref name="Octavia Minor - Livius">{{cite web|url=https://www.livius.org/articles/person/octavia-minor/|title=Octavia Minor - Livius|website=www.livius.org|access-date=March 8, 2016}}</ref>

===First marriage===
Some time before 54 BC, her stepfather arranged for her to marry [[Gaius Claudius Marcellus (consul 50 BC)|Gaius Claudius Marcellus]]. He was a member of the influential plebeian branch of the [[Claudia gens|Claudian]] family and descended from [[Marcus Claudius Marcellus]], a famous general in the [[Second Punic War]]. In 54 BC, Octavia's great-uncle Julius Caesar is said to have been anxious for her to divorce her husband so that she could marry [[Pompey]], who had just lost his wife [[Julia (wife of Pompey)|Julia]] (Caesar's daughter, and thus Octavia's cousin once removed). The couple did not want to get a divorce, so instead<ref name="Octavia Minor - Livius"/> Pompey declined the proposal<ref>Suetonius, ''Caesar'' 27.1</ref> and married [[Cornelia Metella]]. Thus, Octavia's husband continued to oppose Julius Caesar, including in the crucial year of his consulship, 50 BC. Civil war broke out when Caesar invaded Italy from Gaul in 49 BC.<ref name="Octavia Minor - Livius"/>

Marcellus, a friend of [[Cicero]], was an initial opponent of Julius Caesar when Caesar invaded Italy, but did not take up arms against his wife's great uncle at the [[Battle of Pharsalus]], and was eventually pardoned by him. In 47 BC he was able to intercede with Caesar for his cousin and namesake, also a former consul, then living in exile. Presumably, Octavia continued to live with her husband from the time of their marriage (she would have been between 12 and 15 when they married){{sfn|Moore|2017|p=28}} to her husband's death. They had three surviving children: [[Claudia Marcella Major]], [[Claudia Marcella Minor]] and [[Marcus Claudius Marcellus (nephew of Augustus)|Marcus Claudius Marcellus]].<ref>Suetonius, ''Augustus'' 63.1; [[Plutarch]], ''Antony'' 87</ref> All three were born in Italy. However, according to the anonymous ''Περὶ τοῦ καισαρείου γένους'' Octavia bore Marcellus four sons and four daughters.<ref>[[Spyridon Lambros]], ''Ἀνέκδοτον ἀπόσπασμα συγγραΦῆς [[περὶ τοῦ Καισαρείου γένους]]'', Νέος Ἑλληνομνήμων 1 (1904), p. 148</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/classical-quarterly/article/abs/marcia-catonis-and-the-fulmen-clarum/786E542AA13E96391FB133D4AB8B369E|first=Patrick|last=Tansey|title=Marcia Catonis and the Fulmen Clarum|date=May 7, 2013|journal=The Classical Quarterly|volume=63|issue=1|pages=423–426|via=Cambridge University Press|doi=10.1017/S000983881200081X|s2cid=170989205|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Her husband Marcellus died in May 40 BC.

===Second marriage===
[[Image:Mark Antony and Octavia.jpg|thumb|Mark Antony and Octavia]]
By a [[Roman Senate|Senatorial]] decree, Octavia married [[Mark Antony]] in October 40 BC, as his fourth wife (his third wife [[Fulvia]] having died shortly before). This marriage had to be approved by the Senate, as she was pregnant with her first husband's child, and was a politically motivated attempt to cement the uneasy alliance between her brother Octavian and [[Mark Antony]]; however, Octavia does appear to have been a loyal and faithful wife to Antony.<ref>Plutarch, ''Antony'' 31; [[Appian]], ''Civil Wars'' 5.64 and 5.66; [[Cassius Dio]], ''Roman History'' 48.31.3</ref> Between 40 and 36 BC, she travelled with Antony to various provinces and lived with him in his [[Athens|Athenian]] mansion.<ref>Plutarch, ''Antony'' 33; Appian, ''Civil Wars'' 5.76</ref> There she raised her children by Marcellus as well as Antony's two sons; [[Marcus Antonius Antyllus|Antyllus]] and [[Iullus Antonius|Iullus]], as well as the two daughters of her marriage to Antony, [[Antonia the Elder|Antonia Major]] and [[Antonia Minor]] who were born there. During this period, she became the first (or second) Roman woman to have coins minted bearing her image; only Antony's previous wife Fulvia may have pre-empted her.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Kleiner |first=Fred S. |date=2020 |title=Review of ''Tracene Harvey, Julia Augusta: images of Rome's first empress on the coins of the Roman Empire. London; New York: Routledge, 2019. 264 p.. ISBN 9781472478689. $112.00.'' |url=https://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2020/2020.07.27/ |journal=Bryn Mawr Classical Review}}</ref><ref>Goldsworthy, Adrian (2014) ''Augustus'', London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, p. 156: "Octavia appeared alongside her husband on coins - the first woman to appear on Roman currency".</ref>

===Breakdown===
The alliance was severely tested by Antony's abandonment of Octavia and their children in favor of his former lover Queen [[Cleopatra|Cleopatra VII]] of Egypt (Antony and Cleopatra had met in 41 BC, an interaction that resulted in Cleopatra bearing twins, [[Alexander Helios]], a boy, and [[Cleopatra Selene II|Cleopatra Selene]], a girl). After 36 BC, Octavia returned to Rome with the daughters of her second marriage. On several occasions she acted as a political advisor and negotiator between her husband and brother.<ref>So at the treaty of [[Taranto]] in 37 BC: Plutarch, ''Antony'' 35; Appian, ''Civil Wars'' 5.93-95; Cassius Dio, ''Roman History'' 48.54</ref> For example, in the spring of 37 BC, while pregnant with her daughter Antonia Minor, she was considered essential to an arms deal held at Tarentum, in which Antony and Augustus agreed to aid each other in their Parthian and Sicilian campaigns. She had won over her brother's advisers Agrippa and Maecenas and convinced him to renew their alliance.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Julia Augusti |last=Fantham |first=Elaine |author-link=Elaine Fantham |publisher=Routledge |year=2006 |isbn=9781134323449 |pages=25 |edition=illustrated |volume=Women of the Ancient World}}</ref> She was hailed as a "marvel of womankind".<ref>{{cite book|last1=Freisenbruch|first1=Annelise|title=The First Ladies of Rome: The Women behind the Caesars|date=2010|publisher=Jonathan Cape|location=London}}</ref> In 35 BC, after Antony suffered a disastrous campaign in Parthia, she brought fresh troops, provisions, and funds to Athens. There Antony had left a letter for her, instructing her to go no further.<ref>Plutarch, ''Antony'' 53; Cassius Dio, ''Roman History'' 49.33.3-4. See also a modern source,{{cite book|last1=Freisenbruch|first1=Annelise|title=The First Ladies of Rome: The Women behind the Caesars|date=2010|location=London|publisher=Jonathan Cape|pages=30–37}}</ref> Mark Antony divorced Octavia in late 33 BC.<ref>Plutarch, ''Antony'' 57.4-5; Cassius Dio, ''Roman History'' 50.3.2</ref> In 33, Antony sent men to eject her from his house in Rome. She became sole caretaker of their children,<ref>Plutarch, ''Antony'' 87; Cassius Dio, ''Roman History'' 51.15.5</ref> except for Antyllus who was already with his father in the East. After Antony's suicide in 30 BC, her brother executed Antyllus but allowed Octavia to raise Antony's younger son Iullus by Fulvia as well as his children by Cleopatra (the two sons Alexander Helios and [[Ptolemy Philadelphus (son of Cleopatra)|Ptolemy Philadelphus]], and one daughter, Cleopatra Selene II).

===Later life===
[[Image:VirgilAeneidVI.jpg|thumb|250px|Virgil reading ''Aeneid'', Book VI, to Augustus and Octavia, by [[Jean-Joseph Taillasson|Taillasson]]]]

In 35 BC, Augustus accorded a number of honours and privileges to Octavia, and also to his wife, [[Livia]]{{snd}}previously unheard of for women in Rome. They were granted ''sacrosanctitas'', meaning it was illegal to verbally insult them. Previously, this had only been granted to tribunes. Livia and Octavia were made immune from ''tutela'', the male guardianship which all women in Rome except for the [[Vestal Virgin]]s were required to have. This meant they could freely manage their own finances. Finally, they were the first women in Rome to have statues and portraits displayed en masse in public places. Previously, only one woman, Cornelia, mother of the Gracchi, had been part of the public statues displayed in Rome. In Augustus' rebuilding of Rome as a city of marble, Octavia was featured. In all her representations, she wore the "nodus" hairstyle, which at the time was considered conservative and dignified, and worn by women from many classes.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Freisenbruch|first1=Annelise|title=The First Ladies of Rome: The Women behind the Caesars|date=2010|publisher=Jonathan Cape|location=London|page=38}}</ref>

Augustus adored, but never adopted, her son [[Marcus Claudius Marcellus (nephew of Augustus)|Marcellus]]. When Marcellus died of illness in 23 BC unexpectedly, Augustus was thunderstruck and Octavia disconsolate almost beyond recovery.

[[Aelius Donatus]], in his Life of Vergil, states that [[Virgil]]

<blockquote>recited three whole books [of his [[Aeneid]]] for Augustus: the second, fourth, and sixth—this last out of his well-known affection for Octavia, who (being present at the recitation) is said to have fainted at the lines about her son, "... You shall be Marcellus" [''Aen''. 6.884]. Revived only with difficulty, she sent Virgil ten thousand [[sesterce]]s for each of the verses."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://virgil.org/vitae/|title=Aelius Donatus, "Life of Virgil"|website=virgil.org}}</ref></blockquote>

She may have never fully recovered from the death of her son, and retired from public life,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.britannica.com/biography/Octavia-wife-of-Mark-Antony |title=Octavia |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=Britannica Online |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |access-date=21 May 2016 }}</ref> except on important occasions. The major source that Octavia never recovered is [[Seneca the Younger|Seneca]] (''[[De Consolatione ad Marciam]]'', II.) but Seneca may wish to show off his rhetorical skill with hyperbole, rather than adhere to fact.{{citation needed|date=May 2016}} Some{{Who|date=May 2016}} dispute Seneca's version, as Octavia publicly opened the Library of Marcellus, dedicated in his memory, while her brother completed the building of [[Theatre of Marcellus|Marcellus's theatre]] in his honor. Undoubtedly{{cn|date=March 2023}} Octavia attended both ceremonies, as well as the Ara Pacis ceremony to welcome her brother's return in 13BC from the provinces. She was also consulted in regard to, and in some versions advised, that Augustus's daughter [[Julia the Elder|Julia]] marry [[Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa|Agrippa]] after her mourning for Marcellus ended. Agrippa had to divorce Octavia's daughter [[Claudia Marcella Major]] in order to marry Julia, so Augustus wanted Octavia's endorsement very much.

===Death===
[[Image:Roma-PorticodiOttavia 02.JPG|thumb|250px|Today's appearance of the [[Porticus Octaviae]].]]

Octavia died of natural causes. Suetonius says she died in Augustus' 54th year, thus 11 BC with Roman inclusive counting.<ref>Suet. ''Div. Aug.'' 61. A Roman child is 1 year old until its 365th day, when it becomes 2. Thus Augustus' 54th year = 10 BC, since he was born in 63. Note that Dio 54.35.4-5 is not datable.</ref> Her funeral was a public one, with her sons-in-law (Drusus, Ahenobarbus, Iullus Antonius, and possibly Paullus Aemillius Lepidus) carrying her to the grave in the Mausoleum of Augustus. Drusus delivered one funeral oration from the rostra and Augustus gave her the highest posthumous honors (building the Gate of Octavia and [[Porticus Octaviae]] in her memory).<ref name="Dio 54.35.5">Dio 54.35.5</ref> Augustus also had the Roman senate declare his sister to be a goddess.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://virtualreligion.net/iho/octavia.html|title=Octavia|website=virtualreligion.net|access-date=2016-03-08}}</ref> Augustus declined some other honors decreed to her by the senate, for reasons unknown.<ref name="Dio 54.35.5"/>

==Issue==
;Children with Marcellus
Octavia and her first husband had one son and two daughters who survived to adulthood.

# [[Marcus Claudius Marcellus (nephew of Augustus)|Marcus Claudius Marcellus]]
# [[Claudia Marcella Major]]
# [[Claudia Marcella Minor]]

;Children with Mark Antony
Octavia and Mark Antony had two surviving daughters by their marriage (her second, his fourth), and both were the ancestors of later [[Roman emperor]]s.

# [[Antonia the Elder|Antonia Major]]: grandmother to Emperor [[Nero]].
# [[Antonia Minor]]: mother to Emperor [[Claudius]], grandmother to Emperor [[Caligula]], and great-grandmother to Emperor Nero.

==Descendants==
Three [[Roman Empire|Roman]] [[Roman emperor|emperor]]s, [[Caligula]], [[Claudius]] and [[Nero]], were amongst the most famous of her descendants. <!---This info was concluded by a series of opinions and self-researches, and may need to be removed.

The furthest descendant of hers to be recorded was [[Christian saint]] [[Melania the Younger]] who lived under the rule of [[Western Roman Empire|Western Roman]] emperor [[Honorius (emperor)|Honorius]].

--->

{{Tree list}}
*'''Octavia the Younger'''
**[[Marcus Claudius Marcellus (nephew of Augustus)|Marcus Claudius Marcellus]] (42 BC – 23 BC), no issue
**[[Claudia Marcella Major]] (born 41 BC)
***[[Vipsania (wife of Varus)|Vipsania Marcella Major]]
***[[Vipsania (wife of Lepidus)|Vipsania Marcella Minor]]
***Iullus Antonius (? – ?), issue unknown
***[[Lucius Antonius (grandson of Mark Antony)|Lucius Antonius]] (20 BC – AD 25), issue unknown
***{{Tree list/final branch}}[[Iulla Antonia]] (? – ?), issue unknown
**[[Claudia Marcella Minor]] (born 40 BC)
*** [[Paullus Aemilius Regulus]] (? – ?), issue unknown
*** [[Claudia Pulchra]] (14 BC–26)
*** <span id="Valerius Messalla Barbatus">[[Marcus Valerius Messala Barbatus]]</span> (11 BC – 20/21)
**** <span id="Valerius Messalla Corvinus">[[Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus (consul 58)|Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus]]</span> (? – ?), possibly son of [[Marcus Aurelius Cotta Maximus Messalinus|Aurelius Messalinus]]
**** {{Tree list/final branch}}<span id="Valeria Messalina">[[Valeria Messalina]]</span> (17 AD or 20 AD – 48 AD)
***** <span id="Claudia Octavia">[[Claudia Octavia]]</span> (39 AD or 40 AD – 62 AD), no issue
***** {{Tree list/final branch}}<span id="Britannicus">[[Britannicus|Tiberius Claudius Caesar ''Britannicus'']]</span> (41 AD – 55 AD), no issue
*** {{Tree list/final branch}}[[Valeria Messallia]] (c. 10 BC – ?)
**** [[Lucius Vipstanus Poplicola]] (c. 10 – after 59)
***** {{Tree list/final branch}}[[Gaius Valerius Poplicola]] (? – ?), issue unknown
**** {{Tree list/final branch}}[[Gaius Vipstanus Messalla Gallus]]<ref name="Syme242">[[Ronald Syme|Syme, Ronald]]. ''The Augustan Aristocracy'' (1986), pg. 242</ref> (c. 10 BC – after 60)
***** {{Tree list/final branch}}[[Lucius Vipstanus Messalla (orator)|Lucius Vipstanus Messalla]]<ref name="Syme242" /> (c. 45 – c. 80)
****** {{Tree list/final branch}}[[Lucius Vipstanus Messalla (consul)|Lucius Vipstanus Messalla]]<ref name="Syme242" /> (c. 75 – after 115), according to some authors, this man may be one of Saint [[Melania the Younger|Melania]]'s ancestors.<ref name="Mennen">Mennen, Inge. ''Power and Status in the Roman Empire, AD 193-284'' (2011), pg. 123-124-125-127.</ref><ref name="Settipani">Settipani, Christian. ''Continuité gentilice et continuité sénatoriale dans les familles sénatoriales romaines à l'époque impériale'' (2000), pgs. 227-228-229.</ref><ref>Potter, David S., The Roman Empire at Bay: AD 180-395 (2004), pg. 389</ref><ref>Schlitz, Carl. [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10154a.htm "St. Melania (the Younger)." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 10. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 15 Mar. 2013]</ref><!---
The tree below is generally self-research and may need to be removed soon.

******* {{Tree list/final branch}}[[Lucius Vipstanus Claudius Poplicola Messalla]]<ref>[[Christian Settipani|Settipani, Christian]]. ''Continuité gentilice et continuité sénatoriale dans les familles sénatoriales romaines à l'époque impériale'' (2000).</ref> (c. 105 – after 140)
******** {{Tree list/final branch}}[[Lucius Valerius Messalla Thrasea Priscus]]<ref name="Mennen123">Mennen, Inge. ''Power and Status in the Roman Empire, AD 193-284'' (2011), pg. 123.</ref> (c. 156 – c. 212)
********* {{Tree list/final branch}}[[Lucius Valerius Messalla (consul 214)|Lucius Valerius Messalla Apollinaris]]<ref name="Mennen125">Mennen, Inge. ''Power and Status in the Roman Empire, AD 193-284'' (2011), pg. 125.</ref> (? – ?)
********** {{Tree list/final branch}}[[Lucius Valerius Maximus (consul 256)|Lucius Valerius Claudius Acilius Priscillianus Maximus]]<ref name="Settipani227-228">Settipani, Christian. ''Continuité gentilice et continuité sénatoriale dans les familles sénatoriales romaines à l'époque impériale'' (2000), pgs. 227-228.</ref><ref name="Mennen124">Mennen, Inge. ''Power and Status in the Roman Empire, AD 193-284'' (2011), pg. 124.</ref> (? – ?)
*********** {{Tree list/final branch}}[[Lucius Valerius Poplicola Balbinus Maximus]]<ref name="Mennen124" /> (? – ?)
************ {{Tree list/final branch}}[[Messalla (consul 280)|Lucius Valerius Messalla]]<ref name="Mennen127">Mennen, Inge. ''Power and Status in the Roman Empire, AD 193-284'' (2011), pg. 127.</ref> (? – ?)
************* {{Tree list/final branch}}[[Valerius Maximus Basilius (urban prefect 319)|Lucius Valerius Maximus Basilius]]<ref name="Mennen127" /><ref name="Settipani229" /> (? – ?)
************** {{Tree list/final branch}}[[Valerius Maximus (consul 327)|Lucius Valerius Maximus Basilius]]<ref>Potter, David S., The Roman Empire at Bay: AD 180-395 (2004), pg. 389</ref><ref name="Settipani229">Settipani, Christian, Continuité gentilice et continuité sénatoriale dans les familles sénatoriales romaines à l'époque impériale, (2000), pg. 229.</ref> (? – ?)
*************** [[Lucius Valerius Septimius Bassus]] (c. 328 – after 379 or 383)
****************{{Tree list/final branch}} [[Valerius Adelphius Bassus]] (c. 360 – after 383)
*****************{{Tree list/final branch}} Valerius Adelphius (born c. 385)
******************{{Tree list/final branch}} Adelphia (c. 410 – aft. 459)
*************** [[Valerius Maximus Basilius]]<ref name="Mennen127" /><ref name="Settipani229" /> (c. 330 – after 364)
**************** Valerius Publicola (? – ?)
***************** {{Tree list/final branch}}[[Melania the Younger]]<ref>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10154a.htm Schlitz, Carl. "St. Melania (the Younger)." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 10. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 15 Mar. 2013]</ref> (c. 383 – December 31, 439)
****************** {{Tree list/final branch}}Two children, died young
**************** {{Tree list/final branch}}Other two sons
*************** {{Tree list/final branch}}Valeria (? – ?), issue unknown

--->
** [[Antonia the Elder|Antonia Major]] (39 BC – before 25 AD)
*** [[Domitia Lepida the Elder]] (c. 19 BC – 59 AD)
**** {{Tree list/final branch}}[[Quintus Haterius Antoninus]] (? – ?)
*** [[Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus (consul 32)|Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus]] (17 BC – 40 AD)
**** {{Tree list/final branch}}[[Image:Simple gold crown.svg|15px]] <span id="Nero">[[Nero|'''Nero''' Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus]]</span> (Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus) (37 AD – 68 AD)
***** {{Tree list/final branch}}[[Claudia Augusta]] (January 63 AD – April 63 AD), died young
*** {{Tree list/final branch}}[[Domitia Lepida the Younger]] (10 BC – 54 AD)
**** Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus (same man as [[#Valerius Messalla Corvinus|above]]), possibly son of [[Marcus Aurelius Cotta Maximus Messalinus|Aurelius Messalinus]] or [[Marcus Valerius Messalla Barbatus|Valerius Barbatus]] (same man as [[#Valerius Messalla Barbatus|above]])
**** Valeria Messalina (same woman as [[#Valeria Messalina|above]])
***** {{Tree list/final branch}}''See her line [[#Valeria Messalina|above]]''
**** {{Tree list/final branch}}[[Faustus Cornelius Sulla Felix]] (22 AD – 62 AD)
***** {{Tree list/final branch}}<span id="Cornelius">A son</span>, died young
** {{Tree list/final branch}}[[Antonia Minor]] (36 BC – 37 AD)
*** [[Germanicus|''Germanicus'' Julius Caesar]] (15 BC – 19 AD)
**** [[Nero Julius Caesar|Nero Julius Caesar Germanicus]] (6 AD – 30 AD), no issue
**** [[Drusus Caesar|Drusus Julius Caesar Germanicus]] (8 AD – 33 AD), no issue
**** Tiberius Julius Caesar Germanicus (born between 7 and 12 AD), died as an infant
**** ''Ignotus'' (born between 7 and 12 AD), died as an infant
**** Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus Major (born between 7 and 12 AD), died in childhood
**** [[Image:Simple gold crown.svg|15px]] [[Caligula|'''Gaius''' Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (''Caligula'')]] (12 AD – 41 AD)
***** {{Tree list/final branch}}[[Julia Drusilla (daughter of Caligula)|Julia Drusilla]] (39 AD – 41 AD), died young
**** [[Agrippina the Younger|Julia ''Agrippina'' (Agrippina Minor)]] (15 AD – 59)
***** {{Tree list/final branch}} [[Image:Simple gold crown.svg|15px]] '''Nero''' Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus) (same man as [[#Nero|above]])
****** {{Tree list/final branch}} ''See his line [[#Nero|above]]''
**** [[Julia Drusilla]] (16 AD – 38 AD), no issue
**** {{Tree list/final branch}}[[Julia Livilla]] (18 AD – 42 AD), no issue
*** [[Livilla|Claudia Livia Julia (Livilla)]] (13 BC – 31 AD)
**** [[Julia Livia]] (7 AD – 43 AD)
***** [[Gaius Rubellius Plautus]] (33 AD – 62 AD), had several children<ref group=n>Their names are unknown, but it is known that all of them were killed by Nero, thus descent from this line is extinct.</ref>
***** Gaius Rubellius Blandus (? – ?), issue unknown
***** {{Tree list/final branch}}Rubellius Drusus (? – ?), issue unknown
**** [[Tiberius Gemellus|Tiberius Julius Caesar Nero Gemellus]] (19AD – 37 AD or 38 AD), no issue
**** {{Tree list/final branch}}Tiberius Claudius Caesar Germanicus II Gemellus (19 AD – 23 AD), died young
*** {{Tree list/final branch}}[[Image:Simple gold crown.svg|15px]] [[Claudius|Tiberius '''Claudius''' Caesar Augustus Germanicus]] (10 BC – 54 AD)
**** [[Claudius Drusus|Tiberius Claudius Drusus]], died young
**** [[Claudia Antonia]] (c. 30 AD – 66 AD)
***** {{Tree list/final branch}} A son (same individual as [[#Cornelius|above]])
**** Claudia Octavia (same woman as [[#Claudia Octavia|above]])
**** {{Tree list/final branch}}Tiberius Claudius Caesar ''Britannicus'' (same man as [[#Britannicus|above]])
{{Tree list/end}}

==Cultural depictions==
A famous anecdote, recorded in the late fourth-century ''[[Biography|vita]]'' of [[Virgil]] by [[Aelius Donatus]], in which the poet read the passage in Book VI in praise of Octavia's late son Marcellus and Octavia fainted with grief, has inspired several works of art. The most famous example is [[Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres]]'s 1812 painting ''[[Virgil reading The Aeneid before Augustus, Livia and Octavia]]'' but other artists, including [[Jean-Joseph Taillasson]], [[Antonio Zucchi]], [[Jean-Baptiste Wicar]], [[Jean-Bruno Gassies]] and [[Angelica Kaufmann]], have also been inspired to depict this scene.

In [[Francisco de Rojas Zorrilla|Rojas Zorilla]]'s 17th century Spanish play, ''Cleopatra's Asps'' (''Los Aspides de Cleopatra'' in Spanish) '','' wherein she is given the name Irene, Octavia is depicted as the slighted and vengeful wife of Marc Antony. In [[William Shakespeare]]'s play, ''[[Antony and Cleopatra]]'', Octavia is described as a homely and frumpish woman.

Octavia's later life, around the time of the death of Marcellus, is depicted in the 1976 television adaptation of [[Robert Graves]]'s novel ''[[I, Claudius]]''. The role was played by Angela Morant, and should not be confused with her great-granddaughter [[Claudia Octavia]] (also referred to as "Octavia" in the series), [[Claudius]]'s daughter and wife of the future emperor [[Nero]], who was played by Cheryl Johnson.

In the [[Cleopatra (1963 film)|1963 film ''Cleopatra'']], she is played by [[Jean Marsh]] in an uncredited role.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b701ea47f|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310124921/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b701ea47f|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 10, 2016|title=Cleopatra (1963)|website=BFI}}</ref>

A highly fictionalized version of Octavia's early life is depicted in the 2005 television series ''[[Rome (TV series)|Rome]]'', in which Octavia of the Julii ([[Kerry Condon]]) seduces and sleeps with her younger brother, [[Gaius Octavian (Rome character)|Gaius Octavian]], has a lesbian affair with [[Servilia of the Junii]] (the series' version of [[Servilia (mother of Brutus)|Servilia]]) and a romantic relationship with [[List of Rome characters|Marcus Agrippa]] (based on the historical [[Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa]]), none of which has any historical basis.

In the TV series ''[[Domina (TV Series)|Domina]]'' (2021), Octavia was played by Alexandra Moloney and [[Claire Forlani]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tg24.sky.it/spettacolo/serie-tv/2021/05/06/domina-ottavia-claire-forlani-alexandra-moloney-video |title=Domina, il cast: Claire Forlani e Alexandra Moloney presentano Ottavia. VIDEO |website=sky.it |language=Italian |date=6 May 2021 }}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=n}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

;Sources
* {{cite web |last=Moore |first=Katrina |url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/268659771.pdf |title=Octavia Minor and the Transition from Republic to Empire |publisher=Clemson University |date=2017 }}

==Further reading==
;Life and virtues
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060511145759/http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/2336.html Details on Octavia pt 1]}} ''"Octavian was much attached to his sister, and she possessed all the charms, accomplishments and virtues likely to fascinate the affections and secure a lasting influence over the mind of a husband. Her beauty was universally allowed to be superior to that of Cleopatra and her virtue was such as to excite even admiration in an age of growing licentiousness and corruption."''
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060511145802/http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/2337.html Details on Octavia pt 2]}}
* [http://www.fromoldbooks.org/Wood-NuttallEncyclopaedia/o/octavia.html Nuttall Encyclopedia profile] says merely that she was "distinguished for her beauty and her virtue"

;Discussion
* [http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Post/657712 Octavia's birth and life discussed briefly]
* [http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Post/657609 Octavia's marriage discussed briefly]

;Family and descendants
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110606010201/http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/2042.html Marcellus, Octavia's only son who died aged 20]}}
* [https://www.livius.org/jo-jz/julia/julia03.html Julia, Octavia's daughter-in-law and niece]

;Print sources
*Cluett, Ronald. "Roman women and triumviral politics, 43-37 B.C." ''Echos du monde classique. Classical views'' 17, no. 1 (1998), 67–84.
*Erhart, K. P. "A new portrait type of Octavia Minor (?)." ''The J. Paul Getty Museum journal'' 8 (1980), 117–28.
*Fischer. ''Fulvia und Octavia: die beiden Ehefrauen des Marcus Antonius in den politischen Kämpfen der Umbruchszeit zwischen Republik und Principat''. Berlin: Logos-Verl., 1999.
*Foubert, Lien. "Vesta and Julio-Claudian women in imperial propaganda." ''Ancient society'' 45 (2015), 187–204.
*Freisenbruch, Annelise. 2010. ''The First ladies of Rome: the women behind the Caesars''. London: Jonathan Cape.

==External links==
{{Wikisource1911Enc|Octavia}}
* [https://www.livius.org/articles/person/octavia-minor/ ''Octavia Minor''] on livius.org
{{commons category|Octavia Minor}}
{{Library resources box |by=no |onlinebooks=yes |others=yes |about=yes |label=Octavia the Younger |viaf= |lccn= |lcheading= |wikititle= }}
* [http://virtualreligion.net/iho/octavia.html Octavia] entry in historical sourcebook by Mahlon H. Smith

{{Antony and Cleopatra}}
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[[Category:Octavia the Younger| ]]
[[Category:60s BC births]]
[[Category:11 BC deaths]]
[[Category:1st-century BC Roman women]]
[[Category:Octavii Rufi]]
[[Category:Family of Augustus]]
[[Category:Julio-Claudian dynasty]]
[[Category:Wives of Mark Antony]]