Livia Drusilla

Livia Drusilla (55 BC - AD 29), Roman Empress. She was originally the wife of Tiberius Claudius Nero, by whom she had two sons, Tiberius and Drusus.

She was also grandmother to Germanicus and Claudius, great-grandmother to Caligula and Agrippina the Younger and great-great-grandmother to Nero.

In 38 BC Augustus compelled her husband to divorce her and married her himself. She exercised great influence over Augustus and was suspected of various crimes to secure the throne for her son Tiberius, whom she persuaded Augustus to adopt formally in AD 4. On the accession of Tiberius she attempted to obtain an equal share in the government; but this Tiberius would not allow. After his retirement to Capreae, however, she continued to wield a good deal of influence at Rome until her death.