Messalina, the Wife of Emperor Claudius

MESSALINA, THE WIFE OF EMPEROR CLAUDIUS
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Messalina, the Wife of Emperor Claudius
The mere mention of the name Messalina evokes such vivid memories among history enthusiasts, especially those with a keen interest in Imperial Rome. One would think she was some revered goddess. The interesting aspect of her story is that people do not remember her for outstanding and exemplary feats, such as war conquests or bearing intelligent children. They remember her for her wild and reckless sexual escapades, which are well documented. Her infamy has stood the test of time and continues to generate intense interest many eons after her demise. To be precise, Messalina holds the dubious distinction of being the most promiscuous woman and renowned villain that the Roman Empire had the misfortune of producing. She had the knack for courting scandal at every available opportunity and did so without any misgivings. Indeed, she worked overtime to break all existing records and norms revolving around sexual transgressions. That seemed to be her most consuming desire. To date, some people derogatorily use the term "Messalina" to refer to women whose sexual appetite and impulsive behavior are conspicuously out of control. Moreover, history is replete with a scathing condemnation of her unruly conduct and evil machinations.
Valeria Messalina was born around A.D. 20, and there is scanty information on her childhood and upbringing. In A.D. 38, when she was around 18 years old, she married her husband, Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus. There are reports that Messalina later contracted a marriage with her paramour by the name of Silius. However, many believed that the marriage was a smokescreen designed to avert a danger that posed a threat to the emperor. The veracity of this rather ridiculous claim is as uncertain as when Jesus Christ will return. On the other hand, Claudius was 47, twice divorced, and the father of two. The first wife of Claudius was Plautia Urgulanilla, whose father had received an honor with triumph. His second wife was Aaelia Paetina, the daughter of an ex-consul. Claudius and Messalina were first cousins and the direct descendants of the Divine Augustus's sister, Octavia. That said, the marriage to Messalina was a great honor, given the humble extraction of his two previous wives.[Southon, Emma. 2023. This empress was the most dangerous woman in Rome. March 2. /history/history-magazine/article/messalina-sex-politics-power-ancient-rome-empress.] [Tranquillus, C. Suetonius. 1914. The Lives of the Twelve Caesars. http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Claudius*.html.]
On the flip side, Messalina exhibited little thrill and enthusiasm towards the marriage. That, to a considerable extent, was because Claudius had been an embarrassment to the family throughout his entire life. He bore visible disabilities that prompted his relatives to treat him with pronounced disdain. For instance, his mother referred to him as a monster, while his great-uncle, Augustus, forbade him from appearing in public with the rest of the family. The Roman Empire demonstrated absolute hostility to disabled people, and Claudius' lineage did not exempt him from such. In a word, Claudius had...