Representing Agrippina: Constructions of Female Power in the Early Roman Empire (American Classical Studies)

160 Pages·2005·1.32 MB·English

by  Judith Ginsburg

Representing Agrippina:
Constructions of Female
Power in the Early
Roman Empire
JUDITH GINSBURG
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
Representing Agrippina
AMERICAN PHILOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION
american classical studies
volume50
Series Editor
Donald J. Mastronarde
Studies in Classical History and Society
Meyer Reinhold
Sextus Empiricus
The Transmission and Recovery of Pyrrhonism
Luciano Floridi
The Augustan Succession
An Historical Commentary on Cassius Dio’s “Roman History”
Books 55–56 (9 b.c.–a.d. 14)
Peter Michael Swan
Greek Mythography in the Roman World
Alan Cameron
Virgil Recomposed
The Mythological and Secular Centos in Antiquity
Scott McGill
Representing Agrippina
Constructions of Female Power in the Early Roman Empire
Judith Ginsburg
Representing Agrippina
Constructions of Female Power
in the Early Roman Empire
judith ginsburg
1
2006
3
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Ginsburg, Judith.
Representing Agrippina: constructions of female power
in the early Roman Empire / Judith Ginsburg.
p. cm.—(American classical studies; v. 50)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13 978–0–19–518141–8
ISBN 0–19–518141–7
1. Agrippina, Minor, 15–59. 2. Rome—History—The five Julii, 30 BC–68AD.
3. Agrippina, Minor, 15–59—In literature. 4. Agrippina, Minor, 15–59—Portraits.
5. Empresses—Rome—Biography. I. Title. II. American classical studies; no. 50.
DG282.6.G56 2005
937'.07'092—dc22 2005040653
[B]
1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2
Printed in the United States of America
on acid-free paper
Acknowledgments
When Judith Ginsburg died in December 2002, she left a nearly complete manu-
script on Agrippina. This is the publication of her manuscript, together with some
clearly marked additions. During her illness, Judith reviewed her entire manuscript
and outlined a plan for its completion. She was unable to finish the book as she had
intended. This publication preserves the text that she wrote, together with the overall
organization of her argument. Some additions have been made to fill in gaps, but
everything that is not in Judith’s own words has been marked off in square brackets.
Numerous friends contributed to the publication of Judith’s manuscript. Their
eagerness to help is testimony to the love and respect that Judith inspired in others
to an exceptional degree. Above all, the book owes its publication to Miri Amihai,
whose boundless devotion and support gave Judith the strength to work on her
manuscript during her illness and made it possible for others to take over where
Judith left off.
Erich Gruen (EG), Natalie Kampen (NK), Elizabeth Keitel (EK), and Beth
Severy-Hoven (BS-H) read part or all of the manuscript and added footnotes or
conclusions. Conclusions have been added to all three chapters of the book. All
substantive additions are identified by square brackets together with the initials
of the writer. All translations are by Judith unless attributed to another or placed
in square brackets.
Elizabeth Bartman, Jacquelyn Collins Clinton (JCC), Carolyn Dewald, and
Donald Mastronarde read part or the whole of the manuscript and made valuable
editorial suggestions. Donald Mastronarde also gave unstinting help with elec-
tronic problems.
Andrew Ellis, Jacqui Hogans, Kristine Miranda, Matthew Perry, and Herica
Valladares checked the references and reviewed the text. Matthew Perry prepared
the chart of the Julio-Claudians and the index.
The two readers for Oxford University Press, Harriet Flower and Ron Mellor,
made many helpful suggestions.
Throughout the preparation of the manuscript, the Classics Department of
Cornell University contributed unstinting help and funding. Jeffrey Rusten provided
invaluable practical advice and guidance for having the manuscript published.
Elizabeth Asmis and Erich Gruen coordinated the preparation of the manu-
script for publication.
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Contents
Introduction 3
Erich S. Gruen
Chapter 1: Agrippina in the Literary Tradition 9
I. Agrippina: The Early Years 10
II. The Marriage to Claudius 17
III. Agrippina and Claudius 22
IV. Agrippina and Nero 35
V. The Murder of Agrippina 46
[VI. Conclusion] 53
Chapter 2: Visualizing Agrippina 55
I. Agrippina on the Imperial and Provincial Coinage 56
II. Agrippina in Sculpture 79
III. Agrippina on Cameos 91
IV. Agrippina’s Assimilation to Demeter 97
[V. Conclusion] 104
Chapter 3: Agrippina and the Power of Rhetorical Stereotypes 106
I.Saeva Noverca 107
II.Dux Femina 112
III. Sexual Transgressor 116
[IV. Conclusion] 130
Chart of the Julio-Claudians 133
Bibliography 135
Index 143
Photo gallery appears after page 56
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Representing Agrippina