Scribonia

The elegist of one of her daughters by an earlier marriage referred to her flatteringly as “sweet mother Scribonia.”

Caesars’ Wives Annelise Freisenbruch 2010

But before the year 39 BC was out, in a ruthless demonstration of how easily these alliances could be made and broken, Octavian had divorced Scribonia—only hours after she gave birth to their only daughter, Julia—and invited the pregnant ex-wife of one of his political opponents to move in with him as a prelude to marrying her.

Caesars’ Wives Annelise Freisenbruch 2010

Scribonia retreated into the shadows and seems never to have remarried, though she lived well into her eighties, a grand old age in antiquity.

Caesars’ Wives Annelise Freisenbruch 2010

See Birley 2000, 28f on the family background of the gens Annia, including possible family links to Scribonia and Salonia Matidia.

Caesars’ Wives Annelise Freisenbruch 2010

Octavian later wrote of his abrupt decision to divorce Scribonia after just a year of marriage, “I could not bear the way she nagged at me.”

Caesars’ Wives Annelise Freisenbruch 2010

At her own insistence, we are told, Scribonia, the wife Augustus discarded in favor of Livia, loyally accompanied her daughter into exile.

Caesars’ Wives Annelise Freisenbruch 2010

Octavia gave the same speech and the same amount of money, though Scribonia could give only fifty talents.

Antony and Cleopatra Colleen McCullough 2007

Though Scribonia the sister was now in her early thirties and deemed ill omened—twice widowed was once too often—Libo did not despair of finding her a third husband.

Antony and Cleopatra Colleen McCullough 2007

Scribonia feared a mental malady, for the calm and collected Octavian was touchy, short-tempered, and critical of things he usually ignored.

Antony and Cleopatra Colleen McCullough 2007

Scribonia dropped it from fingers grown suddenly numb, and sank onto a marble bench to sit with her head between her knees, fighting faintness.

Antony and Cleopatra Colleen McCullough 2007