Wives of Julius Caesar

The great military and political leader of Rome was well known for his amorous trysts with Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt.

Were Caesar and Cleopatra married? Nope. But why not?

Let’s find the answer in this short post, dedicated to the lesser known women who faced the trials and tribulations of being married to the man called Julius Caesar.

Cornelia

Cornelia was the daughter of the Consul Lucius Cornelius Cinna.

Caesar married Cornelia in 83 BCE. This marriage gave Julius Caesar’s political career a tremendous boost as he formed strategic connections through Cornelia’s family.

Cornelia gave birth to Caesar’s only legitimate child, Julia. She died when Julia was seven years old. Cornelia’s death was a big blow to Caesar, both personally and on the political front.

Pompeia

Pompeia was Caesar’s second wife and hailed from a prominent patrician family. Like his first marriage, Caesar benefitted from this union by strengthening political ties and elevating his prestige in Roman society.

It was during the festival of Bona Dea that things started unraveling.

This festival was meant exclusively for women and men were not permitted on the premises.

During the party, Pompeia was caught in a compromising situation with Clodius Pulcher, who attended the party dressed as a woman. Whether Pompeia had consented to the liaison or not remains a mystery.

However, Caesar was embarassed and this incident gave him grounds for divorce.

He wanted a wife who was above suspicion — that was essential for him to maintain his prestige in the political landscape of Rome.

Calpurnia

Julius Caesar’s last wife was Calpurnia, the daughter of another prominent Senator called Piso. Once again, Caesar adopted the strategy of combining matrimony with his political aspirations.

It was during his marriage to Calpurnia that Caesar fathered a child with the queen of Egypt, Cleopatra. But being a Roman, he could not marry a foreigner legally.

Luckily, Calpurnia was a devoted wife, with a deep concern for Caesar’s well-being.

On the Ides (15^th ) of March 44 BCE, Calpurnia woke up after seeing a terrible dream. She had dreamt holding Caesar’s dead body in her arms.

Calpurnia begged her husband not to leave the house that day.

However, Caesar ignored her warning and proceeded to the Senate House … where he was murdered.

Thanks for reading & have a great day,

A. David Singh