Junia Silana (died 59 C.E.) was a
Roman patrician
The patricians (from ) were originally a group of ruling class families in ancient Rome. The distinction was highly significant in the Roman Kingdom and the early Roman Republic, Republic, but its relevance waned after the Conflict of the Orders ...
. She was the sister of
Junia Claudilla
Junia Claudilla (d. AD 34, 36 or 37),#refBarrett, Barrett (1989), p. 32 also known as Junia Claudia, was the first wife of the Roman Emperor Caligula before he came to power.
Biography Early life
Her father was a distinguished Roman Senate, senat ...
, the first wife of
Caligula
Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (31 August 12 – 24 January 41), also called Gaius and Caligula (), was Roman emperor from AD 37 until his assassination in 41. He was the son of the Roman general Germanicus and Augustus' granddaughter Ag ...
, before he became emperor. Silana was a prominent figure in the power struggles that transpired in the reign of three different emperors.
She was also noted for her close relationship with
Julia Agrippina
Julia Agrippina (6 November AD 15 – 23 March AD 59), also referred to as Agrippina the Younger, was Roman empress from AD 49 to 54, the fourth wife and niece of emperor Claudius, and the mother of Nero.
Agrippina was one of the most prominent ...
.
Biography
Early life and marriage

Silana was one of the daughters of the famous
orator
An orator, or oratist, is a public speaker, especially one who is eloquent or skilled.
Etymology
Recorded in English c. 1374, with a meaning of "one who pleads or argues for a cause", from Anglo-French ''oratour'', Old French ''orateur'' (14 ...
and ''
consul suffectus
The consuls were the highest elected public officials of the Roman Republic ( to 27 BC). Romans considered the consulship the second-highest level of the ''cursus honorum''an ascending sequence of public offices to which politicians aspire ...
'', Marcus Junius Silanus, who became the father-in-law of Caligula after the latter married Silana's sister, Junia Claudilla, in 30 or 31 C.E.
There are no sources detailing Silana's early life since the earliest records mentioned her name when she was already an adult and married to Gaius Silius. After Claudilla died of childbirth, Caligula forced Silana's father to commit suicide in 38 C.E.
Historians such as
François-Joseph de Champagny
François-Joseph de Champagny, 4th Duke of Cadore (8 September 1804, Vienna – 4 May 1882 Paris) was a French author and historian. He was the thirteenth member elected to occupy seat 4 of the Académie française in 1869.
Biography
François-Jo ...
and
Rodolfo Lanciani
Rodolfo Amedeo Lanciani (1 January 1845 – 22 May 1929) was an Italian archaeologist, a pioneering student of ancient Roman topography. Among his many excavations was that of the House of the Vestals in the Roman Forum.
Lanciani earned LL.D. ...
speculated that she may have been engaged to or married Caligula's older brother
Nero
Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68) was a Roman emperor and the final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 until his ...
before he married
Julia Livia
Julia Livia (AD 7–43) was the daughter of Drusus Julius Caesar and Livilla, and granddaughter of the Roman Emperor Tiberius. She was also a first cousin of the emperor Caligula, and niece of the emperor Claudius.
Biography Early life
Julia wa ...
.
Silana first made an appearance in historical records during a court intrigue involving
Messalina
Valeria Messalina (; ) was the third wife of Roman emperor Claudius. She was a paternal cousin of Emperor Nero, a second cousin of Emperor Caligula, and a great-grandniece of Emperor Augustus. A powerful and influential woman with a reputation ...
. Her husband Silius - considered one of the most handsome men in Rome
- divorced her at the instigation of Messalina. According to Tacitus, Silius was compelled to do so for fear of certain death if he refused. A year later, Silius and Messalina, who was noted for her adulterous affairs, were married even though the latter was still legally married to
Emperor Claudius
Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; ; 1 August 10 BC – 13 October AD 54), or Claudius, was a Roman emperor, ruling from AD 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, Claudius was born to Drusus and Antonia Minor at Lugdu ...
. The pair was executed after the freedman
Narcissus informed the emperor, who was at
Ostia, of their lavish wedding and the plot to assassinate him.
Relationship with Agrippina
History next knew of Silana, when she became close to Agrippina. Her high station at the imperial court and Agrippina's animosity with Messalina cemented this friendship.
She was cited as one of the few personages who maintained contact with Agrippina as her son
Emperor Nero
Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68) was a Roman emperor and the final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 until hi ...
sought to diminish her influence.
She was identified as one of the few friends who supported Agrippina during the latter's political isolation. The relationship, however, soured when Agrippina interfered after Silana, who was already old at this point, announced an impending marriage with the young Roman aristocrat, Sentius Africanus.
It is said that Agrippina blocked the marriage to prevent the young noble from inheriting Silana's immense wealth.
Silana and Agrippina became bitter enemies. Their conflict culminated in an intrigue that involved a false plot to assassinate Nero. After the death of
Britannicus
Tiberius Claudius Caesar Britannicus (12 February AD 41 – 11 February AD 55), usually called Britannicus, was the son of Roman Emperor Claudius and his third wife, Valeria Messalina. For a time, he was considered his father's heir, but t ...
, Agrippina began losing her influence in the imperial court. Silana chose this opportunity to sow intrigue. She employed two of her agents, Iturius and Calvisius, to relay an allegation to
Atimetus that Agrippina was behind the plot to kill her son. When presented with the accusation, however, Agrippina successfully dispelled the charges. Silana was exiled at
Tarentum in 55 C.E.
An account cited that she was recalled back to Rome in 59 C.E. after the murder of Agrippina.
Silana died during the journey.
See also
*
Women in ancient Rome
Freeborn (Ancient Rome), Freeborn women in ancient Rome were Roman citizenship, citizens (''cives''), but could not vote or hold Roman magistrate, political office. Because of their limited public role, women are named less frequently than men by ...
*
List of Roman women
The list below includes Women in Ancient Rome, Roman women who were notable for their family connections, or their sons or husbands, or their own actions. In the earlier periods, women came to the attention of (later) historians either as poisone ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Junia Silana
Junii Silani
1st-century Roman women
1st-century Romans
59 deaths
Year of birth unknown