Matchmaking Empire

Abstract When Antony and Cleopatra died by suicide in 30, Octavian executed their adult sons. Unusually, Octavia took charge of their surviving children. Octavia oversaw the education of the children of Antony by Fulvia, Cleopatra, and herself, as well as her three children from Marcellus. Evidence reveals her contact with contemporary philosophers, scholars, and poets; she helped develop the ideal of educated motherhood. Octavia also arranged their marriages. In contrast to the Triumviral trend that sealed peace agreements between enemies with marriages, under Augustus members of his extended family wed each other, closing off the imperial family. Octavia’s son Marcellus wed Augustus’s daughter Julia, for example. In turn, Octavia arranged the marriage of Cleopatra Selene and Juba II, who were set up at monarchs of Mauretania. Thus, Octavia’s traditional matronal skills in social networking led her to help construct an imperial family and an empire of elite families loyal to it.