Ancient history

Milonia Caesonia, the last wife of Caligula

Caligula married in third marriage Milonia Caesonia, the only one of his wives whom he did not repudiate. She was neither aristocratic, nor beautiful, nor young, had a light reputation and was already the mother of three daughters. Caligula loved her because she was as debauched as he was. However, there were rumors that she had given him a love potion that had permanently knocked him out of his mind.

Caesonia bore Caligula the child he was expecting, but she did not survive the emperor's assassination.

Caligula wanted to be a father. Caesonia granted his wish by giving him a daughter whom he named Drusilla in honor of his late sister. The emperor thanked Caesonia by marrying her after her childbirth and recognizing his daughter the same day, while tradition required to do so to wait eight days. Caligula symbolically placed her daughter in the arms of a statue of Minerva to curry favor with the goddess.

On January 24, 41, conspirators assassinated the emperor during the Palatine games. Their leader, Cassius Cherea, demanded that the tyrant's wife and daughter follow him to the grave. Caesonia showed courage and dignity: she craned her neck against the blade of Tribune Lupus and died before she saw her daughter's skull shattered against a wall.