Valeria Messalina (c.29; fl.38-48)
Silanus was summoned to Rome by Claudius and married to Domitia Lepida (59; fl.15-54), mother of Claudius’ third wife Valeria Messalina (c.29; fl.38-48). Messalina was immoral and when Silanus rejected her advances she accused him of plotting against Claudius who, having good reasons for yielding to such a charge, Silanus as a governor with three legions in Spain was a potential threat, ordered his execution.
In the wake of Silanus’ death, the influential senator 01Annius Vinicianus approached Scribonianus with a plot to overthrow Claudius. The rebellion failed because when Scribonianus announced his intention to restore the Republic his troops turned against him and forced him to flee to the island of Issa where he later committed suicide.In 48 Messalina married her lover Gaius 03Silius (c.35; fl.48) in a public ceremony while Claudius was away inspecting the harbour at Ostia. Some sources say that she had divorced Claudius first; others argue that it was part of a plot to overthrow him. Whatever the case, it resulted in the execution of Messalina, Silius and many of the guests at the wedding.
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