Octavia
Daughter of Claudius
First wife of Nero
Claudia Octavia was the daughter of Claudius and Messalina. She was born around 40 AD and married Nero in 53 AD. Claudia Octavia was Nero’s first wife, and he was not fond of her in the least. Their marriage was purely political, and it paved the way for Nero’s ascent to the throne.
In 55 AD, Nero, or more likely his mother Agrippina, Jr., poisoned her older brother Britannicus. Claudia Octavia who was beloved by the people of Rome but hated by Nero. It was Nero, under the influence of his mistress Poppaea Sabina, who became pregnant and pushed Nero to divorce her in 62AD. Nero banished Claudia Octavia at first to Campania. However, later she was imprisoned on the island of Pandateria on the false pretense that she had committed ‘adultery.’ The People of Rome demanded her return, but she was soon executed on the orders of Poppaea. She was beheaded, and her head was given to his ruthless Poppaea as a token of Nero’s affection.
Monetary System
Mints: Corinth, Crete, Egypt, Judaea, Sinope, and Thrace
Obverse Legends:
OCTAVIAE NERONIS AVG
COLONIAL DENOMINATIONS
CORINTH
Æ 20 of Corinth
Æ 20 of Paphlagonia (Portrait)
CRETE
AE27 CRETE, Cnossus (Bare hd drapery on lf shoulder & sceptre rt/Octavia w/crescent abv facing Nero star abv)
EGYPT
AR Tetradrachm Claudia Octavia/Nero
JUDAEA
Æ19 JUDAEA Agrippina Jr seated left/Octavia Standing
PAPHLAGONIA, Sinope.
Æ22 Nero/Claudia Octavia
THRACE, Perinthus
Æ28 bust rt / statue of Hera
