catherinedemedici: ܀ history meme ܀ six relationships: Caligula (x) and Julia Drusilla (3/6) ↳ broth
catherinedemedici:܀ history meme ܀ six relationships: Caligula (x) and Julia Drusilla (3/6) ↳ brother and sister As undeniably the favourite sister, the relationship between Caligula (Emperor Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus) and Drusilla is one swamped with whispers and out-right pronouncements of incest. Such accusations in the sources are somewhat dubious given the fact that many emperors are accused of incest to discredit them. Nevertheless, there does seem to have been a bond between the two that probably provided the fuel for the rumours. At the beginning of his reign, Caligula showed great favour to all three of his sisters so that they were honoured as much as the Vestals and enjoyed great privileges. Accordingly, it is said that Caligula had sexual relations with all three but Drusilla was the one he favoured the most. She sat in the place of honour and he named her his successor should he of died when he was ill. Perhaps the biggest expression of the great regard that Caligula held for his sister is that upon her death, “she became the first Roman woman to be deified… a statue of her was placed at the temple of Venus Genetrix, the only instance of a Roman woman’s image being so venerated.” It is noted that he grieved her like a widower and had his daughter named after her. Whatever the reality of their relationship, incestuous or not, Drusilla appeared to have a profound effect on her brother and the two have become an infamous pair. -- source link
#caligula#julia drusilla#history