previous next

Calvi'na, Ju'lia

the sister of L. Silanus, was at first married to a son of Vitellius, but afterwards, for the sake of doing a favour to Agrippina, Vitellius accused her of incestuous intercourse with her brother, L. Silanus. There was, however, according to the concurrent testimony of the ancients, no ground whatever for that charge, except that Silanus was attached to his sister, and perhaps expressed his love for her in too unguarded a manner, surrounded as he was by spies and enemies. When Silanus had put an end to his own life, Calvina was expelled from Italy. (Tac. Ann. 12.4, 8; L. SILANUS.) It is highly probable that this Calvina is the same as the Junia (Julia ?) Calvina mentioned by Suetonius (Vesp. 23) as still alive towards the end of the reign of Vespasian, for it is stated there, that she belonged to the family of Augustus, and it is well known that the Silani were great-great-grandsons of Augustus.

[L.S]

hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: