Fulvia is the most influential person in ancient Rome, remembered for her cruelty and lust for power

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

History knows a lot of facts about the horrific and merciless deeds of the ancient Roman rulers. But among the male despots and tyrants, there was a place for a woman who was not inferior to them in cruelty. It will be about the wife of Mark Anthony Fulvia. This intriguing woman was so fond of power and was merciless towards her enemies that she once even gloated over the severed head of her opponent, sticking hairpins into his tongue.

Fulvia Bambula was the heir to two wealthy families in power in ancient Rome. She grew up watching how power passed from one to another. Thanks to her determined character, ambition and business acumen, the woman left a significant mark in the history of Rome.

Fulvia married three times. Her first husband was the politician Clodius Pulcher. He was known as a great schemer, took part in numerous conspiracies and was an ardent opponent of Cicero. Fulvia did not want to put up with the situation of a silent wife who was sitting at home, so she became no less significant figure in the political arena of Rome than her husband. An excessive passion for political games led Claudius to be killed by one of his opponents.

Fulvia was left alone, but did not grieve for long. The woman again married the tribune of the people, but a year later she was again a widow. But five years later, the consul and military leader Mark Antony, the one who then fell in love with Cleopatra, offered her a hand and heart.

The higher Mark Antony climbed the corporate ladder, the more power was concentrated in Fulvia's hands. This woman, with cunning speeches or decisive actions, could change the opinion of the Senate in the direction she needed, she practically openly traded in the Roman provinces. Fulvia became the first woman to have a profile minted on coins.

One might get the impression that Mark Antony was just a puppet in Fulvia's hands, but this is not the case. They just had the same political views and mutual support. In gratitude to his wife, Mark Antony changed the name of the Greek city of Eumenia to Fulvia.

The ambitious couple had plenty of enemies. Cicero was considered one of these. Thanks to his oratory, a native of an ordinary family managed to secure a seat in the Senate. Seeing that the republic was gradually turning into a dictatorship, Cicero, at one of the sessions of the Senate, made fourteen incriminating speeches against Mark Antony.

Needless to say, the influential couple hated him. And when Cicero was killed by his opponents, Mark Antony brought his head to his wife. Fulvia was so delighted that she even began to stick hairpins in his tongue.

But the love and political union of Fulvia and Mark Antony was not eternal. When the commander went to Egypt, he succumbed to the enchanting spell of Queen Cleopatra. Fulvia was furious, but there was nothing she could do. In order to somehow extinguish her rage, the woman unleashed the Perusian War, in which she was defeated. Ultimately, Fulvia was exiled to Greece, where she died suddenly.

Fulvia is far from the only woman "famous" for her cruelty. The names of these 5 rulers remained in history as synonyms of ruthlessness.