Milonia Caesonia: The Last Empress of Caligula
In the volatile court of the Emperor Caligula, where wives were often discarded as quickly as they were wed, Milonia Caesonia (c. 5 – 41 CE) stood out as a woman of enduring influence. As Caligula’s fourth and final wife, she was neither a virgin nor a teenager when they met—she was a mother of three and older than the Emperor—yet she held his devotion until the moment they were both assassinated.
An Unlikely Match
By the time Caligula married Caesonia in 39 CE, he had already been through three wives. His previous marriages were largely political or impulsive, characterized by swift divorces. Caesonia, however, was different. Ancient historians like Suetonius and Dio Cassius describe her as a woman of “unbridled extravagance and wantonness,” yet they acknowledge that Caligula loved her with a passion that bordered on obsession.
Their marriage was solidified by the birth of a daughter, Julia Drusilla, named after Caligula’s favorite deceased sister. The Emperor claimed the child was his own by pointing to her fierce temperament; even as an infant, she reportedly scratched at the eyes of other children, which Caligula took as proof of his bloodline.
The Source of Influence
Caesonia’s hold over the Emperor was so absolute that rumors of love potions began to circulate in Rome. Many believed she had fed Caligula a “philtre” (a magical brew) that had not only made him love her but had also unhinged his mind, leading to his increasingly erratic and tyrannical behavior.
Despite these rumors, her role was multifaceted:
• The Companion: She was often seen riding beside Caligula while he reviewed the troops, dressed in a soldier’s cloak (chlamys), a helmet, and carrying a shield.
• The Exhibit: In a display of his bizarre pride and lack of traditional Roman decorum, Caligula would occasionally show Caesonia off naked to his friends, boasting of her beauty even after she had aged and borne children.
• The Confidante: Amidst the paranoia of the Palatine Hill, she was one of the few people Caligula truly trusted. He was once quoted as saying that he would “put her to the torture” just to find out why he loved her so much.
The Bloody End
Caesonia’s fate was inextricably tied to her husband’s. In January 41 CE, when the Praetorian Guard under Cassius Chaerea launched their successful assassination plot against Caligula, they did not stop with the Emperor.
As Caligula lay dead in a palace corridor, the conspirators sought out Caesonia. According to historical accounts, she met her end with remarkable dignity. As she lay mourning over her husband’s body, she reportedly told the assassin to strike without hesitation, offering her neck to the sword. She was killed alongside her young daughter, Julia Drusilla, whose head was dashed against a wall by the soldiers.
Legacy in History
Milonia Caesonia is often portrayed in literature and film as a seductive or tragic figure, a woman caught in the orbit of a madman. However, she was more likely a shrewd survivor who understood how to navigate the ego of an autocrat. Her death marked the end of Caligula’s inner circle and served as a grim reminder of the price of imperial favor in the first century.