Pomponia | |
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Pomponia was a Roman woman who lived in the first century BC and was the only sister to Cicero’s friend Titus Pomponius Atticus and wife of Cicero's brother Quintus Tullius Cicero, whom she had a notoriously unhappy marriage with.[1]
Biography
editEarly life and family
editShe was an aunt to Titus Servilius Pomponianus, Caecilia Attica and a great-aunt to Vipsania Agrippina (first wife to future Roman Emperor Tiberius).
Marriage and later life
editCicero through his effective mediation was able to arrange for Pomponia to marry his younger brother Quintus Tullius Cicero. Quintus and Pomponia married in 68 BC. Pomponia bore Quintus a son of the same name. Quintus and Pomponia had a long unhappy marriage and they constantly quarrelled. Pomponia was a woman of strong character. Their constant quarrelling greatly upset Cicero and he mentioned this in his letters to Atticus. Cicero tried to assist his sister-in-law and his brother to resolve their problems, but Cicero supported his brother.
When the younger Quintus Tullius Cicero grew up, he tried (encouraged by his uncles) to reconcile his parents, but was unsuccessful. Pomponia and the elder Quintus divorced in later 45 BC or early 44 BC.
In December 43 BC, Cicero, Quintus, and Quintus minor were executed on the orders of Roman Triumvir Mark Antony. As an act of decency, Antony handed over Philologus, a former slave and traitor to Cicero, to Pomponia. According to Plutarch, Pomponia punished Philologus for his treachery with terrible punishments, which included forcing him to cut off pieces of his own flesh, then roasting and eating them.[2][3]
Cultural depictions
editSee also
editReferences
editCategory:Pomponii Category:Mistresses of Julius Caesar Category:1st-century BC Roman women