Aneira, London
Even for the standards of our time, Fulvia was quite an amazing woman. However, for an aristocratic woman of the inflexible patriarchal Roman society, her power was extraordinary. Indeed, it was so great that she was the first non-mythological woman to have her image imprinted onto coins of the era.
She was born into the Fulvia gens, one of the most distinguished Republican Plebian families. In 62 B.C. she married Publius Clodius Pulcher. Ten years later, when Clodius ran for the position of praetor, he was beaten to death by a mob that was paid for by his rival, Titus Annius Milo. Although distraught, Fulvia unleashed her ruthless political prowess. She knew that if the Roman citizens saw Clodius’ wounded body, then their hate for Milo and his political party would grow. So, swearing to avenge his death, she and Clodius’ mother dragged his wounded corpse to the Roman Forum (1). At Milo’s consequent trial, it was Fulvia’s testimony that was read out last, a matter of huge significance, and Milo was exiled (4). Hence, by actively engrossing herself into the political atmosphere, Fulvia avenged her first husband, Clodius.
Almost as soon as her mourning period was over, she married Gaius Scribonius Curio in 52-51 B.C. He was often described as disorganised, and the scholar Cicero even sent Curio a letter, advising him to be more decisive and controlling (5). Shortly after Curio married Fulvia, his character changed. He became decisive and ceased his support for the aristocratic faction, supporting the popular faction instead. A year later, thanks to Fulvia’s persuading of Clodius’ followers to support Curio, he won the powerful position of tribune (2). However, he died only a couple of years after their marriage fighting for Julius Caesar in North Africa (2). Although rarely acknowledged, Fulvia’s influence over Curio is clear and as Curio rose, so did Fulvia.
Left a widow for the second time, Fulvia married Mark Antony in 47 or 46 B.C. (2). She “schooled Antony into obeying women”, according to the historian, Plutarch and campaigned for him very persuasively. She is considered the driving force behind many of his policies: giving Sicilians Roman citizenship and confirming Deiotarus into his kingdom (modern day Turkey), to name a couple (2). However, through her assassination of Cicero, we see her ruthless ability to gain and retain power. In an attempt to attack Antony’s (and Fulvia’s) blossoming political career, Cicero, who supported Octavian, alleged in his second Philippics, a political pamphlet, (5) that she and Antony had had a relationship since 58 B.C. (2). For this, Fulvia ordered his assassination. The Roman historian, Cassius Dio describes how she repeatedly pierced Cicero’s tongue with her golden hairpins when Cicero’s decapitated head was brought to her, revelling in her revenge against Cicero's power of speech (1).
Described by Plutarch as a woman who wanted to “rule a ruler and command a commander”, she was still not content with her supporting role. Unhappy at how Antony, as part of the Triumvirate rulers of Rome, had to share power with Octavian and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, she wrestled for Antony to be the only ruler of Rome whilst he and
Octavian pursued Julius Caesar’s assassins (2). She joined with Lucius Antonius, her brother-in-law, to gather eight legions and fight the future first Roman Emperor, Octavian, in what is known as the Perusine War.
Fulvia and Lucius briefly managed to seize Rome, before being forced to retreat to Perusia (modern Perugia) (6). It was here that Octavian’s infamous sling bullets, engraved with insults to both Fulvia and Lucius, were found (3). In the winter of 41-40 B.C., Fulvia and Antonius were forced to surrender due to starvation, but their lives were spared; Antonius was sent to govern a Spanish province whilst Fulvia fled to Greece with her children, met Antony in Athens and tried to convince him to sail into Italy (4). Despite her best efforts, he was furious with her and supposedly caused her deep grief. She died in 40 B.C. in Sicyon of an unknown illness (3).
Fulvia’s influence, power and political aptitude have seen her be called the unofficial fourth member of the Triumvirate (4). She broke with the gender stereotypes of her time and the coins inscribed with her likeness are a lasting reminder of her influence.
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