J - 152 : Exiled for Sex Crimes - Julia the Elder

The 1.5 sqkm Island of Ventotene with the Villa Julia in the Foreground

A good two hours by ferry from Gaeta lies the small island of Ventotene. The little spot in the Tyrrhenian has a surface of 1.54 square kilometers. During wintertime, 18 people live here. On a nice summer day, tourists bring the number to above 100. The island is just 1/14 the size of Saint Barth. No cars. A pedestrian paradise. Had Julia, Emperor Augustus’ only daughter, not lived here for five years, nobody would know it. She was exiled from Rome.

The fastest Way to reach Ventotene is to take the daily Ferry from Formia

Julia was punished for her "adulterous" life style. She fell afoul of her father’s law on sexual behavior, the “Lex Iulia de Adulteriis Coercendis”. Augustus introduced it in 18 BC, a good twelve years after he won the civil war against Marc Anthony and became Emperor. His intention was to strengthen public moral by criminalizing adultery. It transformed adultery from a private matter to criminal conduct. Adultery laws applied to married women and men who had relation with them. Married men who had sex with unmarried women, slaves and prostitutes were not subject to this law.

Denarius with Augustus on the Front and Julia (as Diana) on the Back - Struck in 13 BC

Women who were found guilty lost half their dowry, one third of their property and were exiled to remote corners of the empire. Men having sex with married women faced similar penalties and were often murdered. Fathers had the right to kill their married daughters if found in bed with a stranger. Husbands were forced to divorce from unfaithful wives. One wonders, what problems these laws were supposed to solve. Had Rome become such a sin pool that the Emperor personally had to act? No ancient text describes a mass decay of moral standards in Rome during Augustus's reign.

Egypt's Wealth Powered Roman Luxury Consumption

The end of the civil wars in 30 BC had brought massive change to Rome though. Egypt was now a Roman province governed directly by Augustus. Thanks to its three harvest and the prosperous trade with Asia, it generated 80% of Rome’s tax revenue. Rome was awash in cash – for the upper 10% a life in luxury and splendor had arrived. There was no pleasure wealthy Romans could not afford.

The Roman Empire's Expansion under Emperor Augustus (27 BC - 14 AD)

At the same time, Augustus consolidated and expanded his empire. Most people fall for the myth of “Pax Augusta”, the peace of Augustus. His reign of 41 years though was a period of permanent wars. Every year campaigns comparable to the 2^nd Punic War were fought. Rome’s manpower was stretched. At that time, legionnaires were still mostly Roman citizens. The officers Roman nobles. Suppressing rebellions in the Pas-de-Calais, on the lower Rhein, in the Balkans, on Spain’s Atlantic coast, the Swiss and French Alps, Mauritania, Arabia and recently annexed Egypt required all the 50 legions the Empire had. The troops were for years on campaign, returning home rarely.

Opening Battle Scene from the Movie Gladiator

Many Roman noblemen saw military service at something highly unattractive. At home, they could enjoy the spoils from the recently conquered provinces. And benefit from the absence of the officers fighting for their emperor. The spouses did not see their – often considerably older – husbands for years. There must have been a big, lonely heart club in Rome. “I can resist anything but temptation”, Oscar Wild once famously said. Am sure this applies to the rich Romans opting out of service – a brew dangerous for the cohesion of Augustus’ officer corps. Fighting for glory and empire whilst their families at home fall apart? Nada.

This Bikini Girls Mosaic was found in a Roman Villa in Sicily

In 18 BC, when the adultery law was introduced, the major pacifying campaigns were done. Rome’s iron fist had smashed the resistance – as we know from recently discovered battle-fields in Switzerland’s eastern Alps. But Augustus was not done yet. He aimed to conquer Germania, where amber came from – the jewels of the Gods. Future Emperor Tiberius, Augustus’ stepson, lead the German campaign and spent considerable time (15 – 6 BC) far away from Rome.

Julia the Elder was Augustus' only Daughter. She was

Married to an Emperor, Grandmother of another one

(Caligula) and Great-Grandmother to a third (Nero)

Back to Julia, Augustus’s daughter. She never had a say in her life and was a pawn in her father’s dynastic plans. She was married to Agrippa, Augustus’ loyal and most capable General, with whom she had five children. Agrippa died unexpectedly in 12 BC at the age of 51. A year later, Augustus forced his daughter to marry Tiberius, his stepson. The two were no match made in heaven. To make the marriage possible, Augustus had forced Tiberius to divorce his beloved wife (Vipsania Agrippina). Tiberius deeply resented Augustus for doing this. The couple did not last of course. By 6 BC they separated but stayed formally married.

Julia was accused of holding Drinking Parties and Prostituting herself on the Rostra - Rome's Public Announcement Platform where her Father had declared the "Lex Adulteris"

For the first time in her life Julia was free. She could finally do what she wanted. At the age of 33 Julia had still plenty of oomph left and the money to live an exuberant life. The rumors of her affairs circulated widely. People whispered that there was no noble she had not been in bed with. Whilst she had undoubtably many lovers, she made one crucial mistake: sleeping with the “enemy”. One of her lovers was Lullus Antonius, the son of Marc Anthony – Augustus’ former rival. Julia’s lifestyle not only undermined Augustus’ moral policy, it now was a political threat. Augustus was always afraid of coups. He moved against his daughter.

Only Ruins remain of the Villa Julia where Augustus' Daughter was exiled to for 5 long Years

By 2 AC, Julia was arrested. Her father divorced her from Tiberius, his designated successor. She was exiled to the island of Ventotene. Her lovers did less well. Many were forced into suicide. Augustus never defended his decision. For him, the law was applicable to everyone – even his daughter. Whilst expressing remorse in his later life, he never pardoned her. The preservation of his Empire was more important to him.

Julia's Villa had direct Access to the Beach - But Romans did not swim in the Sea

Julia stayed for five years on the island. Her mother Scribonia and a female servant were her only company. She was not allowed to receive visitors, drink wine or get letters. Ships with food arrived sparsely. There was often little to eat. Five years into her exile, Augustus moved her to a villa in today’s Reggio di Calabria and granted her a yearly stipend. But she was never allowed to return to Rome. She survived her father for a few months but also died in 14 AD. Tiberius, her former husband and Augustus’ successor, did not pardon her either.

If we cannot visit Ventotene this Summer we will have to use a Ferry - as Everybody else

Very little is left of the villa Julia on the island of Ventotene. If the wind is right, we might make a detour during our third week. If not, we will have to visit the island another time.