Description

‘A thoroughly rapacious woman…as cruel as she is greedy’ Cicero
‘A woman who took no thought for spinning or housekeeping…meddlesome and headstrong’ Plutarch
‘[She] caused the death of many, both to satisfy her enmity and to gain their wealth’ Cassius Dio
‘She acted in a haughty manner towards those who were placing her in a position to be arrogant’ Orosius
‘Nothing of the woman in her except her sex’ Velleius Paterculus

The charismatic Fulvia amassed a degree of military and political power that was unprecedented for a woman in Ancient Rome. Married three times to men who moved in powerful circles, including Marc Antony, Fulvia was not content to play the usual background role that was expected of a wife – instead she challenged the Roman patriarchy and sought to increase her influence in the face of determined opposition.

It’s rare to know so much about a particular Roman woman, but Fulvia was so despised by her male detractors that she was much written about. Acclaimed historian Jane Draycott has used original sources to piece together Fulvia’s life and sort fact from fiction, while also exploring the role of women in Roman society.

Publisher Review

A nuanced and insightful portrait of Fulvia which fully explores her intelligence, ambition and importance to Roman republican history, as well as the intense misogyny of the way she was portrayed by ancient sources. A fantastic and much needed book — Emma Southon, author of A HISTORY OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE IN 21 WOMEN A stirring reclamation of Fulvia from the footnotes of history – and from the role of villain that she has played for far too long. In this even-handed treatment of her character, Jane Draycott takes a cool historian’s eye to the sources and balances the probable against the ridiculous – peeling away the layers of misogyny that have dogged Fulvia for centuries, and re-positioning her as a powerful woman who fell victim to the sexism of ancient Rome, and of the forces of history — Emily Hauser, author of MYTHICA Both a long overdue reclamation of one of Rome’s most important and maligned women, and a captivating, fast-paced historical tale. Late republican Rome emerges as a bristling minefield of overlapping loyalties, enmities, love affairs and feuds. And Fulvia emerges as a woman of her age – playing the game as it fell with remarkable, charismatic, transgressive tenacity. — Honor Cargill-Martin, author of MESSALINA With Fulvia, Jane Draycott has given us both a terrific read and a superb reconstruction of a life we should know better. Fulvia’s brutal politicking adds a whole new dimension to the well-worn tale of Caesar’s assassination, and to her third husband Antony’s affair with Cleopatra. Highly recommended — Catherine Fletcher, author of THE ROADS TO ROME A woman who has brought more luck to herself than to her husbands…a woman as cruel as she is greedy to the utmost extent — Cicero A woman who took no thought for spinning or housekeeping…meddlesome and headstrong — Plutarch [She] caused the death of many, both to satisfy her enmity and to gain their wealth — Cassius Dio Nothing of the woman in her except her sex — Velleius Paterculus She acted in a haughty manner towards those who were placing her in a position to be arrogant — Orosius