Livia

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Livia Drusilla, also known as Julia Augusta from AD 14, was a devoted and influential wife of Caesar Augustus who advised him on state matters. She worked tirelessly to secure the imperial succession for her son Tiberius, eliminating many potential rivals, including Marcus Claudius Marcellus, Gaius and Lucius Caesar, Agrippa Postumus, and Germanicus. Her father was Marcus Livius Drusus Claudianus, an adoptive son of the tribune Marcus Livius Drusus. Livia married her cousin Tiberius Claudius Nero in 51 BC, giving birth to Tiberius in 42 BC. She was still pregnant with her second son, Nero Claudius Drusus, when she divorced her first husband and married Octavian, who later became known as Augustus, early in 38 BC. After Augustus's death on August 19, AD 14, Livia was adopted into his will and assumed the name Julia Augusta. She played a significant role in promoting the cult of the deified Augustus. However, Tiberius's rise to power led to Livia's influence being limited. He refused to honor her requests and even went against her will after her death. Despite this, Livia was deified by her grandson Claudius in 42 AD. Her reputation for dignity and beauty is confirmed through surviving portraits of her.