Julia Caesaris (sister of Julius Caesar)
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- For other Roman women named Julia Caesaris, see Julia Caesaris
Julia is the name of two daughters of Gaius Julius Caesar III and Aurelia Cotta, who were also the parents of Julius Caesar. The sisters were born and raised in Rome.
The eldest of the two is sometimes named Julia maior by historians (but not to be confused with Julia the Elder, the daughter of Augustus). Likewise, the youngest of the two sisters of Julius Caesar is sometimes named Julia minor, but not to be confused with Julia the Younger, Augustus' granddaughter.
See family tree of the Julii Caesares pp. 536 - 537 of William Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.
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[edit] Eldest of the two sisters of Julius Caesar
The elder of the two sisters of Julius Caesar the dictator, married, but in what order is uncertain, L. Pinarius, of a very ancient patrician family [1], and Q. Pedius, by each of whom she had at least one son.[2] . It is unknown whether, if she married these men. It is doubtful whether it was the elder or the younger of the dictator's sisters who gave her evidence against P. Clodius, when impeached for impiety in 61 BC.[3]. Not much is known on the life of the elder sister.
[edit] Younger of the two sisters of Julius Caesar
Julia (101 BC – 51 BC) was the second sister of Julius Caesar. She married Marcus Atius Balbus, a praetor and commissioner who came from a senatorial family. She bore him three daughters and they were Atia Balba Prima, Atia Balba Caesonia and Atia Balba Tertia.
Julia was the grandmother to Roman Politicians Quintus Pedius, Lucius Pinarius, Gaius Octavius (future Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus) and Octavia Minor (Suetonius, Augustus, clause 4). According to Suetonius (Caesar, clause 83), the grandsons were mentioned in the will of Julius Caesar and Suetonius states they were the three grandsons of his sister.
Julia and her mother had given the court a detailed and truthful account about the affair between Pompeia Sulla (her sister-in-law) and Publius Clodius Pulcher. Her brother had divorced Pompeia over the scandal.
Her husband died in 52 BC. Julia died a year later and her grandson Augustus at age 12 in her honor delivered her funeral oration.
Sources: Suetonius - The Twelve Caesars - Julius Caesar and Augustus.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Livy Ab Urbe condita i. 7 [1]
- ^ App. B. C. iii. 22, 23; Suetonius Life of Julius Caesar 83.
- ^ Suet. Caes. 74; Schol. Bob. in Clod. p. 337, Orelli.
[edit] References
- William Smith Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, p. 640 - the sisters of Julius Caesar are Nos. 3 and 4 of the Julia's listed in that dictionary.
