Caenis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the Greek mythological woman who was transformed into a man, see Caeneus. For the genus Mayflies, see Caenis (genus).

Roman imperial dynasties
Flavian dynasty

Chronology
Vespasian		69 AD – 79 AD
Titus		79 AD – 81 AD
Domitian		81 AD – 96 AD
Family
Gens Flavia Flavian tree Category:Flavian dynasty
Succession
Preceded by Year of the Four Emperors		Followed by Nerva–Antonine dynasty

Caenis, a former slave and secretary of Antonia Minor (mother of the emperor Claudius), was the mistress of the Roman emperor Vespasian. It is believed that she was born in Istria, now in Croatia. Suetonius says that after the death of Vespasian's wife Flavia Domitilla, Caenis was his wife in all but name until her death in AD 74. She had a remarkable memory and considerable influence on the emperor's administration, carried out official business on his behalf, and apparently made a lot of money from her position. However, she was treated with disrespect by Vespasian's son Domitian.

Popular culture

The life of Caenis and her love-story with Vespasian is portrayed in Lindsey Davis' novel The Course of Honour. She is also a character that features regularly in Robert Fabbri's Vespasian series, where she is depicted as being the long lost grand-niece of the king of the Caenii, a rebelling tribe in Thracia.

Sources

Suetonius, Lives of the Twelve Caesars: Vespasian 3, 21; Domitian 12.3
Dio Cassius, Roman History 66.14
William Smith (1870), Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology

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