Octavian

[Vespasion]

I am currently in the process of watching the television series Rome on BBC2; in the last episode it showed Octavian sleeping with his sister. As I tend to prefer to research the army, i was wondering if anyone could confirm this claim.

 

Thanks

[P.Clodius]

Highly unlikely.

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

Uh which episode was it?

[M. Porcius Cato]

Uh which episode was it?

Pretty sure it was the Utica episode. I don't think even the gossipy Suetonius had anything about Octavian and incest. This was just weird--it didn't fit the character of Octavian or Octavia.

[Tobias]

I honestly cannot see any truth in this. The only possible explanation about it not coming to light before now was that they kept it absolutely from everyone, not the easiest task in a city that delighted hugely in the scandals of Rome.

As Cato said, it just doesn't fit the character of Octavian to have incestuous relations.

[Zeke]

*I don't know if this belongs in the Legion Forum*

 

But I believe people gossiped that Caeser went with Octavian when he was a boy....never heard anything about incest though.

 

Zeke

[Vespasion]

I thought it wasn't accurate but all the same, thanks for clearing that up.

[phil25]

Wasn't Augustus said to have liked to deflower young girls (provided for him by Livia)? I think I recall that from Suetonius' smutty book.

 

Incest seems highly unlikely given what we know of Octavia's charcater. I am slightly surprised at the take the series has on both her and Atia. So far as I was aware both were highly respectable ladies.

 

But then one of the series few major faults is that it has gone for tittilation with the women. It degrades them on many levels. Servilia may have had a relationship with Caesar, but she was also a great political lady and a formidable political influence in her day. Cicero was clearly in awe of her!! But this is drama - so if Shakespeare can paint poor Richard of Gloucester as a black-dyed villain, I suppose we can allow John Milius a nymphomaniac Servilia and Atia!!

 

In conclusion, I think that Octavia's incest as well as her lesbian fling are complete fabrications, and wholly imaginary devices on the part of the writers of this series.

 

Phil