Valeria was the daughter of a man named Marcus Valerius Messalla Niger and Hortensia. She had a brother named Marcus Valerius Messalla Rufus who was consul in 53 BC.[1]
Plutarch calls her a sister of the orator Quintus Hortensius, but this is a mistake, Plutarch probably confused her as his sister instead of niece (Hortensius' sister being Hortensia, Valeria's mother).[2]
Marriages
An "alert young divorcee", as Ronald Syme writes,[3] she attracted the notice of Sulla at the theatre. She and her cousin Marcus Valerius Messalla Niger were seated behind Sulla due to being relatives of a recently retired chief vestal named Caecilia Metella Balearica, which explains why she as a relatively unimportant woman was seated so close to the dictator. Apparently as she passed by him she plucked out a part of his toga (likely a single thread) which he noticed and turned around to look at who had touched him, she then excused herself and explained that she had meant no harm and had only attempted to take a part of the piece as she had hoped that it would grant her some of Sulla's famous luck. He was seemingly amused by her explanation and charmed by her personality, they continued to exchange some words. Later on in the evening he would apparently keep looking back at her and asked questions to his companions about who she was.[4] He then learned that she was unmarried and the niece of Quintus Hortensius Hortalus who was a son-in-law to one of Sullas major supporters. Her family was likely surprised but delighted by his interest in her and would have encouraged her to reciprocate it.[5] It is likely that her cousin Marcus Valerius Messalla Niger who had accompanied her owed his status as pontifex to Sulla.[6]
He married her towards the end of his life. When he retired from public life to a villa in southern Italy, she accompanied him. She was pregnant at the time of his death in 78 BC and had a daughter, Cornelia Postuma, some months later. It is possible that she was infected by the disease which killed her husband and died not much later after giving birth to Postuma.[7]
^Plutarch, Sulla 35, 37; Wilhelm Drumann, Geschichte Roms, vol. ii. p. 508. (cited in Smith)
^Review of Potitus Valerius Messalla Consul Suffect 29 B.C. by Arthur E. Gordon, in Journal of Roman Studies, 45 (1955), page 155 and Roman Papers, Volume I, page 260. Syme cites Plutarch, Sulla, 35 [1].
^Telford, Lynda (2014). Sulla: A Dictator Reconsidered (illustrated ed.). Pen and Sword. p. 227. ISBN9781783030484.
^Telford, Lynda (2014). Sulla: A Dictator Reconsidered (illustrated ed.). Pen and Sword. p. 228. ISBN9781783030484.
^Marcus Tullius Cicero; Dyck, Andrew R. (2012). Marcus Tullius Cicero: Speeches on Behalf of Marcus Fonteius and Marcus Aemilius Scaurus: Translated with Introduction and Commentary. Clarendon Ancient History Series (illustrated ed.). OUP Oxford. p. 98. ISBN9780199590056.
^Acta Classica. Roman life and letters. Vol. 1. A.A. Balkema. 1960. p. 74.
January 07, 2023
valeria, wife, sulla, valeria, valeria, messalla, fifth, wife, term, consul, roman, dictator, lucius, cornelius, sulla, valeriaspousesullachildrencornelia, postumaparentsmarcus, valerius, messalla, niger, father, hortensia, mother, contents, biography, early, . Valeria or Valeria Messalla was the fifth wife of two term consul and Roman dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla ValeriaSpouseSullaChildrenCornelia PostumaParentsMarcus Valerius Messalla Niger father Hortensia mother Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Early life 1 2 Marriages 2 ReferencesBiography EditEarly life Edit Valeria was the daughter of a man named Marcus Valerius Messalla Niger and Hortensia She had a brother named Marcus Valerius Messalla Rufus who was consul in 53 BC 1 Plutarch calls her a sister of the orator Quintus Hortensius but this is a mistake Plutarch probably confused her as his sister instead of niece Hortensius sister being Hortensia Valeria s mother 2 Marriages Edit An alert young divorcee as Ronald Syme writes 3 she attracted the notice of Sulla at the theatre She and her cousin Marcus Valerius Messalla Niger were seated behind Sulla due to being relatives of a recently retired chief vestal named Caecilia Metella Balearica which explains why she as a relatively unimportant woman was seated so close to the dictator Apparently as she passed by him she plucked out a part of his toga likely a single thread which he noticed and turned around to look at who had touched him she then excused herself and explained that she had meant no harm and had only attempted to take a part of the piece as she had hoped that it would grant her some of Sulla s famous luck He was seemingly amused by her explanation and charmed by her personality they continued to exchange some words Later on in the evening he would apparently keep looking back at her and asked questions to his companions about who she was 4 He then learned that she was unmarried and the niece of Quintus Hortensius Hortalus who was a son in law to one of Sullas major supporters Her family was likely surprised but delighted by his interest in her and would have encouraged her to reciprocate it 5 It is likely that her cousin Marcus Valerius Messalla Niger who had accompanied her owed his status as pontifex to Sulla 6 He married her towards the end of his life When he retired from public life to a villa in southern Italy she accompanied him She was pregnant at the time of his death in 78 BC and had a daughter Cornelia Postuma some months later It is possible that she was infected by the disease which killed her husband and died not much later after giving birth to Postuma 7 References Edit This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain William Ramsay 1870 Valeria In Smith William ed Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology Vol 3 p 1215 Syme R Augustan Aristocracy pp 227 f Plutarch Sulla 35 37 Wilhelm Drumann Geschichte Roms vol ii p 508 cited in Smith Review of Potitus Valerius Messalla Consul Suffect 29 B C by Arthur E Gordon in Journal of Roman Studies 45 1955 page 155 and Roman Papers Volume I page 260 Syme cites Plutarch Sulla 35 1 Telford Lynda 2014 Sulla A Dictator Reconsidered illustrated ed Pen and Sword p 227 ISBN 9781783030484 Telford Lynda 2014 Sulla A Dictator Reconsidered illustrated ed Pen and Sword p 228 ISBN 9781783030484 Marcus Tullius Cicero Dyck Andrew R 2012 Marcus Tullius Cicero Speeches on Behalf of Marcus Fonteius and Marcus Aemilius Scaurus Translated with Introduction and Commentary Clarendon Ancient History Series illustrated ed OUP Oxford p 98 ISBN 9780199590056 Acta Classica Roman life and letters Vol 1 A A Balkema 1960 p 74 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Valeria wife of Sulla amp oldid 1119534381, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
