A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography/Antonia Minor
ANTONIA MINOR,
Sister of the preceding, was born B. C. 36. She married Drusus, brother of Tiberius, whose mother, Liyia, had married the emperor Augustus. After a victorious campaign in Germany, Drusus died when on his way to Rome to receive the reward of his exploits. The despair of Antonia at this affliction knew no bounds. Their union and virtues, in a dissolute court, had been the admiration of Rome. Three children, Germanicus, Claudius, afterwards emperor, and Livia, or Livilia, were the fruits of this marriage.
Antonia, though widowed in the bloom of beauty and the pride of life, refused all the splendid connections which courted her acceptance; and, rejecting the solicitations of Augustus to reside at his court, she passed her time in retirement, and in educating her children. She gained the respect and confidence of Tiberius, who had succeeded Augustus, by informing him of a conspiracy formed by his favourite Sejanus against his life.
Domestic calamities seemed to pursue this princess. Her son Germanicus, endowed with every noble quality, adored by the army, the idol of the people, and the presumptive heir to the throne, died suddenly in Syria, probably poisoned by order of the emperor. Agrippina, wife of Germanicus, returned to Rome, bearing in an urn the ashes of her husband, and joined With Antonia in vainly demanding vengeance of the Senate.
Claudius, her younger son, dishonoured the family by his stupidity and vices; and Livilia was convicted of adultery and the murder of her husband. She was given up by Tiberius to Antonia, who, with the spirit of the ancient Romans, confined her in a room and left her to perish of hunger.
Antonia died in the early part of the reign of her grandson Caligula, who, by his neglect and open contempt, is supposed to have hastened her death. She was probably about seventy-five when she died. Of her private life little is known. She was celebrated for her beauty, chastity, and integrity. Pliny speaks of a temple dedicated to her.