Name Aurelia Cotta Spouse Gaius Julius Caesar | Parents Lucius Aurelius Cotta | |
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Role Gaius Julius Caesar's wife Died July 31, 54 BC, Rome, Italy Children Julius Caesar, Julia Caesaris "Minor", Julia Caesaris "Major" Siblings Lucius Aurelius Cotta, Marcus Aurelius Cotta, Gaius Aurelius Cotta Similar People Julius Caesar, Cornelia Cinna minor, Gaius Julius Caesar, Julia Caesaris, Pompeia | ||
Aurelia cotta
Aurelia Cotta or Aurelia (May 21, 120 – July 31, 54 BC) was the mother of Roman dictator Gaius Julius Caesar (100 – 44 BC).
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Family
Aurelia Cotta was a daughter of Rutilia and Lucius Aurelius Cotta or his brother, Marcus Aurelius Cotta. Her father was consul in 119 BC and her paternal grandfather of the same name was consul in 144 BC. The family of the Aurelii Cottae was prominent during the Roman Republican era. Her mother Rutilia, was a member of the gens Rutilia. They were of consular rank. Publius Rutilius Rufus was her maternal uncle.
Three of her brothers were consuls: Gaius Aurelius Cotta in 75 BC, Marcus Aurelius Cotta in 74 BC and Lucius Aurelius Cotta in 65 BC.
Aurelia married a praetor Gaius Julius Caesar. Her husband died 85 – 84 BC. Their children were:
Character
The historian Tacitus considered her an ideal Roman matron and thought highly of her. Plutarch described her as a "strict and respectable" woman. Highly intelligent, independent and renowned for her beauty and common sense, Aurelia was held in high regard throughout Rome.
Aurelia and her family were very influential in her son’s upbringing and security. Her husband, the elder Gaius Caesar, was often away, so the task of raising their son fell mostly on Aurelia's shoulders. When the younger Caesar was about 18, he was ordered by the then dictator of Rome, Lucius Cornelius Sulla, to divorce his young wife Cornelia Cinna, Cinna's daughter. Young Caesar firmly refused, and by so doing, put himself at great risk from Sulla. Aurelia became involved in the petition to save her son, defending him along with her brother Gaius Cotta.
After Cornelia's death in childbirth, Aurelia raised her young granddaughter Julia in her stead and presided as mistress over her son's households. Caesar subsequently married Pompeia Sulla. During the Bona Dea festival held at her son Caesar’s house, her maid discovered Publius Clodius disguised as a woman, ostensibly in order to start or continue an affair with her second daughter-in-law Pompeia. Although Caesar himself admitted her possible innocence, he divorced her shortly after stating that his wife must be above suspicion.