Vistilia
Encyclopedia
Vistilia was a Roman woman who lived in the 1st century and came from a family that held the praetor
ship. Her brother was probably Sextus Vistilius, a former praetor, who was a former close friend to late Roman General Nero Claudius Drusus
. Nero Claudius Drusus was the younger brother to Roman Emperor Tiberius
. In 32, Tiberius charged him for criticizing the morals of his great-nephew, Caligula
. For this, Tiberius excluded Sextus from his company. Sextus committed suicide in 32.
Vistilia was married six times and had seven children. The most famous among them were Milonia Caesonia
, who became a Roman Empress and fourth wife to Roman Emperor Caligula
; Caesonia’s younger half-brother Roman General and Consul Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo
, who was the father to Roman Empress Domitia Longina
; and the tragedian and consul Pomponius Secundus
.
(Annals 2.85), another Vistilia, probably the daughter of Sextus Vistilius and thus the elder Vistilia's niece, was a public prostitute who advertised her services to the aedile
s of Rome. In 19, the Roman Senate passed a law that no Roman woman whose father or grandfather was of equestrian
status or higher could register as a prostitute.
Vistilia was accordingly tried by the Roman Senate for immorality. Her husband, Titidius Labeo, asked why he had not tried to enforce the statutory penalty, stated the consultation period (which was 60 days) had not yet expired. The senate decided to prosecute only Vistilia (under Roman law
, husbands who did not immediately punish adulterous wives could be tried as pimp
s). Vistilia was found guilty of prostitution and she was deported to the Greek island of Seriphos
.
Praetor
Praetor was a title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to men acting in one of two official capacities: the commander of an army, usually in the field, or the named commander before mustering the army; and an elected magistratus assigned varied duties...
ship. Her brother was probably Sextus Vistilius, a former praetor, who was a former close friend to late Roman General Nero Claudius Drusus
Nero Claudius Drusus
Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus , born Decimus Claudius Drusus also called Drusus, Drusus I, Nero Drusus, or Drusus the Elder was a Roman politician and military commander. He was a fully patrician Claudian on his father's side but his maternal grandmother was from a plebeian family...
. Nero Claudius Drusus was the younger brother to Roman Emperor Tiberius
Tiberius
Tiberius , was Roman Emperor from 14 AD to 37 AD. Tiberius was by birth a Claudian, son of Tiberius Claudius Nero and Livia Drusilla. His mother divorced Nero and married Augustus in 39 BC, making him a step-son of Octavian...
. In 32, Tiberius charged him for criticizing the morals of his great-nephew, Caligula
Caligula
Caligula , also known as Gaius, was Roman Emperor from 37 AD to 41 AD. Caligula was a member of the house of rulers conventionally known as the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Caligula's father Germanicus, the nephew and adopted son of Emperor Tiberius, was a very successful general and one of Rome's most...
. For this, Tiberius excluded Sextus from his company. Sextus committed suicide in 32.
Vistilia was married six times and had seven children. The most famous among them were Milonia Caesonia
Caesonia
Milonia Caesonia was the fourth and last wife of the Roman Emperor Caligula.-Life:Milonia Caesonia was born between 2 and 4 June in an unknown year....
, who became a Roman Empress and fourth wife to Roman Emperor Caligula
Caligula
Caligula , also known as Gaius, was Roman Emperor from 37 AD to 41 AD. Caligula was a member of the house of rulers conventionally known as the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Caligula's father Germanicus, the nephew and adopted son of Emperor Tiberius, was a very successful general and one of Rome's most...
; Caesonia’s younger half-brother Roman General and Consul Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo
Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo
Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo was a Roman general and a brother-in-law of the emperor Caligula.-Descent:Corbulo was born in Italy into a senatorial family...
, who was the father to Roman Empress Domitia Longina
Domitia Longina
Domitia Longina was an Empress of Rome and wife to the Roman Emperor Domitian. She was the youngest daughter of the general and consul Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo. Domitia divorced her first husband Lucius Aelius Lamia in order to marry Domitian in 71...
; and the tragedian and consul Pomponius Secundus
Pomponius Secundus
Publius Pomponius Secundus was a distinguished statesman and poet in the reigns of Tiberius, Caligula, and Claudius. He was on intimate terms with the elder Plinius, who wrote a biography of him, now lost.-Family:...
.
Vistilia the Prostitute
According to TacitusTacitus
Publius Cornelius Tacitus was a senator and a historian of the Roman Empire. The surviving portions of his two major works—the Annals and the Histories—examine the reigns of the Roman Emperors Tiberius, Claudius, Nero and those who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors...
(Annals 2.85), another Vistilia, probably the daughter of Sextus Vistilius and thus the elder Vistilia's niece, was a public prostitute who advertised her services to the aedile
Aedile
Aedile was an office of the Roman Republic. Based in Rome, the aediles were responsible for maintenance of public buildings and regulation of public festivals. They also had powers to enforce public order. There were two pairs of aediles. Two aediles were from the ranks of plebeians and the other...
s of Rome. In 19, the Roman Senate passed a law that no Roman woman whose father or grandfather was of equestrian
Equestrian (Roman)
The Roman equestrian order constituted the lower of the two aristocratic classes of ancient Rome, ranking below the patricians , a hereditary caste that monopolised political power during the regal era and during the early Republic . A member of the equestrian order was known as an eques...
status or higher could register as a prostitute.
Vistilia was accordingly tried by the Roman Senate for immorality. Her husband, Titidius Labeo, asked why he had not tried to enforce the statutory penalty, stated the consultation period (which was 60 days) had not yet expired. The senate decided to prosecute only Vistilia (under Roman law
Roman law
Roman law is the legal system of ancient Rome, and the legal developments which occurred before the 7th century AD — when the Roman–Byzantine state adopted Greek as the language of government. The development of Roman law comprises more than a thousand years of jurisprudence — from the Twelve...
, husbands who did not immediately punish adulterous wives could be tried as pimp
Pimp
A pimp is an agent for prostitutes who collects part of their earnings. The pimp may receive this money in return for advertising services, physical protection, or for providing a location where she may engage clients...
s). Vistilia was found guilty of prostitution and she was deported to the Greek island of Seriphos
Serifos
Serifos is a Greek island municipality in the Aegean Sea, located in the western Cyclades, south of Kythnos and northwest of Sifnos. It is part of the Milos peripheral unit. The area is 75.207 km² and the population was 1,414 at the 2001 census. It is located about ESE of Piraeus...
.