Editing Messalina (section)

==Messalina's victims==
The accusations against Messalina center largely on three areas: her treatment of other members of the imperial family; her treatment of members of the [[Senate of the Roman Empire|senatorial order]]; and her unrestrained sexual behaviour. Her husband's family, especially female, seemed to be specially targeted by Messalina. Within the first year of Claudius' reign, his niece [[Julia Livilla]], only recently recalled from banishment upon the death of her brother [[Caligula]], was exiled again on charges of adultery with [[Seneca the Younger]]. Claudius ordered her execution soon after, while Seneca was allowed to return seven years later, following the death of Messalina.<ref name="Claudius">{{cite book| title=Claudius| author=Barbara Levick| publisher=Yale University Press| year=1990| page=56}}</ref> Another niece, [[Julia Livia]], was attacked for immorality and incest by Messalina in 43{{snd}}possibly because she feared Julia's son [[Rubellius Plautus]] as a rival claimant to the imperial succession,<ref name="Claudius"/>{{snd}}with the result that Claudius ordered her execution.<ref>{{cite book| title=Agrippina: Sex, Power and Politics in the Early Roman Empire| author=Anthony Barrett| publisher=Yale University Press| year=1996| pages=87, 104}}</ref>

In the final two years of her life, she also intensified her attacks on her husband's only surviving niece, [[Agrippina the Younger]], and Agrippina's young son [[Nero|Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus]] (the later Emperor Nero). The public sympathized with Agrippina, who had twice been exiled and was the only surviving daughter of [[Germanicus]] after Messalina secured the execution of Julia Livilla. Agrippina was implicated in the alleged crimes of [[Statilius Taurus]], whom it was alleged she directed to partake in "magical and superstitious practices".<ref>Tacitus, ''Annals'' XII.59.1</ref> Taurus committed suicide, and, according to Tacitus, Messalina was only prevented from further persecuting Agrippina because she was distracted by her new lover, [[Gaius Silius (lover of Messalina)|Gaius Silius]].<ref>Tacitus, ''[[Annales (Tacitus)|Annales]]'', XI.10</ref>

According to Suetonius, Messalina realized early on that the young Nero could be a potential rival to her own son, who was three years younger. He repeated a tale that Messalina sent several assassins into Nero's bedchamber to murder him, but they were frightened off by what they thought was a snake slithering out from under his bed.<ref>{{cite book| title=Lives of the Caesars: Claudius I.VI| author=Suetonius}}</ref> In the [[Secular Games]] of 48, Nero won greater applause from the crowd than did Messalina's own son Britannicus, something which scholars have speculated led Messalina to plot to destroy Nero and his mother once and for all.<ref name="Barbara Levick 1990">{{cite book| title=Claudius| author=Barbara Levick| publisher=Yale University Press| year=1990| page=65}}</ref>

Two very prominent senators, [[Appius Silanus]] and [[Valerius Asiaticus]], also met their death on the instigation of Messalina. The former was married to Messalina's mother Domitia Lepida, but according to Dio and Tacitus, Messalina coveted him for herself. In 42, Messalina and the freedman Narcissus devised an elaborate ruse, whereby they each informed Claudius that they had had identical dreams during the night portending that Silanus would murder Claudius. When Silanus arrived that morning (after being summoned by either Messalina or Narcissus), he confirmed their portent and Claudius had him executed.<ref>Tacitus, ''Annales'', iv. 68, vi. 9, xi. 29.</ref><ref>Suetonius, "The Life of Claudius", 29, 37.</ref><ref>Cassius Dio, ix. 14.</ref>

Valerius Asiaticus was one of Messalina's final victims. Asiaticus was immensely rich and incurred Messalina's wrath because he owned the [[Gardens of Lucullus]], which she desired for herself, and because he was the lover of her hated rival [[Poppaea Sabina the Elder]], with whom she was engaged in a fierce rivalry over the affections of the actor [[Mnester]].<ref>Tacitus, Annals, 11.2</ref> In 46, she convinced Claudius to order his arrest on charges of failing to maintain discipline amongst his soldiers, adultery with Sabina, and for engaging in homosexual acts.<ref>{{cite book| title=Claudius| author=Barbara Levick| publisher=Yale University Press| year=1990| page=62}}</ref><ref>Alston, ''Aspects of Roman History AD 14–117'', p. 95</ref> Although Claudius hesitated to condemn him to death, he ultimately did so on the recommendation of Messalina's ally, and Claudius' partner in the consulship for that year, [[Lucius Vitellius the Elder|Lucius Vitellius]].<ref>{{cite book| title=Claudius| author=Barbara Levick| publisher=Yale University Press| year=1990| pages=61–62}}</ref> The murder of Asiaticus, without notifying the senate and without trial, caused great outrage amongst the senators, who blamed both Messalina and Claudius.<ref>{{cite book| title=Claudius| author=Barbara Levick| publisher=Yale University Press| year=1990| page=64}}</ref> Despite this, Messalina continued to target Poppaea Sabina until she committed suicide.<ref>Tacitus, ''[[Annales (Tacitus)|Annales]]'', XI.1–3</ref>

The same year as the execution of Asiaticus, Messalina ordered the poisoning of [[Marcus Vinicius (consul 30)|Marcus Vinicius]]{{snd}}because he refused to sleep with her according to gossip.<ref>[[Cassius Dio]] 60, 27, 4</ref> About this time she also arranged for the execution of one of Claudius' freedmen secretaries, [[Polybius (freedman)|Polybius]]. According to Dio, this murder of one of their own turned the other freedmen, previously her close allies, against Messalina for good.