Milonia Caesonia
| Milonia Caesonia | |
|---|---|
 Milonia Caesonia from a coin minted by Herod Agrippa | |
| Roman empress | |
| Tenure | AD 39 – 24 January AD 41 |
| Died | 24 January AD 41 Palatine Hill, Rome, Italy |
| Spouse | Rufus (possibly) Caligula |
| Issue | 3 daughters from the first husband, Julia Drusilla |
| Dynasty | Julio-Claudian |
| Mother | Vistilia |
Milonia Caesonia was the fourth wife of Roman emperor Caligula. She died when both were assassinated on January 24, 41.
She was the older half-sister of Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo. Her niece Domitia Longina married Domitian, who later became emperor.
According to Suetonius, Calligula married her, even though she was neither young nor pretty. She also had three daughters of another man.[1] He describes her as malevolent, and as wanting to spend a lot of money. Despite this, Caligula is said to have loved her very much.[2]
Cassius Dio writes that Caligula started to have a love affair with her, either at the end of the year 39, or at the start of 40.[3] When they married, she was already pregnant.[4] Only a month after their marriage, their daughter Iulia Drusilla was born. Sueton writes that the daughter was born on the anniversary day of their marriage.[1] The Roman public did not like the fact that they married.[3]
Juvenal writes that Caligula lost his mind because of a love potion Cresonia had served him.[5] Sueton writes that Caligula let her perform before his troops, and that he showed her to his friends, completely naked.[1] She did this, because he joked about having her tortured or killed, if she had refused.[6]
Caligula was stabbed during a theatre performance, on 24th January 41. Cresonia and her daughter Iulia Drusilla were killed that same day. According to Flavius Josephus, she died bravely.[7]