Matris Imperium: A Dramatic Interpretation of the Life of the Empress Agrippina, Mother of the Empire

Using the ancient sources of Dio’s Roman History, Tacitus’ Annals, and Suetonius’ Lives of the Caesars, I present a fictional account of the empress Agrippina’s life from her point of view. I wrote a screenplay for the promotional episode of a television series entitled Matris Imperium (literally, "The Mother's Empire"). The series aims to map Agrippina’s rise to, and fall from, power in the imperial court of the Julio-Claudians. The promotional episode begins in 52 A.D. at the mock battle of the Fucine Lake, where the Emperor Claudius’ two legitimate heirs, Britannicus and Nero, are introduced.  As Agrippina’s husband, Claudius, grows weaker in health and the two legitimate heirs grow older, Agrippina takes vigorous action. She eliminates anyone who threatens her son Nero’s chance of becoming the next Roman Emperor. A major point of conflict arises when Agrippina discovers Claudius’ will, which reveals that Britannicus is the chosen heir. Agrippina devises a master plan to poison Claudius and the episode ends with Claudius’ murder. The promotional episode traces Agrippina’s pursuit to secure her son Nero’s claim to the throne, which comes at the cost of murdering the Roman Emperor, her husband, Claudius. Agrippina’s quest for power has just begun.