Livia (mother of Cato)


Livia Drusa was a Roman matron. She was the daughter of Marcus Livius Drusus, consul in 112 BC, and sister of Marcus Livius Drusus, tribune of the plebs in 91 BC. She was the mother of Cato the Younger, and grandmother of Marcus Junius Brutus, through her oldest daughter Servilia.

Life and family

Livia's father died in 108 BC, and she passed into the care of her brother, the younger Livius Drusus. About 106, Drusus arranged for her to marry his friend, Quintus Servilius Caepio. They had three children:
Livia and Caepio must have divorced about 98 BC, for reasons not stated by any ancient historian; but Pliny the Elder reports that Caepio and Drusus had fallen out over the sale of a ring for which each was bidding at auction. Livia then married Marcus Porcius Cato, a grandson of Cato the Elder. They had two children:
Cato and Livia both died in the late 90s BC, and their children were raised in the household of Livia's brother, Marcus Livius Drusus.