Convicianti oculum per centurionem verberibus excussit (Suet. Tib. 53): Agrippina Maggiore e la relegazione a Pandataria

This paper examines the violence inflicted upon Agrippina the Elder as a tool of political repression during the reign of Tiberius. As the granddaughter of Augustus and mother of Caligula, Agrippina played a central role in the Julio-Claudian succession struggle. Through an analysis of ancient sources such as Suetonius and Tacitus, the study highlights how Agrippina’s political influence and defiance of traditional female roles made her a target of Tiberius and his advisor Sejanus. The paper argues that the violence inflicted upon Agrippina, both physically and symbolically, was not merely a personal attack but a calculated strategy to eliminate a political rival and suppress an alternative lineage to the throne. Furthermore, the study contextualizes Agrippina’s downfall within the broader framework of gender-based political violence in Roman history, demonstrating how power struggles within the imperial family frequently translated into persecution and marginalization of influential women.