Valeria Messalina

22 AD - Born into a patrician family. The third wife of the Roman emperor Claudius, notorious for licentious behaviour and instigating murderous court intrigues.

38 AD - She was married to her second cousin, Claudius before he became emperor. They had two children, Octavia (later Nero's wife) and Britannicus.

41 AD - Claudius was proclaimed Emperor by the Praetorian Guard and thus as Claudius' wife, Messalina became Empress.

47 AD - She unilaterally declared herself divorced from Claudius and married Gaius Silius, the consul-elect, in a private but proper ceremony.

48 AD - Messalina conspired with Gaius Silius to kill Claudius while her husband was in Ostia.

         - She was put to death by Claudius.