Claudia Pulchra

Claudia Pulchra Historical Figure Nationality: Roman Empire Year of Birth: 14 BCE Year of Death: 26 CE Cause of Death: Natural causes Religion: Roman pantheon Spouse: Publius Quinctilius Varus (d. 9 CE) Children: Quinctilius Varus Relatives: Augustus (granduncle) House: Julio-Claudian Fictional Appearances: Give Me Back My Legions! Set in OTL Type of Appearance: Contemporary reference

Claudia Pulchra (English: Claudia the Good-looking, 14 BC-26) was a patrician woman of Ancient Rome who lived during the reigns of Emperors Augustus and Tiberius. She was the daughter of Claudia Marcella Minor and Claudius Pulcher, by adoption Marcus Valerius Messala Barbatus Appianus, who was Consul in 12 BC and died in office. Her maternal grandparents were Gaius Claudius Marcellus Minor and Octavia Minor, sister of Augustus. Her father, Marcus Valerius Messala Barbatus Appianus was a son of consul Appius Claudius Pulcher, Consul in 38 BC. Her mother married Roman senator Marcus Valerius Messalla Messallinus. She was the elder half sister of Marcus Valerius Messalla Barbatus (who would later become the father of Valeria Messalina, third wife of Emperor Claudius).

She became the second wife of Roman General and Politician Publius Quinctilius Varus. He was the widower of Vipsania Marcella, who was a daughter of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and by his second wife Claudia Marcella Major, niece of Augustus. Pulchra and Varus had a son, a younger Publius Quinctilius Varus. Her husband committed suicide in September of the year 9 during the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, Germania Inferior. She never remarried, and was ultimately accused of treason and forced into exile during the reign of Tiberius.

Claudia Pulchra in Give Me Back My Legions!

Claudia Pulchra was the grand-niece of Augustus and married to Publius Quinctilius Varus. In AD 7 Varus was assigned to be the military governor of Germany. This appointment to such a barbaric land outraged Claudia but since Augustus ordered it, she had to accept it. Nevertheless, she refused to accompany her husband as she had previously to Syria.

See also Inconsistencies in Turtledove's Work#Inconsistencies in Give Me Back My Legions!