The enduring and controversial partnership of Emperor Augustus and Livia Drusilla shaped Roman history. #ancienthistory #historyfacts #ancient #history | The Shared World

In ancient Rome, a woman like Livia was more than a person; she was valuable family property whose marriage was a critical investment for securing wealth and power. Her future was a serious enterprise for her family's continued growth in a competitive social market. A curious medical discovery complicated this: it was thought excessive intimacy caused eyelashes to fall out. Thus, long, full lashes became the ultimate public symbol of chastity, a sign more potent than any dowry. Livia understood