Museum of Femininity

Welcome to the Museum of Femininity, a laid back podcast exploring different aspects of female history and the representation of women in art and material culture My name is Charlotte Appleyard, a graduate with an MA in Art History and Archaeology of East Asia and museum professional. I have a love of Symbolism, Edo period art, fashion history and all things Victorian. Join me as I learn about areas of art and social history which have either faded from memory or were never taught to me in the first place! This is a fun passion project for me to keep me connected to my various interests, I hope you enjoy my rambles :)

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Museum of Femininity

Agrippina the Younger

March 02, 2026 • Charlotte Appleyard

0:00 | 25:35

In this episode of the Museum of Femininity we explore the life of Agrippina the younger. A well connected woman she was the Great Granddaughter of Augustus, the sister of Caligula, the wife of Claudius and the mother of Nero. Throughout her life she used her strategic intelligence, determination and influence to not only elevate her son to the position of Emperor but to also place herself in a position of genuine power and respect. In this episode we examine how she reached this point, her problematic depiction in history and her ultimate demise at the hands of her own son. This is a bloody and ruthless period in history and there are many references to murder, incest and suicide.

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Sources

Nero the man behind the myth by Thorsten Opper and Francesca Bologna

https://www.historyskills.com/classroom/ancient-history/nero-murder-agrippina/?srsltid=AfmBOor5op-6s-h--Yce4SuormZu3laHqOLLwTgmUrwzpIpwf7Vdde7S

https://www.historyextra.com/period/roman/agrippina-younger-empress-ancient-rome-empress-nero-caligula/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4DwgbSMcR5WZcxYjC2p1c9Z/nero-to-zero-the-rise-and-fall-of-a-brutal-roman-emperor

https://lithub.com/power-motherhood-and-murder-on-the-life-and-death-of-agrippina-the-younger/

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Julia-Agrippina

Podcasts I enjoyed which cover this time period in more detail and discuss the life of Agrippina the Younger

The Rest is History Roman Empire series

In Our Time

Your Dead to Me