Milonia Caesonia (died 24 January 41) was the fourth and last wife of Roman emperor Caligula and a former priestess of the Egyptian goddess Isis. Caesonia had a bad reputation, as she was promiscuous, extravagant, deep in debt, and a divorcee, but Caligula decided to marry her so that she could produce him an heir. She was murdered along with Caligula and their three daughters in 41.
Biography[]
Caesonia as a priestess
Milonia Caesonia was a daughter of Vistilia, a woman from a powerful Roman family; her half-brother was consul and general Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo. She became a priestess of Isis as well as a courtesan, having three children by an unknown man, whom she had divorceed; she was neither young nor pretty when Roman emperor Caligula met her at a gathering of Isis priestesses in Rome. She was called "the most promiscuous woman in Rome" by Caligula's sister and lover Julia Drusilla, and Drusilla said that she was divorced, extravagant, and always in debt, attempting to steer Caligula away from marrying her; however, she was reluctantly forced to allow their marriage. She bore him three daughters, including Drusilla the Younger. On 24 January 41 AD, Caesonia and her daughters were murdered after leaving a stadium while rehearsing an Egyptian play, with Cassius Chaerea leading a coup against Caligula. After Caesonia and the girls were killed, Caligula himself was stabbed by Chaerea, ending the coup in success.