Claudia Pulchra - Great-niece of Augustus

Great-niece of Augustus

Claudia Pulchra (PIR2 C 1116, 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 Roman 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 9 during the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, Germania Inferior. She never remarried.

Pulchra was always a close friend to her second cousin Agrippina the Elder. Through her friendship with Agrippina, she became the victim of the intrigues of Sejanus' treason trials in 26. She was accused of an attempt to poison Tiberius, casting magic, and immorality; she died in exile. Tacitus considered the trial to be an indirect political attack against Agrippina.

Her son became wealthy through the inheritance of both his parents. In 27, however the younger Varus found himself facing accusations of treason and was formally condemned. His trial has been attributed to the increasing distrust of Tiberius towards his environment and the machinations of Sejanus.