Messy Messalina has not gone down in history with the tidiest reputation. In fact, we may even say her reputation is kind of messy. Empress Messalina was the wife of Roman Emperor Claudius, who ruled from AD 41 to 54. She is infamous for her promiscuity and extravagance. But, was she really all that extra? Or did she just do what every single Roman man was doing? Messalina was born in AD 17 to a wealthy family and became a powerful influence on the Roman court during her brief reign. She was known for her love of luxury and excess, and was said to have engaged in extravagant parties and sexual liaisons with multiple partners. Messalina aka Messy is the Roman empress with the nastiest reputation. But does she deserve it? TL;DR: we actually don't know, but probably not. But we can't wait to hear what you think. If you enjoyed this episode and want more trashy ancient Roman marriages, check out our Agrippina the Younger series. Here's part 1. Some sources we used for this episode: Digital commons https://ancientromanhistory31-14.com/home/claudius/claudius-and-his-women/messalina/ https://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Latin/JuvenalSatires6.php#anchor_Toc282858857 Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please contact sales@advertisecast.com if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our Patreon, check out our merch store and follow us on Instagram! Our awesome new intro music is thanks to @1touchproduction ! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices