The story of Agrippina,  at the center of imperial power for three generations, is the story of  the Julio-Claudia dynasty - and of Rome itself, at its bloody,  extravagant, chaotic, ruthless, and political zenith. In  her own time, she was recognized as a woman of unparalleled power.  Beautiful and intelligent, she was portrayed as alternately a ruthless  murderer and helpless victim, the most loving mother and the most  powerful woman of the Roman empire, using sex, motherhood, manipulation,  and violence to get her way and single-minded in her pursuit of power  for herself and her son, Nero. This book follows  Agrippina as a daughter, born in Cologne, to the expected heir to  Augustus’ throne; as a sister to Caligula, who raped his sisters and  showered them with honors until they attempted rebellion against him and  were exiled; as a seductive niece and then wife to Claudius, who gave  her access to near unlimited power; and then as a mother to Nero - who  adored her until he had her assassinated. Through senatorial political  intrigue, assassination attempts, and exile to a small island and to the  heights of imperial power, thrones, and golden cloaks and games and  adoration, Agrippina  scaled the absolute limits of female power in Rome. Her biography is  also the story of the first Roman imperial family - the Julio-Claudians -  and of the glory and corruption of the empire itself.