áJulia, the only daughter of Emperor Augustus, became a living example of the Augustan policy. By her marriage and motherhood she encapsulated the Augustan reforms of Rome and helped secure a dynasty. An unidentified scandal, distorted or concealed in the ancient sources which led to her summary banishment, has discredited Julia, or at least clothed her in mystery. However, studying the abundant historical evidence available, this biography illustrates each stage of Julia?s life in remarkable detail: ? her childhood ? taken from her divorced mother to become part of a complex and unstable family structure ? her youth ? set against the brilliant social and cultural life of the new Augustan Rome ? her marriages ? as tools for Augustus? plans for succession ? Julia?s defiance of her father?s publicized moral regime and implicit exposure of his hypocrisy by claiming the same sexual liberty he had once enjoyed. Reflecting new attitudes and casting fresh light on their social reality, this accessible but penetrating portrait from one of the foremost scholars of Augustan literature and history will delight, entertain and inform anyone interested in this engaging Classical figure.