Iulio-Claudian family

 

Augustus

Real name is Octavian.  Great nephew of Iulius Cæsar adopted on his death by terms of the will.  Joins forces with Marcus Antonius (his brother in law) to defeat Senatorial revolt.  Octavian and Marcus Agrippa defeat Marcus Antonius when he tries to split Egypt and the East from Rome in a plot with Cleopatra.  Married to Scribonia and has one daughter: Iulia.  Divorces Scribonia to marry Livia eventually adopting her two sons.  After Marcus Antonius is defeated, he is given the name Augustus by the Senate and become the first Emperor in 27 B.C.  Dies in AD 14.  Is loved by even those "we" conquer.  Life improves for all during his reign.
Livia Married to Drusus Nero with whom she has two children (Tiberius and Drusus Germanicus).  Divorces husband while pregnant with the second child to marry Augustus.  Works to make sure Augustus and the Empire succeed, but at the same time wants her son Tiberius to become the next emperor after Augustus.  Dies in 29 AD.
Iulia Daughter of Augustus and Scribonia.  Married to Marcellus (no children), then Marcus Agrippa (five children), and lastly to Tiberius (no children by Iulia).  The last marriage was a disaster.  Banished due to "immoral" behavior.  Dies in exile.  All of her sons killed/murdered.  Her daughter Agrippina marries D. Germanicus (Claudius' brother).  Her other daughter Iulia marries Lucius Æmilius Paullus
Marcellus Son of Marcus Antonius and Augustus' sister Octavia.  Adopted son of Augustus and married to Iulia (first husband).  Groomed to be the next Emperor (tying together his real father and adopted father's supporters), but dies mysteriously.
Marcus Agrippa General and best friend of Augustus who defeated Marcus Antonius.  War hero.  Becomes Iulia's second husband.  Fathers five children (3 sons who all are murdered without heirs and two daughters.  Agripina who has five children with Drusus Germanicus).  He dies mysteriously in Campania while Iulia is pregnant with Postumus (their last son).
Gaius, Lucius, and Postumus Iulia's sons: Gaius dies mysteriously in Syria, Lucius dies in a "boating accident" in France on his way to Hispania after having been tricked into incriminating his mother, and Postumus is framed for trying to "rape" Livilla.  He is banished and then executed as Tiberius comes to power.
Tiberius Son of Livia and Drusus Nero.  Adopted son of Augustus.  Married to Vipsania with whom he has his only child: Castor.  Forced to divorce first wife (Agrippa's daughter) and marry Iulia.  Banished after beating Iulia.  Returns to favor after Gaius and Lucius' deaths.  Eventually becomes Emperor, but allows Sejanus to establish reign of terror.  Dies in AD 37 on Capri.  Worst Emperor until Caligula.
Drusus Germanicus (elder) Son of Livia and Drusus Nero.  Adopted son of Augustus.  Married to Antonia (daughter of Marcus Antonius and Augustus' sister Octavia ).  Wanted Augustus to bring back the Republic.  Fathers Drusus Germanicus, Livilla, and Claudius.  Dies of "infection" from a wound fighting in Germany.
 

Germanicus

(Drusus Germanicus the younger)

 

Son of Drusus Germanicus and Antonia.  Good general.  Well respected.  Fathers six children.  His troops tried to proclaim him Emperor but he would not take the title against his uncle.  Dies mysteriously in the East.  Caligula is supposed to have "bewitched" him to death (including stealing his Hecate charm).
Caligula (Gaius) Son of Drusus Germanicus (younger) and Agrippina.  Suspected of murdering his father as well as many others.  Had affairs with his sisters.  Marries his sister Drusilla, but murders her and their unborn child because he fears a Zeus like overthrow from the child.  Murdered in Rome in 41 AD.
Claudius Son of Drusus and (Lady) Antonia.  Disappointment to his family because of limp, stutter, etc.  Considered an idiot.  His mother blames him for his fathers death after Drusus had prayed for his recovery and then succumbs to infection himself.  She saw it as the Gods had made a choice...and she would have preferred to have kept her husband.  Comes to power after Caligula murdered.  Chosen by Imperial Guard who need an emperor to keep them employed.  Prefers the Republic but realizes that it cannot be restored at the moment.  Married four times; Urgulanilla (tall), Ælia (sister of Seianus), Messalina (infamous for her affairs and power scheming), and lastly his niece Agrippinilla who poisons him to make sure her son becomes emperor.  Dies in 54 AD.
Nero (Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus) Son of Agrippinilla and Domitius.  Adopted son of Claudius and husband of Octavia (Claudius' daughter).  Eventually has his mother executed.  Notorious for his actions and excesses.  Suspected of burning Rome in 64 AD but launched massive rebuilding campaign and blames the fire on Christian fanatics.  Murders his wife Octavia so he can marry his mistress.  Commits suicide in 68 AD leaving no heirs to continue the Iulio-Claudian dynasty.  This leads to a power struggle knows as the "year of four Emperors" which weakens Rome.
Herod Agrippa Grandson of Herod the Great of Judea.  Named in honor of Marcus Agrippa.  Sent to Rome to be educated.  Befriends Claudius among others.  Eventually becomes king of parts of Iudea.  Dies in process of planning a revolt against Rome.
Castor Son of Tiberius and Vipsania.  Marries Livilla.  Poisoned by his wife and her lover.  Father two children: Helen and Gemellus (ordered killed by Caligula) who is co-ruler with Caligula by the terms of the will of Tiberius.
Livilla Daughter of Drusus and Antonia.  Marries Castor and has two children: Helen and Gemellus (ordered killed by Caligula) who is co-ruler with Caligula by the terms of the will of Tiberius.  Poisons Castor to secure her future with her lover Seianus.  Starved to death by Antonia for her role in murder of Castor and plot against Tiberius.
Seianus Military officer.  Rises in power under Tiberius.  Eventually commander of the Guard who builds a  spy and blackmail network.  Feeds Tiberius' paranoia to gain power.  Arranges many murders and executions.  Divorces his wife to marry his mistress (Livilla).  Plots to take over the Empire.  Assists in the murder of Castor by poison.  Executed after the plot is discovered.  His children are executed as well by Tiberius who unleashes a reign of terror against anyone who might be connected to Seianus.  Seianus' sister Ælia is spared only because she is married to Claudius.