query: manner_of_death messalina
supports: The Roman Empire (Koine and Medieval Greek:   , tr. ) was the post-Roman Republic period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterized by government headed by emperors and large territorial holdings around the Mediterranean Sea in Europe, Africa and Asia. The city of Rome was the largest city in the world BC AD, with Constantinople (New Rome) becoming the largest around 500 AD, and the Empire's populace grew to an estimated 50 to 90 million inhabitants (roughly 20% of the world's population at the time). The 500-year-old republic which preceded it was severely destabilized in a series of civil wars and political conflict, during which Julius Caesar was appointed as perpetual dictator and then assassinated in 44 BC. Civil wars and executions continued, culminating in the victory of Octavian, Caesar's adopted son, over Mark Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC and the annexation of Egypt. Octavian's power was then unassailable and in 27 BC the Roman Senate formally granted him overarching power and the new title "Augustus", effectively marking the end of the Roman Republic. Valeria Messalina , sometimes spelled Messallina , ( c. 17/20 -- 48 ) married ( as his third wife ) the Roman Emperor Claudius . She was a paternal cousin of the Emperor Nero , a second - cousin of the Emperor Caligula , and a great - grandniece of the Emperor Augustus . A powerful and influential woman with a reputation for promiscuity , she allegedly conspired against her husband and was executed on the discovery of the plot . Her notorious reputation arguably results from political bias , but works of art and literature have perpetuated it into modern times . Caligula, properly Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (31 August AD 12  24 January AD 41) was Roman emperor from AD 3741. Born Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus (not to be confused with Julius Caesar), Caligula was a member of the house of rulers conventionally known as the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Caligula's biological father was Germanicus, and he was the great-nephew and adopted son of Emperor Tiberius. The young Gaius earned the nickname "Caligula" (meaning "little soldier's boot", the diminutive form of "caliga", hob-nailed military boot) from his father's soldiers while accompanying him during his campaigns in Germania. The term Julio-Claudian dynasty refers to the first five Roman emperorsAugustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Neroor the family to which they belonged. They ruled the Roman Empire from its formation under Augustus in the second half of the 1st century (44/31/27) BC, until AD 68 when the last of the line, Nero, committed suicide. Augustus (23 September 63 BC  19 August 14 AD) was the founder of the Roman Principate and considered the first Emperor, controlling the Roman Empire from 27 BC until his death in AD 14.
candidates: battle suicide
answer: suicide