Marco Claudio Marcelo (Julio-Claudia dynasty)

For other characters with the same name, see Marco Claudio Marcelo. Marcelo, nephew and son-in-law of Augustus.

Marco Claudio Marcelo (Latin: Marcus Claudius Marcellus, 42 BC-23 BC) was Octavian's nephew and son-in-law.

He was the eldest son of Octavia the Lesser, sister of Octavius, and of Cayo Claudio Marcelo, descendant of the consul of 222 a. C. Marco Claudio Marcelo. From very young accompanied the emperor in the public acts and was designated its first successor, ahead of other aspirants, like Marco Vipsanio Agripa, Druso and the children of Agripa, Cesar Cesar and Lucio César.

In 25 a. C. married Julia the Elder, the only daughter of Octavio, who had with his second wife, Escribonia. Elected curry edil in 23 a. C., offered some great public games in Rome, but shortly after he became ill and could not recover. Maybe he suffered from intoxication or poisoning. The suspicions of a provoked death pointed to Livia Drusilla, the third wife of Octavio, that ambitioned the succession for its lineage. Immediately after his death Agrippa returned from Asia, where he was acting as the legate of Augustus, married widow Julia, and became a kind of associate of the emperor and guardian of the succession.

The theater of Marcelo, built by his uncle, bears such a name in his honor. It was the first stone and permanent theater of the city, because until then they were provisional and of wood. Bibliography

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