Basic Information
An important figure of the ancient world, being closely related to some of the most famous personalities of her time, such as Mark Antony, Augustus, and Cleopatra VII, Drusilla of Mauretania the Elder was born about 8 BCE, the youngest child of Queen Cleopatra Selene II and King Juba II of Mauretania. Her parents were historically of immense importance: Cleopatra Selene II was a daughter of the great Cleopatra VII of Egypt and the Roman triumvir Mark Antony, while Juba II was a learned king, adopted by Julius Caesar. That made Drusilla of Mauretania the Elder a member of one of those lineages inextricably linked to nearly all the most powerful figures of the ancient Mediterranean world.
Being the princess of Mauretania, the Elder Drusilla of Mauretania was bound to grow up in the most epochal movements, traditions, and influences of Roman, Egyptian, and Berber cultures. On her father’s death, her brother Ptolemy of Mauretania became king. Although her early childhood is not well documented, it is presumed that she was brought up in the most exemplary and culturally rich environment.
Family Connections
Drusilla of Mauretania the Elder had a close connection with some very influential people. Her mother, Cleopatra Selene II, was the last surviving child of Cleopatra and Mark Antony, two of the best-known figures in Roman and Egyptian history. She was, through her mother, the granddaughter of Cleopatra VII, the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, and Mark Antony, one of Rome’s most powerful politicians. The lineage accorded her a place in the most renowned of dynasties in the ancient world.
Her brother Ptolemy of Mauretania ruled as king after their father’s death and kept ties with the Roman Empire close. Her marriage to Antonius Felix, one of the Roman procurators of Judea, had solidified her connections with Rome even more. Felix was a freedman of the Roman Emperor Claudius and is remembered for his controversial and brutal rule in Judea. The marriage was a political agreement that expressed the complex relationships between Rome and its client kingdoms.
Spouse Antonius Felix
Antonius Felix was an important Roman figure who is remembered for being one of the procurators of Judea during the period of the 1st century AD. First, a freedman of Emperor Claudius, Felix gained power through his relationships and political abilities despite his lowly origin. His reign in Judea took place from about the year 52 until about 60 AD, displaying the ambition and controversy associated with him. Antonius Felix was notorious for his cruel and often brutal governance that contributed to growing unrest in the region. He is perhaps most famous for his marriage to Drusilla of Mauretania the Elder, a princess of Mauretania and granddaughter of Cleopatra and Mark Antony. Such a marriage represented a powerful political alliance, connecting Felix with one of the most illustrious families of the ancient world. This certainly did not make his tenure in Judea particularly easy. Felix was eventually recalled to Rome, his later history a matter of interest in historical investigation. Indeed, his marriage with Drusilla of Mauretania the Elder most definitely underlines the complex web of relationships between Rome and her client kingdoms, marriage once again being an important glue meant to solidify political alliances.
Historical Significance
Due to a lack of records about her life, Drusilla of Mauretania the Elder is not as well documented as several of her family members, but her historical significance would come from her connections with the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt and the royal household of Mauretania. There is mention of a Drusilla by the Roman historian Tacitus, who in this context is said to be a granddaughter of Mark Antony and Cleopatra; this is believed to refer to Drusilla of Mauretania the Elder. Assuming the identification is correct, she helped carry on the line of history’s most famous family.
Setting aside the life and marriage of Drusilla, she is a good example of the intricately interwoven relations that existed between Rome and its client kingdoms. Being from the Mauretanian royal family, she would have been a figure of importance to keep the region stable and Romanized. Her marriage to Antonius Felix also exposes another very important Roman practice: the method of marriage as part of forging alliances, one of the ways to ensure loyalty among its varied subjects.
Legacy
Drusilla of Mauretania the Elder died in 45 AD, leaving behind a legacy strongly linked with some of the most powerful and influential figures from the ancient world. Her niece carried on the family line and continued to entwine the histories of Mauretania, Egypt, and Rome: Drusilla of Mauretania the Younger.
The life of Drusilla of Mauretania the Elder, owing to her historic links, is a figure of some interest to scholars dealing with the complex relationships between Rome and its client kingdoms in the early Imperial period, even though few details are known about her life. Her legacy, though less documented, carries with it the continued influence of the Ptolemaic and the Mauretanian dynasties within the Roman world.
Net Worth
Given that Drusilla of Mauretania the Elder was royalty from Mauretania, from the Ptolemaic dynasty, she would automatically come from a place of great wealth and influence. It is difficult to ascertain precise net worth for individuals during ancient times, but her family controlled significant resources, which totaled the rich trade routes and agricultural lands of Mauretania. Her marriage to Antonius Felix probably joined her wealth, as he was of high rank within the Roman Empire. Though details about her wealth are not known, from all indications, one can note that the life of Drusilla of Mauretania the Elder was a very affluent and influential life.