Marcus Valerius Messalla Barbatus

Marcus Valerius Messalla Barbatus (11 BC - AD 20/21) was a consul of ancient Rome. He was the father of the Roman Empress Valeria Messalina, great-nephew of the Emperor Augustus, and father-in-law to the Emperor Claudius.

He was son of Marcus Valerius Messalla Messallinus and Claudia Marcella Minor. His father served twice as consul. His paternal grandfather was the famous orator Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus. His maternal grandparents were consul Gaius Claudius Marcellus Minor and Octavia Minor, sister of Augustus.

Messala Barbatus married his half first-cousin Domitia Lepida Minor. Their marriage resulted in a son Marcus Valerius Messala Corvinus who became consul in 58 and the future empress Valeria Messalina (20-48).^{[citation needed]}

Messala Barbatus was consul in 20. Some modern historians believe he died in 20 or early 21. His only known siblings were his elder half-sister Claudia Pulchra who married the Roman general and politician Publius Quinctilius Varus and his full sister Valeria, born ca 10 BC who married Lucius Vipstanus Gallus (ca 15 BC - 17), Praetor in 17, and had issue.

References

• Christian Settipani. Continuité gentilice et continuité sénatoriale dans les familles sénatoriales romaines à l'époque impériale, 2000^{[page needed]}

External links

• A possible statue of Messalla Barbatus can be seen at [1].

Preceded by Marcus Junius Silanus Torquatus and Lucius Norbanus Balbus

Consul of the Roman Empire together with Marcus Aurelius Cotta Maximus Messalinus 20

Succeeded by Tiberius and Julius Caesar Drusus