Pseudo-Seneca: Octavia by Erica M Bexley

Pseudo-Seneca: Octavia by Erica M Bexley

Octavia is a unique play: a work of uncertain authorship and date, erroneously attributed to Seneca, it is the only surviving example of a Roman historical drama. Its story focuses on the turbulent events surrounding Nero’s divorce from his first wife – Octavia, daughter of the emperor Claudius – and his marriage to the glamorous Poppaea, a move that sparks open rebellion amongst the Roman populace. With a supporting cast that includes Seneca and Nero himself, Octavia plunges its audience into the muddy waters of Julio-Claudian politics and leads them to confront difficult questions about how the past is remembered.

This companion volume introduces the novice reader to Octavia’s historical background, genre, style and main themes. It combines detailed literary analysis with historical, cultural and theatrical knowledge, and concludes with a glance at the play’s enduring influence on later European traditions of tragedy.

This book offers a clearly and engagingly written contribution to a well-regarded seriesErica Bexley provides a sophisticated reading of the Octavia with attention to its literary traditions and contemporary reception. -- Neil W. Bernstein, Professor of Classics and Religious Studies, Ohio University, USA

Erica Bexley is an Associate Professor of Classics and Ancient History at Durham University, UK.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781350121843
ISBN 10	1350121843
Title	Pseudo-Seneca: Octavia
Author	Erica M Bexley
Series	Companions To Greek And Roman Tragedy
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Year published	2026-01-08
Number of pages	208
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.