Bona Dea scandal

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The Bona Dea scandal was a notorious incident in late Republican Rome in which Publius Clodius Pulcher was accused of infiltrating a women-only religious festival held at Julius Caesar’s house, leading to a major public scandal and the dissolution of Caesar’s marriage to Pompeia.

All labels observed (5)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf historical event
political scandal
religious scandal
accusation disguising himself as a woman
profanation of religious rites
sacrilege
accusedPerson Publius Clodius Pulcher
alsoKnownAs Bona Dea affair
linked to: Bona Dea scandal

Clodius–Bona Dea scandal
linked to: Bona Dea scandal
approximateDate 62 BC
associatedWith Roman political factions
Roman religious law
career of Publius Clodius Pulcher
reputation of Julius Caesar
consequenceFor marriage of Julius Caesar and Pompeia
country Roman Republic
culturalSignificance example of intersection of religion and politics in Rome
illustration of norms about female-only religious spaces
hasCause infiltration of women-only Bona Dea rites
hasEffect divorce of Pompeia by Julius Caesar
public scandal in Rome
trial of Publius Clodius Pulcher
involvedRole Aurelia Cotta as hostess and organizer of rites
legalOutcome acquittal of Publius Clodius Pulcher
legalProcess trial before a special court
location Rome
house of Julius Caesar
mainSubject Bona Dea
Gaius Julius Caesar
Pompeia
Publius Clodius Pulcher
participant Gaius Julius Caesar
Pompeia
Publius Clodius Pulcher
Roman matrons
Vestal Virgins
politicalImpact strengthening of Clodius’s popularis image
tension between Clodius and Cicero
relatedEvent Bona Dea festival at Caesar’s house
relatedPerson Aurelia Cotta
religiousContext Bona Dea festival
linked to: Bona Dea

women-only religious rites
resultedIn Caesar’s statement that his wife must be above suspicion
source writings of Cicero
writings of Plutarch
linked to: Works of Plutarch

writings of Suetonius
linked to: Suetonius
timePeriod late Roman Republic

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (6)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Pompeia causeOfEndOfMarriage Bona Dea scandal
Pompeia notableFor Bona Dea festival scandal
linked to: Bona Dea scandal
Publius Clodius Pulcher eventInvolved Bona Dea scandal of 62 BC
linked to: Bona Dea scandal
Bona Dea scandal alsoKnownAs Bona Dea affair
linked to: Bona Dea scandal
Bona Dea scandal alsoKnownAs Clodius–Bona Dea scandal
linked to: Bona Dea scandal
Clodius family notableEventInvolvingMember Bona Dea scandal
subject linked to: Clodius family (gens Clodia)