Can One Believe the Ancient Sources That Describe Messalina?
One of the primary sources that discusses Messalina in the most depth is The Annals, by Tacitus. However, Tacitus?s account of Messalina is questionable in several ways. First, Tacitus seems to have distinct motives for writing about Messalina that call into question the accuracy of his depiction.
The censure of powerful women : roman monarchy and gender anxiety
Roman literature is full of disparaging commentary on women. Pemales in general are depicted as greedy, susceptible to luxuria, at the mercy of their uncontrollable passions, deceitful, jealous and cruel; a woman in proximity to power will attempt to corrupt that power or usurp it for herself and her own personal desires.