I have wild love for Robert Graves' I, Claudius version of Livia. I'm not even overly bothered by his woobification of Augustus, I'm so far gone into fangirliness.

Because it's all about my crafty, murderous girl. Engineering the ascendancy and doom of everyone around her, all while looking fabulous. Sure, some of them were relatives. It's not all marble statues and peeled grapes controlling an empire and vying for Godhood, you know.

Watching Siân Phillips play her in the BBC mini has multiplied the love times a bazillion. She just nailed all the nuances. I so need an icon.

And now with the fresh regret that Rome didn't get a third season. They were just getting to the Livia years!