Olga Lyubimova

The author argues that the political consequences of Octavian’s marriage to Livia were only negative for him. Having divorced Scribonia he displayed his hostile disposition to Sextus Pompey too early and did not have enough time to prepare himself to the new war which led to his defeat in 38 BC. The scandal about Octavian’s marriage to Livia must have alienated the conservative aristocracy rather than attract it; the episode gave a lot of material for the hostile propaganda.