Sixty-one countries celebrated Father’s Day last Sunday, so in honor of Father’s Day I have prepared a list of some famous ancient Roman fathers.

Emperor Augustus was a normal ancient Roman father who married his daughter off in her teens. At that time, daughters were no more than political pawns used to further the careers of their fathers. When Augustus’s daughter Julia was still in mourning for her second husband, he married her off to her stepbrother Tiberius. When Augustus found out about Julia’s  sexual escapades, he banished her on a remote island and cut her off financially. Julia learned a tough lesson- don’t make daddy mad!

Although the great orator Marcus Tullius Cicero had a rancorous relationship with his wife, he had a special bond with his daughter Tullia. When Tullia died, he never really got over her death. He withdrew from politics for a short duration to tend to his grief. He also had a son, but his son did not meet expectations. He had hoped that his son Marcus would become a philosopher, but his son chose to join the military instead. The odd part is that he was such a tough orator and yet a total softie towards Tullia.

Emperor Marcus Aurelius had thirteen children, but only five of the thirteen survived past infancy. His only son, Marcus  Caesar was set to become the next heir, but he did not live long enough to become the next ruler. Having lost so many children, you would think that Aurelius would treasure his children, but like the typical ancient Roman father, he married his daughters off to political allies. However, he was one of the more reflective and philosophical emperors, and perhaps it was the death of his children that shaped his introspective outlook.