OJCL Torch Spring 2021 | Page 7

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Cornelia (Rome, 190-115 BC) was the daughter of Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus and the mother of the Gracchi brothers. A letter she wrote to her son, Gaius, survives to modern times and its excerpts are included in the writings of Cornelius Nepos. Cornelia was the first woman in her family who learned to write and one of only 4 Ancient Roman women whose work survives today. Cornelia's writings were characterized by their profound emotion and elegant writing style.

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