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Domina Season 1 Episodes
Season 1 Episode Guide
8 Episodes 2021 - 2021
Episode 1
Fall
Sun, Jun 6, 2021
Marcus Livius Drusus, a republican senator, and his daughter Livia Drusilla prepare her marriage to ally Tiberius Claudius Nero. Her enslaved friend Antigone is freed to join Livia as her companion. The assassination of Julius Caesar dominates Roman politics. Marcus Livius covertly gathers support from other senators to oppose a dictatorship or monarchy. Gaius Julius Caesar (Octavian, the future Augustus), adopted son of Julius Caesar and his friend, general Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, meet Marcus Antonius and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus in secret to divide the empire between them and kill hundreds of senators and knights sympathetic to Caesar's murderers to confiscate their fortunes. Nero's bride Livia marries meets alpha male Gaius at the wedding and they are immediately attracted. During the proscriptions, Marcus Livius Drusus flees to Brutus and Cassius, to commit suicide a year later after the republican defeat at Philippi. Nero is ignored by Gaius and the other triumvirs but after he is proscribed, he and his family must run. Gaius marries Scribonia as part of a deal with Sextus Pompeius, who holds Sicily where he protects refugees from the proscriptions. Nero makes for Sicily, but on the way, the family is attacked by bandits. Livia kills their leader, Nero leaves knocked-down Antigone for dead.
Episode 2
Rise
54 mins
In 39 BCE, Gaius and Marcus Antonius celebrate a truce with Sextus and Antonius married Gaius' sister Octavia. Amnesty under the truce allows Livia, Nero and Tiberius to return from to Rome from refuge with Sextus in Sicily. Livia is horrified to find herself pregnant again. Nero and Livia move in with her new guardian, Libo. Nero considers divorcing Livia for social promotion, she returns to her ruined family home. Learning that Antigone was re-enslaved and sold to the House of Balbina, Livia tries to free Antigone from but is thrown out of the brothel. Gaius' wife Scribonia invites Nero and Livia to dinner, which disappoints Nero; Livia tells Gaius that she needs an ambitious husband. Soon afterwards, Livia visits Gaius alone to set out the terms for their marriage, including a platoon of Gaius's soldiers to free Antigone from the House of Balbina. Agrippa fails to dissuade Livia from pursuing Gaius. With Antigone's help, Scribonia gives birth to Julia. Gaius divorces Scribonia just after Julia's birth to marry Livia, who has now also divorced Nero. As Livia gives birth to her second son, Drusus, Antigone takes her revenge on Balbina.
Episode 3
Family
52 mins
Eleven years on, Livia is married to the powerful Gaius and pregnant again. Yet, she does not feel entirely secure. Gaius and his allies confer how the handle the lapse of his senatorial mandate as surviving triumvir, prolongation fails as general Piso from the republican faction refuses to serve as token reconciliation consul. Gaius ultimately decides to go for all or nothing: returning his powers, even the legions, and hope to swing enough votes for a permanent senatorial power, a game of playing factions. Meanwhile the mothers rival proxy their sons with promising futures. Marcellus wickedly killed simpleton Tiberius's race and pet turtle, yet refuses to let his lower-born buddy Lullus take the blame and simply confesses. Livia protects Antigone even after she slapped a noble heir in defense of a mere slave.
Episode 4
Secrets
57 mins
Years later, Marcellus is promised to marry Julia. Livia's next miscarriage presumably renders her infertile; so, she offers Garius an out by filing for divorce, who wants a proper son and heir. The mothers now shift their plots for the sons, as Julia seems a spent force. Former pushover TIberius has proven a cruel rival, nearly letting Drusus fall on their first campaign. Agrippa cancels his friendship with Gaius, being denied the honorable campaign to recover the eagle standard lost against the Parthians. Livia saves her marriage after mending that rift, which nearly escalates into a homicidal duel, and pulling Maecenas and old Piso into the reconciliation dealing.
Episode 5
Plague
52 mins
Tiber River flooding, the worst in years, carried by mosquito, spreads the often fatal plague through Rome, which even now affects plenipotentiary Gaius, whose symptoms spell death. Livia and Atigone plot to manipulate prospects and poison some, while the republican party hopes to restore senatorial rule but still others rival to succeed to Caesar's virtual throne by planning a coup. Marcellus is Gaius' own favorite, despite Livia joining the warning he's too immature. Livia risks everything feigning behind his back that he chose Agrippa, who accepts loyally. Marcellus' jealous wife Julia has had his male slave/lover stripped and whipped but complains when her husband's reaction to her threat of divorce and chastisement about his lack of ardor resulting in no heir earns her an instant marital rape in front of the household. Gaius pulls through in the end.
Episode 6
Nightshade
57 mins
Fully recovered, Gaius decides no longer Agrippa should succeed him, but young Marcellus, whom he intends to adopt. As he would probably banish her and hoping for her sons Drusus or Tiberius to succeed instead, team Livia plans to murder Marcellus. His Spanish slave-lover Aprio has optimal access, but seems loyal, impossible to bribe, until his stash of innocent bribes is found in the villa: he risks torture and execution, unless he accepts payment in gold and liberation document with safe passage. Meanwhile Marcellus's arranged wife seduces naive lover Iullus to impregnate her, but her infidelity is discovered. The poisoning takes place at the coastal luxury resort Baiae, but affects many people, including Livia, whom Antigone saves.
Episode 7
Treason
53 mins
As Gaius' rivals taste blood in the water, Livia must outwit both them and her husband if the family is to be kept together.
Episode 8
Happiness
58 mins
As Livia tells her sons about their role in her Mission, the truth behind her part in Marcellus' death threatens to come out.
