<P> Women could also be motivated by less than noble causes . Claudius's third wife Valeria Messalina conspired with Gaius Silius to overthrow her husband in the hope of installing herself and her lover in power . </P> <P> Tacitus immortalized the woman Epicharis for her part in the Pisonian conspiracy, where she attempted to gain the support of the Roman fleet and was instead arrested . Once the conspiracy was uncovered, she would reveal nothing even under torture, in contrast to the senators, who were not subjected to torture and yet raced to spill the details . Tacitus also praises Egnatia Maximilla for sacrificing her fortune in order to stand by her innocent husband against Nero . </P> <P> Classical texts have little to say about women and the Roman army . Emperor Augustus (reigned 27 BC--AD 14) disallowed marriage by ordinary soldiers, a ban that lasted nearly two centuries . However it has been suggested that wives and children of centurions lived with them at border and provincial forts . Shoes in women's and children's sizes were found at Vindolanda (site of a Roman fort on Hadrian's wall in northern England), along with bronze plaques, awarded to provincial soldiers whose 25 years of service earned them Roman citizenship, that mention their wives and children . Likewise, in Germany, further evidence of this practice was discovered in the form of brooches and shoes . Trajan's Column depicts six women amongst the soldiers who are attendants holding sacrificial offerings at a military religious ceremony . </P> <P> Women were present at most Roman festivals and cult observances . Some rituals specifically required the presence of women, but their participation might be limited . As a rule women did not perform animal sacrifice, the central rite of most major public ceremonies, though this was less a matter of prohibition than the fact that most priests presiding over state religion were men . Some cult practices were reserved for women only, for example, the rites of the Good Goddess (Bona Dea). </P>

Who participated in roman senate meetings such as the one depicted here