Agrippina complex, what is it?

Agrippina's complex could explain how Some mothers act in love and "seduce" their children.

Julia Agripina, known as Agripina the youngest -to differentiate her from her mother-, was the eldest daughter of Germanic and Agripina la Mayor, great -granddaughter of Marco Antonio and Octavia the child. Agripina was Caligula's sister, she became her uncle's wife, the Roman emperor Claudio, and was Nero's mother.

Origin of the Agripina complex, history of a manipulative mother

The agripina complex would have a meaning similar to the Oedipus complex, described by Freud. However, in Greek mythology, Oedipus did not know that he committed an incest, since he was not aware that his wife Yocasta was actually his mother. But, Agripina is said to seduce his son Nero.

To better understand the agripina complex it is necessary to know its history, which is marked by incest, betrayal, power and death.

According to some sources, Agripina was a determined woman, with a strong character, capable of doing whatever it was for her son to reach the throne, Even if the price was your own life. Some astrologers would have predicted that his son Nero would be emperor, but that he would kill her, to which she replied that it did not matter, as long as he reigned.

Agripina the child could barely meet her father, since he died in strange circumstances circumstances. The mother, agripina the oldest, was condemned to exile. These facts impacted the life of the greedy agripina the child, who grew convinced that his father had sent him to poison the Emperor Tiberio.These facts made Agripina believe the child that his family had to recover honor and power.

In the year 28 D.C married Cneo Dominicio Ahenobardo, with whom he had Nero, a figure that represents the excesses and decline of the Roman Empire. In fact, it is said that Ahenobardo was a cruel and violent man and that Agripina would have said that only a monster could be born from that union.

At the age of 34, Agripina married her uncle, Emperor Claudio. He also advised his son Nero to marry his now steppes, Octavia. Once Agripina gets the title of Empress and Augusta, in addition to honors, she convinces her husband to adopt Nero as heir and makes him more privileges than Claudio's biological son, British. When he achieves his mission, it is said that he orders her husband to poison. In this way, Nero reaches the throne at the age of 16. Agripina then tries to control her son to govern her.

This relationship between mother and child, in addition to incestuous, becomes complicated, to the extent that both try to have control of the empire.

It is narrated that Nero sends three executioners to kill his mother. But Agripina suspected her son's plans and daughter -in -law, so she began to take small doses of poison to immunize.

By not getting poisoning it, Neón tries to sink the ship in which she nothing. However, Agripina escapes swimming. Finally, she finds death in the same place where she gave birth to her son, in the town of Antium, after she asked them to transfer her abdomen with a sword, since there she managed the son who now killed her.

In addition, It is said that the image of Agripina tormented Nero to the point of driving him crazy and making him die in agony.

What follows from history?

From the story about Agripina's life and the relationship with her son, she follows that she, in her eagerness to exercise power, Try to control his son, which irritates him so that he feels the desire to want to kill his parent. A mother could act with unclear feelings towards her son, "seduce him" or "fall in love," perhaps in a symbolic sense, until he canceled him and living through him.

The author Diana Borja Reinoso, in her study on family overprotection, points out that When mothers overprotegen their children, they have poor development of skills, adopt a passivity position and generate dependence.

In adult life, who has been overprotected, he will probably have problems assuming his responsibilities, They could feel fear, low self -esteem, insecurity and difficulty in making decisions, which leads to depend on others.

Acute mamitis or dysfunctional attachment relationships

In the case of the Agripina complex, between mother and son there is a fight for power. Nero is described as tyrant and violent, but also with a weak and influenceable personality, In addition to egolatra. From childhood, Nero was dominated by his mother, who imposed his shadow on his life. At present, the Agrippina complex could be applied to mothers who are manipulative and intervene without measure in the lives of their children. These parents feel jealous when their children experience attachments towards another person.

Mothers with the agripina complex plan the lives of their children, regardless of what they want. Children grow with fear and insecurity.

When the son does not want to undergo the mother's norms, he faces her and discussions arise. Secretly, Mothers with this complex feel happiness if the child separates from his wife and looks again to look for maternal care. 

In the case of Agripina, she managed to make Claudio appoint Nero as successor, without him having any merit for the position, which made Nero generate compulsive behavior, in need of recognition. Thus, the mother's intrigues facilitated that Nero has an unlimited power, without anyone else importing and thus became consecrating God. Although his authority was scarce, his extravagant power had no barriers thanks to his mother's protective figure.

Nero asked that anyone who contrary to him was executed. Seneca himself paid with his life for writing better poetry than the nefarious emperor, then Nero's weak personality could not feel threatened, so he forced Seneca to cut her veins.

A mother with the agripina, controlling, ambitious and ruthless complex can wreak havoc on the child's personality. In the case of Nero, the egolatry was accentuated. It is said that, in one of the races of Olimpia, he fell from the horse and arrived last, but caused him to name him a seller. In addition, he enjoyed the applause of his soldiers.

The worst for the mother suffering from the agripina complex is her outcome, Well, this woman did not estimate that her son matured and wanted to direct her personal life and politics. Given this fact, the outbursts of Ira de Agripina were more frequent and reminded Nero that he owed everything to her, and insinuated that there was still another possible heir to occupy the throne: British, which led Nero to poison his stepbrother, without consulting his mother. At that time, she understands that she has lost control.

Nero dismissed his mother's ally, palante, forced her to move from the palace, eliminated her personal guard and decided to execute her. There is the fate of the mother who, real or symbolically, seduces her son and tries to live through him.

The agar and Sara complex

Bibliography

• Borja Reinoso, D. P. (2013). Family overprotection and its impact on the integral development of children of the Good Living Children's Center(Bachelor's ahesis).
• Fernández Uriel, P. (1991). Nero and Neronism: ideology and myth.
• Requena Jiménez, M. (2006). Nero and the seas of Agripina. History, (3), 0083-107.
• Southon, e. (2019). Agripina: The first Empress of Rome. Lingua, 2, 70.