Historical fiction shows based on characters who lived centuries ago are always intriguing to watch. The history presented in the form of a television show allows us to understand the nuances of those real-life people who carried out good and bad acts for the sake of power and nothing else. It also helps us to see them from a gray perspective, for each of them had their own intentions and journeys to justify their acts. The Tudors, The Serpent Queen, Rome, Vikings, Downton Abbey, and Marco Polo are names of some of the many shows in this genre. Domina is about the Roman Dictator Augustus’ wife, Livia, who managed to stay in power for years even though she could not give him an heir, which was crucial for any family ruling a vast empire.
Domina season three officially has not been announced yet by the studio or the network. This article has been solely written based on speculation on how the second season ended. Since the show is historical fiction, a lot of writing will be based on actual events that happened centuries ago. We have mentioned every possible scenario that could take place. Readers can further comment on what they think can happen in the next season.
The second season of Domina concluded with a tragedy that will stay with Livia until her death. After mercilessly getting rid of her enemies, Livia herself grieves over the death of her younger son, Drusus, in Germania. While the official cause of death was him falling off a horse, Tiberius and Antonina’s investigation strongly indicated that Augustus planned Drusus’ death by planting Vistilius as his spy, who pretended to be Drusus’ friend while campaigning in Germania. Livia is faced with a moral crisis, as stated by Tiberius. She could either get rid of her husband as revenge and subsequently lose power, or she could live with the man till the end of her life, knowing he was responsible for her son’s death.
Augustus, on the other hand, is on the path to becoming God for the Romans, as initially planned with Livia. He saw Drusus as his competitor. The letter he found confirmed his doubts, and coupled with his promise to Octavia, Augustus found a way to get rid of the boy who wanted to be his heir. Tiberius, out of spite and anger, kills Julia’s son Tiberillus, who many thought was the direct heir of Livia and Augustus.
Domina Season 3 will probably have Livia hatch a foolproof plan to make sure Augustus pays for his actions in the most devastating manner. Augustus refuses to see the pain he’s caused his wife, and he expects Livia to be okay with the fact that he killed someone who was a threat to his power just like she got rid of hers. They might reach a truce, but Livia is the kind of person who will never forget people who have wronged her. She managed to kill the priestess Turia in a spat they had many years ago, as she could not risk her power by having her around.
Julia only has a handful of people around her she can trust, and using them, she will make sure to get rid of those who are loyal to Augustus and replace them with her loyalists without creating any suspicions. Having her people around Caesar will make it easy for her to spy on her husband. With Agrippa and Octavia gone and Domitius far away in Africa, Augustus is already short of those he can trust with his plans and schemes. He will have to resort to trusting Livia, Tycho, and Piso. Livia will pretend to be by his side to make him the God the Romans look up to. Even though Augustus heard murmurs about restoring the Republic in Rome, Livia dismissed these rumors without drawing any attention to herself. It is not clear if Augustus believed her words or not, but he will surely take these rumors lightly.
With Julia’s child’s death, there could be a chance of a civil war erupting between Tiberius and his stepfather for the seat at Rome. Livia will again try to be the mediator and keep the two important men in her life separate from each other to avoid further conflicts. It is perplexing for Livia, who pushed the agenda of the Roman Republic on her children, but she is also troubled by the idea of the conflict that could erupt because of the idea she planted in their minds. Livia will face the consequences of this move, and it will be a while before she comes back from it.
Every episode of Domina begins with a disclaimer that states the number of years until Jesus Christ’s birth in the current story. In the next season, the viewers might well get to see the story of the birth of Christ and how his doctrine spread across the empire, making him Augustus’ only potent enemy to become God. There could be religious conflicts that Caesar and Livia will have to deal with. Jesus’ death could be a catalyst that could lead to a massive change in the empire, something that Livia won’t have any control over. Her power will be restricted to Augustus, as rightly stated by Tiberius, and she won’t be able to get the people to change their minds.
Just like in the first two seasons, Livia had many enemies who wanted her out of power. With many gone by the end of season two, there will still be no shortage of people who will want her out because, at this point, Livia will wield a lot of power. There is a possibility that Julia and Tiberius might turn against her because of her insistence that the two get married, and the personal agreement between the couple would be forced to be nullified. Livia will find ways to neutralize the situation, but things will get out of hand this time. Piso, her only mentor figure, will not live through the next season, rendering her helpless. This could lead to her making mistakes.
In the next season of Domina, Livia might face trial for treason as well, for Augustus will be told about her role in instigating the restoration of the Roman Republic. There is a possibility this could happen by mid-season, as Livia will contemplate changing her mind about everything just for the sake of retaining power. She will have to present strong reasons for Augustus to believe her. She might gain the confidence of Antonina, the widow of Drusus. With too many plots converging to head towards one final goal, it will be a monumental task for the writers to connect the dots and reach a conclusive ending to cherish Livia’s legacy. If the viewers have read enough, Livia lived for many years as a woman in power. This way, we know Livia will remain alive in the show, and the makers will try to end the entire series on a high note.
