1.3 Gaius AD 37-41 Flashcards
Who is the author that provides a notable observation about Gaius?
Suetonius
Suetonius refers to Gaius as both an emperor and a monster, highlighting the duality of his reign.
What two parts does Suetonius divide Gaius’ reign into?
Good and bad parts
This division reflects the contrasting nature of Gaius’ rule before and after his illness.
What significant event is noted to have occurred in October/November 37 during Gaius’ reign?
An illness
This illness marks a turning point leading to Gaius’ subsequent tyranny.
What was Gaius’ initial approach to his reign following Tiberius?
Distance himself and his policies from Tiberius
Gaius aimed to gain favor with the Roman populace by rejecting Tiberius’ unpopular policies.
What actions did Gaius take to strengthen his popularity?
- Holding a series of games
- Recalling exiles
- Dismissing pending criminal charges
- Honoring his grandmother with the title of Augusta
These actions were designed to win public favor and support.
What title did Gaius bestow upon his grandmother?
Augusta
This title was part of Gaius’ strategy to unify the imperial household.
What significant act did Gaius perform regarding his family members?
Brought the remains of his mother and brother back to the Mausoleum of Augustus
This act was intended to resonate emotionally with the Roman people.
How did Gaius seek to secure the loyalty of the army?
By playing upon his descent from Germanicus
Gaius used his familial connections to enhance his military reputation.
What type of coin did Gaius design to enhance his image?
A coin linking Gaius and Germanicus
This coin was a strategic move to associate Gaius with the glory of Germanicus.
What does Dio’s account reveal about Gaius’ personality?
Divided nature
Dio highlights the contrast between Gaius’ initial promise and his later tyranny.
True or False: Gaius’ early reign was characterized by immediate tyranny.
False
Gaius initially enjoyed a promising start before descending into cruelty.
What is suggested about Gaius’ illness in relation to his reign?
It may have been a convenient explanation for his failure
The illness is questioned as a reason for his drastic change in behavior.
What significant financial action did Gaius take that led to severe taxation measures?
He squandered 575,000,000 denarii in under a year.
This action caused unrest among the plebs, leading to them storming the Circus Maximus.
Which aqueducts did Gaius begin work on that were later completed by Claudius?
Anio Novus.
Pliny the Elder noted Gaius’ involvement in practical building programs.
What actions did Gaius take regarding the censorship of Augustan orators and historians?
He lifted the censorship on various Augustan orators and historians.
This action indicates a more open approach to historical narratives during his reign.
What did Gaius do regarding the publication of imperial budgets?
He published imperial budgets.
This act reflects a level of transparency in governance.
What judicial reform did Gaius implement?
He created a fifth judicial division to spread the workload more evenly.
This reform aimed at improving judicial efficiency.
True or False: Gaius’ actions can be interpreted as those of a tyrant or madman.
False.
Many actions taken by Gaius suggest he was working for the good of the empire.
What was Gaius’ relationship with the Senate during his accession?
The Senate quickly and easily conferred all imperial titles and powers onto him.
This set a precedent for future emperors.
What did Tiberius advise Gaius in his speech in 39?
To ‘show neither affection nor mercy’ and ‘take thought only for [his] own pleasure and safety’.
This advice influenced Gaius’ later policies.
What was the Senate’s reaction to Gaius’ rule despite his atrocities?
They praised him as a sincere and pious ruler to ensure their own safety.
The Senate’s dependence on Gaius influenced their public praise.
How does Suetonius depict Gaius in his writings?
He presents a catalogue of Gaius’ alleged cruel actions.
However, the reliability of Suetonius’ sources is questioned.
What does Josephus suggest about Gaius’ decisions concerning the plebs?
He made decisions to please the plebs and gain popularity.
This is contrasted by accounts of his brutal treatment of protesting citizens.
Fill in the blank: Gaius wished ‘all you Romans had only _______.
one neck.
This infamous remark reflects his disdain for the Roman populace.
What is a major problem in understanding Gaius’ rule?
The majority of sources are upper-class authors casting him as a mad tyrant.
This bias affects the interpretation of his actions and policies.
What aspect of Gaius’ reign is emphasized in sources?
His attitude towards the imperial cult
Gaius’ self-perception of divinity was a key characteristic of his reign.
How did Gaius’ view of divinity contrast with Tiberius?
Gaius sought worship of himself, while Tiberius spurned it
Tiberius’ rejection of self-worship is noted by Tacitus.
What was one reason Gaius may have promoted his own divinity?
To acquire Augustan auctoritas without a political or military background
Auctoritas refers to the authority or influence of Augustus.
What dual system did Augustus establish regarding imperial worship?
Worship was legitimate in provinces but not in Rome, except for Augustus’ genius
This duality was a means of control and Romanization.
What did Gaius do at the beginning of his reign regarding his images?
He forbade the setting up of any images of himself
Initially, Gaius also refused to sanction sacrifices to his Fortune.
How did Gaius’ actions regarding the imperial cult evolve?
He made numerous efforts to promote his own divinity
Sources suggest bias in how these efforts are presented.
What was Gaius’ lifestyle characterized by?
Excess and indulgence
His lifestyle choices were viewed as ‘impossible’ and ‘more than just a human being’.
What did Gaius aim to convert the principate into?
More of an absolute monarchy
This was a shift from the republican facade created by Augustus.
How does Gaius’ promotion of the imperial cult compare to Near Eastern practices?
It aligns with Egyptian pharaonic worship and Near Eastern god-kings
Gaius aimed to elevate the role of the emperor significantly.
What was the Senate’s response to Gaius’ divine pretensions?
They granted him a temple on the Palatine
Gaius funded the temple himself, indicating some level of support.
What behavior of Gaius was indulged by the Senate and citizens?
Dressing up as various deities and claiming honors inappropriate for mortals
This indicates a level of acceptance of his divine claims.
What does the condemnation of Gaius’ divine pretensions reflect?
The individual biases of the sources
This suggests that perceptions of Gaius were influenced by the perspectives of historians.
What transformation did Gaius’ promotion of the imperial cult signify?
A shift from civilis princeps to overt monarch
This transformation communicated the omnipotence of the emperor.
Who are the key sources on Gaius’ assassination?
Josephus, Suetonius, Dio
What does Josephus claim about the number of assassination plans against Gaius?
Three different assassination plans
Who is placed at the head of the assassination conspiracy by Josephus?
Cassius Chaerea
Name two other conspirators involved in Gaius’ assassination according to Dio.
- Cornelius Sabinus
- Callistus
What significant event marked the end of Gaius?
A festival on the Palatine Hill
What was the nature of Gaius’ final moments according to the sources?
Brutal and savage stabbing even after he was dead
What was one of the motivations behind Chaerea’s actions?
Gaius’ constant insults towards him for effeminacy
What does Seneca suggest was the ultimate trigger for Chaerea’s motivation?
Gaius’ constant insults
What was the nature of the murder of Gaius according to the text?
Not born of grand ideals but opportunism
What did Chaerea and Sabinus seek through the assassination?
Self-preservation
What was Callistus’ motivation in the assassination?
Desire to guarantee his own future
What did Vinicianus seek through the assassination?
His own imperial ambitions
How did Josephus characterize Gaius’ aspirations?
Superior to the laws of god and man
True or False: The assassination of Gaius was a mass conspiracy of the oppressed.
False
Fill in the blank: Gaius aspired to be, and to be seen to be, _______.
[superior to the laws of god and man]
What did Josephus summarize about Gaius’ personality and reign?
Biased summation indicating Gaius tried to do too much too soon
