Claudius

Question 1

Claudius

Answer 1

41-54 AD
Brother of Germaniucs, nephew caligula
not popular, more academic
disabled

Question 2

Accession

Answer 2

Josephus + Suetonius- Praetorians didn’t want to go back to senatorial government, So took him to their camp.

Tacitus- ‘men fit to be slaves’ (shows senate better having ruler over lead themselves, need principate)

Suetonius calls it an “extraordinary accident”

Josephus- “A return to senatorial government was totally unrealistic”

Question 3

Invasion of Britain

Answer 3

Tacitus-

Suetonius- campaign ‘of no great importance’
-Says nearly shipwrecked twice, Dio doesn’t, Suet. may have been pushing incompetent Claudius narrative

Claudius inscription on pomerium- extended pomerium in 49, shows milit

Question 4

Wives + freedmen

Answer 4

Suetonius- ‘everything Claudius did throughout his reign was dictated by his wives and freedmen: he practically always obeyed their whims rather than his own judgement’

Importance of household stressed throughout sources: dio, seut, pliny, tacitus

Question 5

Messalina

Answer 5

Had son Britannicus

Tacitus- records most damning evidence, an affair with Gaius Silius- Narcissus tells Claudius and she is executed

Suetonius- ‘disgraceful crimes’ and affairs

Juvenal- Many adulteries

Question 6

Agrippina

Answer 6

Niece of Claudius himself, mother of Nero, (not from Claudius)

Tacitus- promoted her own son over son of the Princeps (Britannicus)
-says he became wary of her activities

Suetonius- alleges her involvement in his poisoning

Question 7

Freedmen

Answer 7

Knew couldn’t run empire on own so used these to help
Callistus- petitions
Narcissus- chief secretary
Pallas- Treasurer
Port at Ostia overseen by a freedman too

Tacitus- senate ordered bronze statue of Pallas (backed by Pliny younger)

Suetonius-Freedmen carried out terrible acts such as execution of 35 senators and 300 equites

Pliny Elder- wives and freedmen accrued lots of wealth and importance (not liked by senate)

Question 8

Administration

Answer 8

Seneca- 8 days food left

Tacitus- says fucine lakewere poorly done
-introduced gauls into senate

Suetonius- impressed by the quality and magnitude using 30,000 men (fucine lake)

Pliny Elder- aqueducts, ‘commenced by the Emperor Gaius and completed by Claudius’ Aqua Novus and Aqua Claudius

Question 9

Relationship with PLEBS

Answer 9

restored water grain etc…

Suetonius- lavished largesse and entertainment on the people
-shown by public dismay at his death

Dio- highlights his concern that the city should be well managed

Question 10

Relationship with equestrians

Answer 10

Suetonius- execution of 300 equestrians by freedman

Question 11

Relationship with Senate

Answer 11

issues with legitimacy, accession, W+F

Tacitus- introduction of Gaul’s

Suetonius- little formal opposition
execution of 35 senators by freedman

Question 12

Death

Answer 12

Tacitus and Suetonius- alledges Agrippina poisons him so Nero can take over

also Josephus