Claudius Flashcards
Who was Claudius to Caligula?
Uncle of Caligula
Why did Claudius not want to be involved with public life of imperial family?
Due to disabilites
What disabilities did Claudius have?
- lisp
- limp
- stutter
During Tiberius’s reign where did Claudius retire to?
Campania
What did Claudius do in Campania?
gamble and drink
What was Claudius’ role during the reign of Caligula?
Became consul, shared consularship with Caligula
What was Claudius’ Physical Appearance According to Seuteonius?
“His appearance was not lacking in authority and dignity when he was standing, sitting and
particularly when he was laying down, for his frame was tall and not thin, his face was
handsome, as was his white hair, and he had a full neck. However, when he started to
walk his rather feeble knees would fail him and he had numerous undignified
characteristics, both when he was relaxing and when he was engaged in business. His
laughter was unbecoming, while his anger was a worse source of embarrassment, for he
would foam at the mouth and his nose would run. Besides this, he had a speech
impediment and his head twitched all the time, but especially when he made even the
slightest movement. Just as his health had once been very poor, it was excellent when he
was emperor, with the exception of a stomach complaint. When he suffered from that, he
said, he had even considered ending his own life.”
- Claudius looked fine but in his behaviour he was slightly off, yet his
health was perfect when he was emperor - He may have misrepresented his condition prior to becoming emperor as when he
ascended the throne he was “suddenly fine”
What were the Claudian letters?
Claudius was quite eccentric as seen through his introduction of three new letters:
○ Ⅎ - digamma: consonantal v (w)
○ – Antisigma: replaces ps and bs
○ Ⱶ - sonus medius, between u and i
Who was the heir after Caligula was killed?
- Praetorian guard believed there should be an emperor
- They rushed into the imperial palace and found Claudius hiding behind a
tapestry/curtain
forced him into role of emperor
Early in Claudius’ reign how did he react to Caligula’s legacy?
Rescinded Caligula’s absurd legislation
Did not celebrate Caligula’s death and mourned him privately
Did not condemn his memory in public
What was one of the ways Claudius tried to remind ppl of his connection to the good parts of the imperial family?
- Striking coins that reminded them of his great ancestors
- also struck coins with his own image on them with idealized appearance
on back of coin stated “On account of citizens having been saved”
- rep. Claudius taking over from Caligula, ppl being set free from his tyrannical reign
Why was inscribing coins popular?
Something done after an unpopular emperor died in order to signal the beginning of a new and improved age of the people
to legitimize themselves
What is one of the most important ways an emperor can legitimize themselves?
Military experience and success
What were Claudius’ major military successes?
Annexation of Mauritania (North Africa)
Complete invasion and conquest of Britain
Annexation of Lycia and Thrace
Managed these conquests through agents and generals
What did Claudius accomplish in terms of public infrastructure?
- built Aqua Claudia (began by Caligula, finished by Claudius)
- Aqueducts - brought water to Rome
- Monument: Porta Maggiore
- attempted to drain Fucine Lake (fail)
- Port at Ostia (Portus Augusti) : artificial harbour, built bc Ostia was insufficient in bringing supplies (esp. grains) to city of rome, also built to prevent flooding
What was Claudius’ greatest weakness?
Easily manipulated/pushed around by freedman
- made him unpopular
- gave power on slaves and freedman that served him
What were some criticisms of Claudius?
- power of women in his life (Messalina, his third wife, Agrippina the Younger)
- power of slaves and freedmen: took advantage of him/manipulated him
- Pedantic (annoying, Claudius was smart and showed off)
Who was Messalina to Claudius?
Claudius’ 3rd wife
Who was Messalina having an affair with and why?
Silius, said to be the most handsome youth in rome.
What happened with Messalina and Silius?
Silius proposed that Messalina should marry him
- waited until Claudius left town to marry
- discovered by freedman that Claudius worked closely with and Claudius’ mistresses tattled
when Claudius found out he stated:
“I am not now going to bring an adultery charge. Don’t reclaim house, slaves and
fortune’s other trappings – let Silius have those, but he must return the wife and
destroy the marriage documents.” (Tac. Ann. 11.30)
Despite having multiple mistresses, simply requested Messalina back bc he “is in love with her”
- Messalina had immense influence over him
What happened after the death of Messalina?
Claudius was convinced to marry his niece, Agrippina the younger (evil), mother of Nero
Adopted Nero
What was the Lyon Tablet?
Verbatim copy of speech delivered in the senate by emperor Claudius
- speech was abt admitting Gauls into the Roman Senate
Who wrote the Apocolocyntosis?
Seneca the Younger
(Lucius Annaeus Seneca)
What does Apocolocyntosis mean?
Pumpkinification
- pun on word Apotheosis (to deify)
satire
Who was Nero’s tutor?
Seneca
Guided Nero for the first 8 years of his reign until forced to commit suicide by Nero
When was Apocolocyntosis written?
After Claudius death
Who was this quote in the Apocolocyntosis about?
“This man, my lords, who looks as though he could not hurt a fly, used to chop off heads
as easily as a dog sits down.” (Apoc. 10)
Augustus speaking about Claudius
What did these words in the Apocolocyntosis mean?
“The last words he was heard to speak into this world were these, when he made a great
noise with that end of him which talks easiest, he cried out oh dear oh dear, I think I made
a mess of myself, whether he did or no, I can’t say, but certain it is that he made a mess of
everything”
A big fart and him soiling himself
