Claudius Quotes

Question 1

What does Josephus say about the Senate wanting to return Rome to the republic?

Answer 1

Josephus, Jewish Antiquity 19: “a return to senatorial government was totally unrealistic”

Question 2

What does Suetonius say about Claudius’ accession?

Answer 2

Suetonius, Claudius 10: calls Claudius’ accession “an extraordinary accident”.

Question 3

What does Suetonius say about Claudius’ gift to the Praetorians after his accession?

Answer 3

Suetonius, Claudius 10: once Claudius became emperor he “promised every [Praetorian Guard] 15 000 sesterces, which made him the first of the Caesars to purchase the loyalty of his troops”.

Question 4

What does the Aureus of Claudius show?

Answer 4

Minted AD 41 - 42. The reverse shows Claudius and a Praetorian soldier shaking hands, “with the praetorians having been received”.

Question 5

What does Suetonius say about the Invasion of Britain?

Answer 5

Suetonius, Claudius 17: “Claudius’ sole campaign was of no great importance”

Question 6

What does Suetonius say about Claudius’ relationship with his freedmen and wives?

Answer 6

Suetonius, Claudius 25: “…he practically obeyed their whims rather than his own judgement”

Question 7

What does Suetonius say about Claudius’ freedmen and senators/equestrians?

Answer 7

Suetonius, Claudius 29: lists a series of Claudius’ actions carried out at the request of his freedmen, including the execution of 35 senators and 300 equites.

Question 8

What does Suetonius say about Polybius?

Answer 8

Suetonius, Claudius 28: “who often walked between the two consuls”.

Question 9

What does Suetonius say about Pallas and Narcissus?

Answer 9

Suetonius Claudius 28: Claudius was “devoted to his secretary Narcissus and his treasurer Pallas”.

Question 10

What does Pliny the Elder say about Claudius’ freedmen?

Answer 10

Pliny the Elder, Natural History 33: Callistus, Pallas and Narcissus had “even greater wealth than Crassus”.

Question 11

What does Suetonius say about Messalina?

Answer 11

Suetonius, Claudius 29: Claudius “signed the contract of the dowry with his own hand” leading to her execution.

Question 12

What does Tacitus say about Messalina?

Answer 12

Tacitus: suggests that Sillius and Messalina wanted to usurp Claudius but was prevented by Narcissus, who informed Claudius and led troops to end the attempted coup.

Question 13

What does Suetonius say about Agrippina?

Answer 13

Suetonius: “Agrippina served the drug to him with her own hand in mushrooms”.

Question 14

What does Seneca say about Claudius’ accession and the state of Rome?

Answer 14

Seneca, On the Shortness of Life: upon Claudius’ accession there was only seven or eight days’ food supply remaining.

Question 15

What does the Dupondius of Claudius show?

Answer 15

Mintedin the beginning of his reign, the reverse shows Ceres holding corn and a torch, commemorating Claudius’ supervision of the corn supply.

Question 16

What is the Inscription on the Freedman Procurator of Ostia?

Answer 16

Its a short inscription that reiterates Claudius’ use of his imperial freedmen to oversee key areas of adminstration.

Question 17

What does Pliny say about the completion of the Anio Novus and Aqua Claudia?

Answer 17

Pliny the Elder, Natural History 36: “commenced by the Emperor Gaius and completed by Claudius”

Question 18

What does Tacitus say about the completion of draining the Fucine lake?

Answer 18

Tacitus: it was “carelessly completed”.

Question 19

What does Suetonius say about the completion of the draining the Fucine lake?

Answer 19

Suetonius, Claudius 20: he is impressed by the sheer scale of the works, using some 30 000 men.

Question 20

What does Suetonius say about an attempted assassination on Claudius?

Answer 20

Suetonius: “A man of the commons was caught near [Claudius’] bedchamber in the middle of the night, dagger in hand”.

Question 21

What does Suetonius say about Claudius’ relationship with the Equestrians BEFORE he was emperor?

Answer 21

Suetonius, Claudius 6: “When Claudius appeared at public shows, the entire equestrian order would rise and take off their cloaks as a mark of honour”

Question 22

What does Suetonius say about Claudius’ relationship with the Plebs? (largesse)

Answer 22

Suetonius, Claudius 21: Claudius lavished largesse and entertainment upon the people.

Question 23

What does Suetonius say about Claudius’ relationship with the Plebs? (based on a rumour)

Answer 23

Suetonius, Claudius 12: tells us about a rumour that Claudius was killed on the Ostia road. “the people were horror stricken”