Emperors - Claudius Flashcards
Claudius’ reign:
41-54AD
‘an extraordinary accident’
Suetonius on Claudius’ accession
Claudius’ relation with Gaius?
Uncle
- he was brother of Germanicus
(he and Gaius had shared the consulship in 37AD)
Events of Claudius’ accession?
- found hiding after Gaius’ assassination
- Praetorian Guard find him and take him to their camp
- He promised the guard 15,000 sesterces each once he had decided to accept the principate
- Praetorian Guard surrounded the senate and pledged support to Claudius (bear in mind they had no reason to exist without an emperor)
‘a return to senatorial government was totally unrealistic’
Josephus on Claudius’ accession
- there had been debates on whether to return to a republic and between different candidates but these senators would not have any memory of the republic
What does Claudius’ letter to the Alexandrians say?
He outright refuses to be acknowledged as a god, suggesting a reversal from Gaius’ policy and him trying to model a return to the Augustan way of government
Revolt of Camillus Scribonianus 42AD summarised?
Camillus Scribonianus was encouraged by Vinicianus (senator who was involved in gaius’ assassination) to turn his troops against Claudius.
- This lasted 5 days before his troops ‘refused to listen to him’ (Dio) and he killed himself.
- It frightened Claudius greatly though.
When had the last significant campaign been held, before Claudius’ invasion of Britain?
Drusus’ campaign in Germany in 12-9BC
What is the significance of the Aureus of Drusus from AD 41-45?
Claudius was stressing his connection with his father as a means of ensuring the loyalty of his troops
When had the last invasion of Britain been attempted?
Julius Caesar in 54BC
Suetonius on the campaign against Britain?
’ of no great importance’
Who led the campaign in Britain in summer 43AD?
Aulius Plautius
What did Claudius achieve in Britain after he had made the crossing and taken charge of the force?
He defeated the Britons resistance and captured Camulodunum
- it should be remembered that the force was around 40,000 at this point so although Dio highlights the speed and efficiency of the campaign, the resistance would have been at an extreme disadvantage
How many times was Claudius Consul?
5 times (out of 14 years)
When did Claudius celebrate a triumph for the invasion of Britain? What title was he given?
44AD
‘britannicus’
When did Claudius extend the pomerium? Why? When had it last been done?
In 49AD
Due to the expansion of the empire in Britain, this was a tradition that the pomerium should mirror expansion.
This had last been done by Augustus
‘one might say that everything Claudius did throughout his reign was dictated by his wives and freedmen’
Suetonius on the imperial court around Claudius
Why did Claudius utilise his freedmen as a sort of civil service?
The demands of running the empire had exceeded the capacity of just an individual.
3 main members of the group of freedment and their roles?
Callistus - in charge of petitions
Narcissus - chief secretary in charge of correspondence
Pallas - treasurer and chief accountant
Reason that all sources are negative about freedmen under Claudius?
Because they held roles which had traditionally been held by the Senate, thus the sources which are sympathetic to the senate vilify them
Suetonius example of Claudius and the freedmen’s negative actions?
executed 35 senators and 300 equites. He links this with the freedmen to link their influence to the murders
Why are the criticisms of the freedmen rather hypocritical?
They criticise the greed of the freedmen but the imperial secretariat had been set up to make up for the shortcomings of the senate and Claudius’ administration was clearly effective
Who was Claudius’ third wife and why was she significant?
Valeria Messalina
- she gave birth to 2 children - Claudia Octavia and Tiberius Claudius (Britannicus).
- the sources suggest she caused humiliation and discord for Claudius, with her name used as a byword for sexual excess (according to Dio)
What happened to Valeria Messalina?
- She had an affair with Gaius Silius,
- whilst Claudius was away Tacitus suggests they were trying to userp the imperial position.
- Narcissus stopped them and told Claudius
- Messalina was executed in 48AD
Claudius’ fourth wife and her significance?
Agrippina the Younger
- Claudius’ niece
- blood relative of Augustus and daughter of Germanicus she had powerful political associations.
- her young son (Nero) was a Julian, and she heavily promoted him
Sources alleging Agrippina’s role in Claudius death in 54AD?
Suetonius and Tacitus suggest she had a role in poisoning him.
How many days’ worth of food supply did Claudius inherit according to Seneca?
7 or 8 days supply
corn supply and Claudius on coinage?
Dupondius (low denomination) shows Claudius with the goddess Ceres who was goddess of corn.
Example of infrastructure improvement under Claudius?
Built a harbour at Ostia
What does the Inscription on the Freedman Procurator of Ostia show?
Claudius’ use of the imperial freedmen to oversee projects, including the building of the port at Ostia. This also highlights the importance of the project to Claudius since he used his civil service showing he wanted to oversee it directly
When was the harbour at Ostia probably finished and what does this show about Claudius?
Not until around 64AD, showing Claudius’ long-term planning
How did the completion of the aqueducts Gaius had started by Claudius affect Rome’s water supply? source: Pliny the Elder
nearly doubled it. Water flowed to all 14 districts.
What role did Claudius renew, after 34 years of dormancy?
the role of censor to provide lustra
Claudius’ lustra in 48AD compared to Augustus’ in 14AD
C - 5,984,072
A - 4,937,000
Suetonius on Claudius’ personal interest in the legal system?
Implies his interest was a sign of his ‘tyrannical zeal’ since he liked to make judgements, and could be unpredictable
What building project of Claudius is contrasted between Tacitus and Pliny?
His development of the area around the Fucine Lake as an agricultural centre, which was done to reduce reliance on Egyptian corn (and therefore was a fairly wise move) was criticised by Tacitus for being carelessly finished. pliny is positive though
Suetonius on how many men were used in Claudius’ building projects? What does this show?
30,000
This shows the Claudian administrations’ capacity for organisation
Claudius’ change to the senate?
Introduced Gauls to the senate. Aims:
- introduce new blood to foundering senate
- make senate more representative
- reaffirm the princeps desire to work with the senate
Claudius’ surviving speech to the senate on introducing Gauls vs. what Tacitus wrote?
Tacitus’ version portrays Claudius speaking of himself and his own ancestors, whilst in reality he gave examples of good foreigners in power as well as bad Italians to show that it did not matter whether Senators were Gauls or not.
How much formal opposition to Claudius does Suetonius record?
Not much. One attempt from a dissident individual, one group of conspirators, and then the issue with Scribonianus
‘Claudius often distributed largess to the people, and gave numerous magnificent public shows’
Suetonius on Claudius’ good relationship with the plebs of Rome
‘he urged the audience to enjoy themselves, addressing them all indiscriminately as ‘My lords’’ - Suetonius
Claudius at the ‘picnics’ he held yearly to commemorate his accession. He clearly was friendly with the people, Suetonius says he exposed his left hand in the plebian fashion and was friendly and cracked jokes with the people. He clearly embodied the ‘pater familias’ role of princeps to the people
‘Claudius did not presume to accept excessive honours’
‘he recalled no exile from banishment without Senatorial permission’ (contrast w Caligula)
‘ when a rumour went around of his having been…assassinated on a journey to Ostia, everyone was aghast’
Suetonius on Claudius’ relationship with the people and Senate. Much more moderate in his role as princeps than Gaius or even Tiberius had been.
‘most people think that Claudius was poisoned; but when, and by whom, is disputed’
Suetonius on Claudius’ death. Main suspects were his taster or Agrippina. Suetonius says he was poisoned once which he made him severely ill, and in part of the treatment for this illness was poisoned a second time, which is what killed him.
‘Claudius’ death was not revealed until all arrangements had been completed to secure Nero’s succession’
Suetonius on Claudius’ death
When did Claudius die and how old was he?
13 October AD54
he was 64
Tacitus on Claudius’ death and Nero’s succession?
Agrippina plotted his death. The final blow was a doctor tickling his throat with a poisoned feather. Agrippina faked grief to delay Britannicus, Nero went out to the guards and was welcomed by them essentially since Britannicus was not there to contest
‘they did homage also to Agrippina who sat near’ - Tacitus
When Caratacus and his family are in Rome, Tacitus mentions that Agrippina is in front of the Roman standards on a throne, he also says that she boasted of herself as an equal in the empire
