Julio-Claudian Emperors

Question 1

What powers did Augustus have

Answer 1

According to res gestae, after he had thought to be dying (and handing will to prison and ring o Agrippa)
•tribunicia potestas for life, including power to veto any legislation
•proconsular imperium across the whole empire
•legum et morum
•sole imperium in Rome
•pontifrax maximum leader of religion
•credit for all military victories
Titles: pater patriae, princepts, Caesar son of god, Augustus

Question 2

What is the name given to the period of Augustan peace

Answer 2

Pax Romana or Pax Augusta

Question 3

What did the battle of action accomplish

Answer 3

Defeat of Antony and cleopatra as well as annexation and addition of Egypt to the empire. Included in triple triumph

Question 4

What was the significance of the 1st and second constitutional settlements

Answer 4

Augustus gave up his emergency powers after actium but was given proconsular imperium. The 2nd was due to Marcellus adoption and scandal

Question 5

What was the senatorial result of Augustus’ growing imperium

Answer 5

Consuls lost significance, elections pointless. Quaestor still used.

Question 6

What were the three territories in the triple triumph

Answer 6

Egypt, Daltmatia, Alexandria

Question 7

Discuss the significance of Livia, Augustus’ third wife

Answer 7

Mother of Tiberius and drusus. Apparently was ambitious and paved the way for Tiberius’ succession, suspected of offing Marcellus, Gaius and Lucius as well as being responsible for the exile of Agrippa posthumous, according to Tacitus + Dio. Suspected of killing Augustus too.

Question 8

What prepared Tiberius for succession?

Answer 8

Given tribunicia power according to res gestae. Forced to marry Julia. General who resolved issues in Pannonia and Germania after lollius’ failure. Made consul. Adopted by Augustus and forced to adopt germanicus.

Question 9

How did Augustus feign republicanism.

Answer 9

Refused dictator title, refused worship of himself. Made allies of republicans such as piso. Loudly declared support for old constitution.

Question 10

Discuss Augustus and morals

Answer 10

Attempted to ban corruption, limit on expenditure, punishment of adulterers, encouragement of marriage and procreation. According to Suetonius

Question 11

Discuss Augustus and religion

Answer 11

Took on roles of pontifrax maximums, increased privileges of vestal virgins, built mars ultor. He was seen as a divine god. Allowed worship of his numen and house

Question 12

Discuss Augustus’ building programme.

Answer 12

Found of brick left in marble. Built temple of Apollo, restored senate house, theatre of Pompey according to r.g. Mars ultor. Aqueducts eg aqua Virgo and aqua Julia.according to Pliny

Question 13

Discuss opposition to Augustus

Answer 13

Cassius, Brutus, Cicero, according to Suetonius. Claimed he ruled by universal consent. Mark Antony.

Question 14

Discuss the poets in relation to Augustus.

Answer 14

Virgil, Horace and Ovid. Mostly patrons of marcenus, except Ovid. Virgil and Horace pro-Augustan propagandists. Ovid critical, exiled.

Question 15

Germanicus in reign of Tiberius.

Answer 15

Popular. Some in Pannonia wanted to declare him emperor over Tiberius but he refused according to Tacitus. Resolved issues in Germany and teutoburg forest. Established new client king in Armenia, relieved food shortage in Egypt. Died believing he had been poisoned by piso.

Question 16

Sejanus in Tiberius

Answer 16

Son of equestrian, ambitious. Praefect of praetorian guard. Seduced drusus’ wife Livilla, who she poisoned. Considered becoming emperor by marrying Livia. Persuaded Tiberius to retire according to dio, and effectively ruled Rome. Later accused by Antonia and arrested and killed.

Question 17

Mutinies and revolts in Tiberius.

Answer 17

Pannonia, Germany, frisii, Gaul, Africa

Question 18

Trials during Tiberius

Answer 18

Began well, even according to Tacitus. Expanded the definition of majestas(treason). E.g priscos. Sejanus, aggrippina + drusus accused of treason. Suetonius and Tacitus call Tiberius a cruel and indiscriminate murderer.

Question 19

Tiberius and religion

Answer 19

Encouraged cult of Augustus. Has little interest in portraying himself or family as divine, and little interest in religious propaganda.

Question 20

Tiberius and the senate

Answer 20

Senate approved Tiberius, he despised sycophancy according to Tacitus. His support for equestrian class irritated them.

Question 21

Tiberius and building

Answer 21

Did not match Augustus but still built an estate on Capri and temple to divi Augustus, according to velleius

Question 22

Tiberius and succession

Answer 22

Tiberius reflected badly by historians, except velleius. Succeeded by Gaius (Caligula), germanicus’ son by aggrippina.

Question 23

Caligula’s succession.

Answer 23

Popular as the son of germanicus and aggrippina, granted full power by senate. Set aside Tiberius’ will that he do rule with gemellus. Popularity based on birth, nothing else.
Honoured his grandmother and sister with deifications, according to dio. Guided by macro and Claudius and silanus initially

Question 24

Caligula and religion

Answer 24

Claimed he was divine. Believed in gods and dresses as Apollo and Venus, amongst others, according to dio. Protected Jews in Judaea and executed flaccus

Question 25

Caligula and madness

Answer 25

Dressed as gods, cruel, relationships with men and women. Encouraged by sycophants. Considered making horse a senator. Killed gemellus, and silanus and macro were forced to commit suicide. Josephus, Suetonius, dio and Tacitus all agree he is insane.

Question 26

Caligula’s administrative reform

Answer 26

Bankrupt by the end of his reign, according to Suetonius. Favoured client kings. Financial advisor callistus was influential

Question 27

Caligula and the senate, equestrians and people

Answer 27

Attempted to retain popularity. Mixed with actors and generous gifts in games. Attempted to reintroduce popular elections according to dio, though Suetonius claims this didn’t catch on. His popularity faded with his treatment of the senate. He wished they had only one neck. Lost support when he raised taxes.

Question 28

Caligula’s assassination

Answer 28

Led by callistus, Cherea, sebinus. Cherea stabbed him, according to dio. His baby and wife were killed also.

Question 29

Claudius’ succession

Answer 29

Whilst the senate was debating restoring the republic, the praetorian guard decided on Claudius. Had no real potestas. Executed charea but spared many others. Had support of equestrians and praetorians but not senate necessarily, according to dio and Suetonius.

Question 30

Claudius and government

Answer 30

Favoured Augustan method of slow imperial control. Treated senate with respect, offered special seats in theatre. Created new imperial roles but did not disregard senate, even returning some imperial provinces to senate eg Macedonia, according to Tacitus. Concerned with events in provinces; dealt with Jewish issues in Alexandria

Question 31

Claudius and Britain /etc

Answer 31

Difficulty in Africa and Parthia. Continued to rely on client kings. Saw Britain as opportunity to expand empire. Campaign was success and a triumph was held according to Suetonius. Pomerium, boundary of Rome, extended.

Question 32

Claudius and Nero, brittanicus, wives and freedmen.

Answer 32

Tacitus and Suetonius believe he was dominated by wives and freedmen. His freedmen Pallas and narcissus were very wealthy and influential. Third wife messalina bore him britannicus, was a adulterer and encouraged claudius’ paranoia, cruel. Ousted by Claudius on advice of narcissus. Claudius then married caligula’s sister aggrippina the younger, mother of Nero. Nero’s path to succession was smoothed by aggrippina. She recalled Seneca and installed Burrus as praetorian. Narcissus was loyal to britannicus whilst Pallas supported Nero.

Question 33

Claudius and the senate, equestrians and people.

Answer 33

Preferred Augustan model, treated senate with respect. Revived role of censor which caused tension. Equalled equestrian roles to senatorial roles in value. Provided games for the people. Attempted to alleviate hunger and shortage of water by draining fucine lake and building aqueducts (2) according to Pliny. Reasonably popular.

Question 34

Claudius’ death

Answer 34

Suetonius claims at the hands of aggrippina the younger and mushrooms. Nero hailed as new emperor

Question 35

Legacy of Nero

Answer 35

Completed decline of Julio Claudians. Responsible for deaths of all his family members. Derided by Jewish and Christian historians, whom were badly treated under his rule.

Question 36

Nero’s succession

Answer 36

Praetorians under burrus paved way. Senate in accordance due to Nero (Seneca’s) charm. Aggrippina was main influence, as evident in aureus ad 54, though her influence faltered early. Her main supporter Pallas was also removed. The first five years of Nero’s reign superseded any other, according to Trajan (quinquennium Neronis). Promised end to corruption and was humble according to Suetonius. After aggrippina was removed, burrus and Seneca had main influence.

Question 37

Nero’s wife and agrippina’s death

Answer 37

Nero married poppaea and ordered death of his mother, according to Tacitus. Burrus later died and Seneca retired.

Question 38

Corbulo in Armenia

Answer 38

Nero organised military intervention in Parthia under general corbulo. It was a humiliation for Nero which resulted in Parthia being able to dictate terms and capture Armenia. Corbulo committed suicide.

Question 39

Boudicca’s revolt

Answer 39

Revolted after ill treatment but was defeated by Suetonius’ forces.

Question 40

Great fire of Rome

Answer 40

Fire burned for nearly a week and rumour was that Nero caused it. To distract he needed a scapegoat and chose the Christians. Took opportunity to rebuild, including new mansion

Question 41

Piso conspiracy

Answer 41

Nero was killing off any potential threat. Piso led the conspiracy and Seneca was forced to commit suicide. Kicked poppaea to death.

Question 42

Nero and religion

Answer 42

Did not particularly care for Jews or Christians. Thought of himself as a divine god.

Question 43

Nero and administration

Answer 43

Often say in court. Struggled with finance, ignored in his building the domus aurea. Corruption rife in provinces.

Question 44

Nero and the senate, equestrians and people

Answer 44

Removed claudius’ freedmen, replaces with own. Challenged status of freedmen, enhanced position of equestrian. Domus Aurea provides public space for people. Funded games and circuses but popularity is unknown due to historians working under Flavians. Was a musician

Question 45

Vindex and Galba

Answer 45

Vindex fought for republic of Rome, was anti-Nero. Vindex in contact with Galba, who likely wanted imperial throne. His delay on either side caused Nero to act, confiscating galba’s land. Vindex voices support for Galba. Attempt fails but Galba declares emperor by senate after Nero’s death.

Question 46

Nero’s death

Answer 46

There was panic in Rome and the provinces and Nero had no support. He fled to the city where he committed suicide, according to Suetonius and dio.

Question 47

Res gestae as a source

Answer 47

First hand, primary.

Subjective, embellished

Question 48

Dio as a source

Answer 48

Senator, access to archives. Most objective, farthest away from source material.

Means basis will be on other historians.

Question 49

Josephus as source

Answer 49

Jewish of Judaea, critical of Julio claudians. Under Flavians

Question 50

Suetonius as a source

Answer 50

During Flavians. Access to people alive during Julio claudians. Rumour mongerer. Imperial secretary, access to all imperial files.

Question 51

Tacitus as a source

Answer 51

Flavians period. Critical of Julio claudians

Question 52

Velleius as a source

Answer 52

Owed career to Augustus and Tiberius.

Question 53

Virgil and Horace as sources

Answer 53

Patrons of maesenus. Fiction, propaganda, romanticised.