Life of Claudius

Question 1

Claudius would not have been attractive to the senate

Answer 1

no political or military experience

Question 2

Effect of the freedmen

Answer 2

isolated him from the senate
reduced the authority of the senate by giving them so much influence
the senate would have felt that they should be influencing the emperor
political debate mmoved from senate to the court
certain judicial cases moved to his household

Question 3

Senate still had roles

Answer 3

major governorships continued to be filled by senators

The equestrian role in government was enchanced

Question 4

conquest of Britain offered

Answer 4

it was a conquest guaranteed to impress
Britain was still a mystery
imitation of Caesar (popular support, building projects in Ostia, invasion of Britain, born in Lugdunum Gaul)

Question 5

claimants to thrones

Answer 5

he encouraged rivals
proceeded through diplomacy
only interveened when absolutely necessary

Question 6

games

Answer 6

presided over them in person

Question 7

Plebs

Answer 7

gave them money after his conquest of Britain

Question 8

OStia

Answer 8

simplified the whole grain delivery operation, the grain was then taken up barges the Tiber. unloaded at Ostia rather than Campania
Claudius was personally involved in the construction project.

Question 9

Claudius and his family

Answer 9

relied on his household for policy advice.

His real decisions were taken in private

Question 10

Where was political power

Answer 10

in the ability to influence the emperor

Question 11

Difference between Tiberius and Claudius with the senate

Answer 11

Tiberus brought problems to the senate and been open to persuasion
Claudius brought solutions to be discussed and ratified

Question 12

To what did he owe his political power

Answer 12

loyalty of the army and his family

Question 13

His treatment of Gaius’ assassins

Answer 13

they were popular in the senate

he nly punished some, only those who had conspired to kill other members of the Julio-Claudian family

Question 14

Why were women important

Answer 14

did not have an adult male heir
marriage to a princess of the imperial house brought political influence
these husbands would be politically powerful and would be in a good position to challenge for the imperial position

• They had access to the emperor and could influence his decisions
• ## serious players of the political game

Question 15

Messalina’s relation to Augustus

Answer 15

related twice through Octavia

Question 16

Messalina’s power

Answer 16

she held a court seperate to that of Claudius

• Silanus
• Asiaticus

Question 17

Claudius’ flight to the praetorian camp and hi execution of so many

Answer 17

this was a serious conspiracy, probably intended to remove Claudius

Question 18

Silius’ marriage with MEssallina, implications

Answer 18

guardian of Claudius’ children
place him in a position to assume most of the powers of the emperor

he could not rally sufficient military support once Claudius reached the praetorian camp

Question 19

Messalina’s death offered

Answer 19

a scapegoat who could be blamed for the deaths and the political failures

Question 20

MArriage to Agrippina was good becasue

Answer 20

only surviving child of Germanicus and Agrippina
only surviving direct descendent of Augustus (other than her son)
Claudius was associating himself with Germanicus’ and his wife’s popularity

Question 21

Why was his death convenient

Answer 21

the date when Britannicus would assume the toga virilis neared

Question 22

a culture that valued bodily perfection

Answer 22

infirmities were taken as a sign of physical, mental and perhaps moral weakness

Question 23

Claudius and the corn supply

Answer 23

an imperial procurator to oversee it

Question 24

Four quaestor’s released from their archaic functions outsde of Rome

Answer 24

so they could spend money providing games in thte capital

Question 25

FReedmen were useful

Answer 25

they knew how the imperial household worked

Question 26

strengthened support in the army

Answer 26

soldiers were granted the privileges of married men

Question 27

Exapnsion

Answer 27

only permitted where it strengthened Claudius
Corbulo was not allowed to pacify FRisia
Claudius had to win it in person

Question 28

During the conuest of BRitain

Answer 28

Vitellius controlled Rome

anyone else who mattered accompanied Claudius to avoid any coup

Question 29

Conquest of Britain allowed a special type of gift

Answer 29

symbolic extension of the city limits

Question 30

Deaths that Messalina was eventually blamed for

Answer 30

ASiaticus

Pompeius, husband f Claudius’ daughter Antonia, who was also killed, together with his parents

Question 31

Nero was singled out as the successor

Answer 31

became princeps iuventis

allowed to address the senate