Module 8: Julio-Claudians

Question 1

Emperors Relationship with the Amry

Answer 1

Tiberius: Strong from background
Gaius: Popular
Claudius: Realised he needed to do better.
Nero: Despised.

Question 2

Changing role of Princeps - Tiberius

Answer 2

Efficient economic manager: minimal building projects and reduced tax.
Boosted Senate involvement in government by bringing comitia votes to them.
More autocratic government.

Question 3

Changing Role of Princeps - Gaius

Answer 3

Autocratic
Living god which the senate despised
Relied on traditional patronage system (higher class to lower class benefits)

Question 4

Changing role of princeps - Claudius

Answer 4

Relied on PG heavily to centralise Roman power and decreased senates control - wanted military loyalty.

Question 5

Changing role of princeps - Nero

Answer 5

Marinated Claudius’ changes but tyranny alienated the classes and army of Rome.

Question 6

Relationship with the senate - Tiberius

Answer 6

Understood/relied on the senate to sustain executive responsibility.
Elections from magistraies in comitia were converted to the senate.
Replaced Augustus consilium with friends and 20 men elected from senate.
Tiberius respected and asked of the senate on what to do - Sejanus interfered.

Question 7

Relationship with the senate - Gaius

Answer 7

Comitia elections returned to the public
Removed maiestra trials
Started fine relationship but when he got sick it went bad:
Reintroduced maiestras
Spent all treasury money and wanted senators too
Right to vote magistrates was brought back to people.
Accused senate of plotting against him - assassinated.

Question 8

Relationship with the senate - Claudius

Answer 8

PG brought him to power, so he out to sustain relation, in turn bringing senates power down - also to increase efficiency.
More Autocratic.

Question 9

Changing relationship with the senate - Nero

Answer 9

Initially good under influence, when poppea and Tigerlus (?) was introduced, tyranny began.
Initially agreed to senates dubious laws
Then clashed at finance, neglect duties and became an enemy of the senate.

Question 10

Tiberius - reforms and policies

Answer 10

Political: dismissed corrupt officials, PG put in one camp.
Religion: Didn’t like own worship and banned foreign cults.
Administrative: reduced tax, aid to provinces and kept good governors in office longer.

Question 11

Gaius - reforms and policies

Answer 11

Political: recalled what Tiberius exiled, right to elect magistrates was returned to people.
Social: revived gladiator games
Religion: defied as god: wanted Jews in Judea to worship, threatened to build statues.
Administrative: abolished sales tax and finished Tiberius building projects, died before his started.

Question 12

Claudius - reforms and policies

Answer 12

Social: celebrated secular games
Legal: extended judicial periods, raised minimum wage
Religion: traditional Roman, allowed temples of him in camulodunum Britain.
Administrative: centralised gov on freedmen.

Question 13

Nero - reforms and policies

Answer 13

Legal: abolished capital punishment, slaves could take legal action against masters.
Religion: defied himself as sun god, hated Christian’s.

Question 14

Who was Sejanus?

Answer 14

Chief administrator in Rome. Was the sole commander of praetorian guard under Tiberius rule. Trusted greatly and controlled day-to-day life when Tiberius went to island of capri. Wanted to marry livilla to become emperor and pursue power. Eventually found out and killed along with family and followers.

Question 15

Tiberius - changing image

Answer 15

Sustained Augustan government

Question 16

Gaius - changing image

Answer 16

Destroyed Augustun republic facade and created the association between princeps and tyranny.

Question 17

Claudius - changing image

Answer 17

Conservative and sustained Augustan rule, aligned with PG heavily and was easily influenced.

Question 18

Nero - changing image

Answer 18

Started good under influence but. Senate didn’t like him. Later influence from tigellius and poppaea made him a tyrant.

Question 19

Tiberius - Role of PG

Answer 19

9 cohorts merged to one camp, they respected Tiberius during to military background and this allowed Sejanus rise.

Question 20

Role of Sejanus

Answer 20

Convinced Tiberius ATE plotted against him. Given permission to exile her and 2 sons, Gaius was left.
Approved candidate for consulship - something emperor could only do originally.

Question 21

Gaius - Role of PG

Answer 21

Popular due to Germanicus
Supported by Marco as he: became prefect, purged Sejanus and Tiberius. Later became prefect of Egypt to prevent ascension.

Question 22

Nero - Role of PG

Answer 22

Positive initially under influence.

Question 23

Livia’s succession

Answer 23

Called Tiberius to Nola Campania to witness Augustus death to ensure he becomes princeps.

Question 24

Germanicus’ succession

Answer 24

Success in Germany and awarded for triumph and consulship with Tiberius.

Question 25

ATE’s succession

Answer 25

Exiled initially by sejanus, Gaius was left though and ascended to the throne after their downfall

Question 26

ATY’s succession

Answer 26

Married Claudius for reputation and tie-in into princeps. Got Burrus and Seneca to boost Nero’s reputation against britannicus.
Threatened to support britannicus when Nero become more independent

Question 27

Effect of Nero’s Death

Answer 27

Failed revolt from vindex’s 100,000 men, backed by Galba, Otho, Cacina and Macer.
Nero later committed suicied and Galba came to power by the senate and PG.
Main Consequence: No Julio-Claudian successor and emperors could fight for power if they had the army and followers to back them.

Question 28

Year of the 4 Emperors

Answer 28

Galba (7): Couldn’t face Roman Aristocracy, citizens nor army.

Otho (3): Wanted to restore what Galba couldn’t address above.
Battle of Bedriacum against Vitelius occurred, Otho lost and committed suicide.

Vitellius (1): Backed properly, but replaced PG with urban cohorts made of German troops. Egypt brought Vespasian to rival and they defeated - Vitellius is captured and killed in Tiber River.

Vespasian: Legal heir to Julio-Claudians and the fruit of the Flavian Dynasty.