People Flashcards
Nero
bankruptcy. Claudian and Julian. Actors/singers, didn’t want to be with the senate. Didn’t cause the fire, but profited w/new palace. Senate forms conspiracies, Nero gets rid of them. Terrible example to people in provinces .: revolts
Seneca
advised Nero. Govt ran fine when he was in charge, bad after nero got older. Successful Parthian policy
Corbulo
Invaded Armenia, drove Tiridates out. Led to war with Parthia. Let King of Armenia stay, but he was under R power
Agrippina the younger
Nero’s mother, intended to govern for him. Killed her relatives, driven out by Seneca and burrus, killed on Nero’s orders.
Tigellinus
Praetorian prefect for Nero.
Poppaea
Married to Nero, used to be wife of Otho. Killed by being kicked by Nero when pregnant, shows how rotten he is
Seutonius
provincial governor in Gaul, raised army but caught by rebels in narrow valley. But R army broke Celtic army, killed a bunhc of people. Killed other rebellious tribes, recovered R ctrl of Britain
Tacitus
wrote about history, esp. about Seutonius taking over the celts and recovering Britain, pretty good description
Gessius
Procurator, took $ from temple bc lower taxes, but this sparked a revolt in province. Syria tried to help, but didn’t have enough to take Jerusalem. Nero returned a few years later, triump for E campaign
Vespasian
sent by Nero to stop revolt, but can’t really bc of …
Suppressed Jewish revolt, E legions proclaimed him princeps in 68. Wins a civil war w/little effort, only 18mos. Restablished order after facing 2 revolts (Judea and NE Gaul).
New type of ruler, from equestrian class Augustus fostered. mostly military man.
ended civil war, started new programs, new dynasty - flavians
Verginius Rufus
led legion into Gaul, destroyed them. Troops tried to name him princeps bc loyal to senate. Came down on Vindex and his army.
Aulus Vitellius
Replaced Verginius Rufus bc VR couldn’t pay off the guard.Proclaimed emperor by Rhine army. Fought Otho. Won at Bedriacun. Became princeps by Rome, but poor political sense
Otho
Poppaea’s husband. Was loyal to Galba, but then Galba adopted somebody else so Otho got other people to make him emperor, Galba killed in forum. Made empty promises but people liked him bc he gave kisses
1st Battle of Bedriacum
Otho only has a praetorian guard, loses to Vitellius in Italy. Vitellius is then proclaimed Emperor/princeps by Rome
2nd Battle of Bedriacun
Vitellius’ comanders deserted him for Antonius, so Antonius wins. Vit surrenders but soldiers didn’t; Antonius takes rome in a street fight and Temple of Jupiter Optimus burns down. But Vit also supports batavians along lower Rhine, who refuse to disband after battle. Vespasian will suppress revolt (69)
Titus
Son of Vespasian. Resumed siege on Jerusalem in 70. stormed outer walls and captured inner city, end the high priesthood and supreme council. Judea becomes a military province.
Produces 600-member senate w/Vespasian, weeding out and replacing unworthy senators. Replace aristocracy. Vesp and Titus take census, honest admin.
Takes over when Vespasian dies, gives disaster relief (beneficial ideology)
Beneficial ideology
political idea, way to justify the position of the emperor. even though he has lots of power, he justifies it by being open handed (bread and circuses/roads/good public admin)
Domitian
Younger brother of Titus, son of Vespasian. Terrible. No milit/pol experience, scary. Insists everyone be honest. Fought grain speculation to keep prices low. Incr R citizenship to Iberia. Concerned w/military. Raised pay of legions/
Then launched reign of terror against senate/aristocracy - feared plots.
Agricola and Trajan
Vespasian’s advisors, kept by Domitian, honest and effective
Flavians
Vespasian, Titus, Domitian. Concerned w/military affairs and soldiers. Frontiers - put indiv legions along frontier instead of large military camps. Expand empire into Britain and Agricola conquered Wales
Danube Tribes
Marcomanni and Quadi - barbarians, german
Sarmatians - Persian
Dacians - thracian people, lived in Transylvania
Decebalus
Recognized as king of Dacians by Domitian. Took bribes, promised to not revolt (first bribes like this to keep people calm), R help develop the city.
Defeated by Trajan, Dacians become a R province. He’s a client king
L. Saturnius
Legion commander in upper germany, revolted and claimed himself emperor. Not enough pol support. R generals suppressed him
Nerva
Domitian assasinated, he’s brought it by praetorian prefect, no military careers so no army support; legions upset. Popular w/senate bc he’s nice. Erases dom’s memory.
Creates alimenta - charity from gov. Poor farmers can borrow $ from govt, paid interest to their town, ben. ideol.
Trajan
commander in upper Rhine, became maius imperius and had power of tribune, adopted by Nerva to take over when he dies. Beg of cosmopolitan state for Julio-Claudians, 2nd fav emp after Augusus. General, got Dacians as new R province after defeating Decebalus.
Consolidated senate, courteous autocrat. Good govt, honest, alimenta
Took over Parthia. Civilization reaches territorial limit
Trajan’s forum
built to celebrate wars of Trajan - basilica, colonnade, carvings decorated w/set of wars
Curactores
went to cities in fiscal difficulty, arranged by Trajan. Tries to reestablish a better system, a positive initiative
oppida
small villages, indicate a more complex gallic society. easier for casear to have control
Germanica
/
comitatus
by Tacitus, 98 AD. Writes history of the germans. comitatus - war vans of criminals; seems largely true. Professional soldiers who are more dangerous than avg peasants. Creates large aristocracy. Some tribes begin to elect 1-2 leaders in time of war. Trading w/romans.
De Bello Gallica
by Caesar. Good info on the germans, describes C’s conquest of Gaul. Maybe not perfect, but decent
La Tene civilization
500BC - produced goods/metalwork, pottery on wheels, money, divided into tribes, aristorcracy, created a force (organization).
But then it all disappeares. Primitive stuff replaces central europe when germans expand into central eur. “lights go out”
Germans
NOT SEMI-NOMADIC. Mixed farmers. built hamlets, small villages w/wooden houses. Raised grain and kept camels. Settled agriculturally. But lousy soil, so smaller populations.
Emphasized cultura of war -> throw cowards into bogs. BUT: iron-poor, only use mass charge/flee, little govt for war org.
Families form clans thru blood relationships
Terra sigillata
Mediterranean, red glazed tableware - status symbol in germany. also shows how far civilization/trade extends
Minimalism
thinking that the ancients never developed any type of economy, that they only used natural fibers, making thigns from wood/mud/stone/glass/etc.
Convinced people lived dirt poor, close to consistence level
but they do admit there were merchants in the city
hinterland
smallest natural city-unit around a coast. City + agricultural hinterland forms a unity. Wealthy owned estates. Local trade btwn cities and hinterland
latifundia
big estates. Indicates that ancient society is not a slave society
Trade
coined money, food. cities small. some grow as transport centers. One economy, made of tons of smaller cells, probably insulated people from disaster.
but nonminimalist: city is a social center, cities are parasitic, not sites of primary econ productions. use artisans
where was the money, then?
Invested in politics, trade, etc. No inclined to invest in trade. mass poverty, put merchants in the city. Elites rich enough to buy luxuries
R end piracy, trade increases
R guarantees position of upper class, demand centers
Discover monsoon sailing
How does underwater archaeology help/
Knew there were merchants, but it was a social dead-end.
in seas, find large and heavy amphora, last a long time. Arranged like a cargo ship for wine/olive oil
Too many wrecks to account for normal losses. must be bult trade of commercial products.
- spread of terra sigillata, even for commoners
- air pollution in the arctic
Romanization
conquest of provinces leads to a complex process of econ development and social change. Latin spreads across hierarchy. Econ development stems from Rs buying stuff, civil peace in areas, navy campus on Rhine and other frontiers
Gladiators
Originated with ?:etruscans? funeral games? Livy?
Augustus and succesors put up amphitheaters and state combats. Usually slaves, but free men can volunteer. Terrible social status. Criminals, animals fighting. Might act out a scene
Terrorizing: uncertainty of life, stratify society, unequal power. Loss of empathy.
Hadrian’s wall
across Thine gap. Beginning of gigantisism in empire (making really huge stuff)
imperial counsel
gives advice to imperator, created by Trajan. Emp at head of small but real bureaucratic govt.
Antonius Pius
- ‘Equanimity’. Fit into the succession