Respectful Flashcards
At the beginning of office how did he behave
At first behaved modestly and with great discretion as if he never held public office.
honours he accepted and refused
- Only accepted a few unimportant honours of the many voted him
- would not allow: His birthday fell on a day during the Plebeian Games be honoured by the addition of a two horse chariot race to those held in the Circus.
vetoed all bills for the dedication of temples and priests to his divinity
Reserved the right to sanction the setting up of his statues and busts
Not to be placed among the images of the gods, but only amid the temple decor
Vetoed:
Proposals that all citizens should swear to approve his past and future actions
Two months be renamed Tiberius and Livius
Things an emperor would have but he dedcided not to
Declined to use Imperator as a praenomen and Father of His Country as a title or to let the civic crown be fixed in his entry hall.
Refrained from using the name Augustus in any letters except those to foreign monarchs.
his consulships
Only three consulships AD18: for a few days AD21: for three months AD31: when he had retired to Capreae (Had already been consul twice in 9 and 7 BC
Flatterers
hated flatterers, refused to let senators approach his litter
If anyone addressed him in too full some terms, he would interrupt and sternly correct the phrase.
“My Lord” no such insult must ever been thrown at him
Supplicators
A man of consular right came to apologise and tried to grab his knees in suppliant fashion. Tiberius retreated so hurriedly he tumbled over
abuse or slander
he was completely unperturbed by it
he would say the liberty to speak and thin as one pleases was the test of a free country
Didn’t punish an obstinate grammaticus
- at Rhodes a grammaticus named Diogenes used to lecture every sabbath, Tiberius wanted to hear him some other day of the week D sent a slave to say “come back on the seventh day” Diogenes turned up to Rome and waited at his door. Only revenge “come back in the seventh year”
funerals
-attended the funerals of important citizens, even witnessing their cremation.
provincial taxation
-some governors had written to recommend an increase in provincial taxation, replied “a good shepherd sheers his flock; he does not flay them”
gladiator show collapse
Catastrophe at Fidenae recalled him at once: collapse of amphitheater during gladiatorial show. Over 20,000 dead. He gave audiences to everyone who demanded them
