Sources

Question 1

Tacitus

Answer 1

Dates: 56-120AD
Writing mostly under Domitian
Aimed to give unbiased account of Histories
Uses official minutes from the senate
Also uses some of Pliny ELDER works

Question 2

Tacitus analysis

Answer 2

Strength:
-Senator so had access to official minutes, was in meeting etc

Weakness:
-Writing under Domitian- hates emperors (murders etc from Domitian)
-Agricola: was his son-in-law so very positive accounts

Question 3

Suetonius

Answer 3

Dates: 69-122AD
Writes biography’s of emperors from Caesar to Domition
Director of imperial archives under Trajan
Friends with Pliny YOUNGER

Question 4

Suetonius Analysis

Answer 4

Strength:
-Director of Imperial archives under Trajan: access to private letters, diaries, personal calendars

Weakness:
-Professional grammarian: more interested in rhetoric and entertaining readers, includes gossip and rumours
-equestrian born: bias against emperors with bad relations with his class and vice versa

Question 5

Velleius Paterculus

Answer 5

Dates: 19BC-31AD
Roman historian, soldier and senator
writing under Augustus and Tiberius

Question 6

Velleius Paterculus Analysis

Answer 6

Strength:
-contemporary, present in the senate for Augustus and Tiberius

Weakness:
-Hired by Tiberius and Augustus

Question 7

Cassius Dio

Answer 7

Dates: 165-235 AD
Writing century after Flavians
Senator and Consul

Question 8

Cassius Dio Analysis

Answer 8

Strength:
-Senator: access to records, documents etc

Weakness:
-Hundred years after so all second hand information
-Perspective of senator, possible dislike if emperor/empire

Question 9

Strabo

Answer 9

Dates:

Question 10

Strabo Analysis

Answer 10

Strength:
Weakness:

Question 11

Pliny the YOUNGER

Answer 11

Dates: 61-113 AD
-Wrote letters to emperors and notables
-Born during Nero reign
-Imperial magistrate under Trajan
-Equestrian
-Taught Suetonius

Question 12

Pliny the YOUNGER Analysis

Answer 12

Strength:
-Active in Romes legal system: senator, tribune so good access to things

Weakness:
-wrote letters to emperors, may show bias towards them
-Friend of Tacitus, may inherit his bias
-Lived thorugh Nero and Flavians

Question 13

Seneca

Answer 13

Dates:

Question 14

Seneca Analysis

Answer 14

Strength:
Weakness:

Question 15

Virgil and Horace

Answer 15

Dates:

Question 16

Virgil and Horace Analysis

Answer 16

Strength:
Weakness:

Question 17

Josephus

Answer 17

Dates: 37-100 AD
-Military leader in Judea revolt till surrender in 67AD
-Taken and then hired by Vespasian and Titus

Question 18

Josephus Analysis

Answer 18

Strength:
-First hand info on emperors/events

Weakness:
-Was Jewish, could exaggerate event against Jews i.e. Fire in Temple
-Owes career to Vespasian and Titus (especially Vespasian) so very positive
-Changes mind about temple fire: originally says Temple guards but after Titus’ death blames him

Question 19

Plutarch

Answer 19

Dates:

Question 20

Plutarch Analysis

Answer 20

Strength:
Weakness:

Question 21

Martial

Answer 21

Dates:

Question 22

Martial Analysis

Answer 22

Strength:
Weakness:

Question 23

Pliny the ELDER

Answer 23

Dates:

Question 24

Pliny the ELDER Analysis

Answer 24

Strength:
Weakness:

Question 25

Other

Answer 25

Strabo- geographer- alive late aug,tib
Seneca- moral, tutor to nero
Martial- poet under domition
Pliny elder- historian, oriend of vespasian