Stylistic Features 13-23 Flashcards
acerrimum in veteranos odium
Tacitean brevity. Superlative adjective emphatically placed at start.
Veteranos sandwiched between adjective and noun odium to stress clear hatred felt for retired soldiers
qui in coloniam Camulodunum nuper deducti
Legions compromised of citizens and non citizens. These joined up as legionaries or auxiliaries for 20/25 years respectively. After service they were granted land/full citizenship respectively. Many stayed where their last post was as they had families there.
Camulodunum = capital of Trinobantes + first site of their settlement in AD49. Now more retired soldiers moving in - Roman authority were taking land off of natives to give to Romans.
pellebant…exturbabant…appellabant
Series of imperfect tense - continuous catalogue of bullying offences.
TRICOLON in ASYNDETON - rapid
militesque superbiam saevitiamque veteranorum incitabant
Tacitus’ dissaproval - evident. Retired soliders should know better and should have been condoned by legionary soldiers still in service.
ALLITERATION + SIBILANCE. hissing - appropriate for such action
HENDIADYS ‘superbiam saevitiamque’
Tacitus makes no attempt to be specific ‘insolent behaviour’ and ‘savagery’ - leaves to imagination
similitudine vitae et spe eiusdem licentiae
Two neat economical phrases to express soldiers living up to same behaviour as veterans + hoped to get away with same bullying and grabbing tactics.
ends w/ meaningful + strong ‘licentiae’
templum divo Claudio exstructum
Possible Claudius commissioned temple immediately after capture of Camulodunum in AD43 but more likely it began after his death in AD54
quasi arx aeternae dominationis aspiciebatur
Powerful statement, neatly summing up situation.
Tacitus clearly aware of problem - forever enslaved
electique sacerdotes…omnes fortunas suas effundebant
Worship of emperor would take place throughout year at various festivals, these were expensive to stage and were responsibility of priest.
Romans forced priests to pay for supposed privilege of worshipping Roman gods etc and so were forced to pay for worship of symbol of own oppression. Romans didn’t want to waste money in foreign land
nullis munimentis saeptam
Surprising for Roman provincial capital but archaeology confirms this - romans must have been confident in own supremacy and superiority
quod ducibus nostris parum provisum erat
Tacitus laying blame at top of roman society
amoenitati Prius quam usui consuluissent
Tacitean brevity.
Camulodunum’s appearance was not ruined by defensive fortifications - maintained as a pleasant place.
Romans = famed for praticalitly. Here = serious oversight
