Y12 Roman/Julio-Claudians Points Test 5 – The Imperial Household and the Succession under Augustus

Question 1

Why was it so difficult for Augustus to create a successor? (any relevant point for 1 mark).

Answer 1

• Undoubtedly, Augustus’ greatest challenge was the creation of a hereditary dynasty within a society who hated an individual having sole power.
• Mindful of the expulsion of the kings in 510BC and Julius Caesar’s assassination 466 years later in 44BC for monarchic aspirations, Augustus walked a fine line between increasing his power and offending either the Roman mob or the aristocracy.

Question 2

Why was Agrippa such an important individual under Augustus in the imperial household and for the succession? (Any relevant points for 4 marks).

Answer 2

• After Marcellus’ death, Augustus married Julia to his closest ally Marcus Agrippa.
• Agrippa was granted tribunician power in 18BC and again in 13BC (Suetonius, Augustus 27; Laudito Agrippae, a work dated 12BC from Fayum Egypt, a papyrus fragment of part of Augustus’ funeral speech for Agrippa).
• A denarius from 13BC depicts Augustus and Agrippa as joint Tribunes, wearing togas and seated on a tribune’s bench. It commemorates Augustus’ 2nd grant of tribunician power. The impression given is that Augustus shares power with colleagues, according to Republican tradition. It is crucial to understanding the role played by Agrippa in the early Principate of Augustus, as he is featured with Augustus on the coin, and showing that the power of both men was almost identical and clearly indicating the preferred succession should Augustus die.
• However, Agrippa died in 12BC.

Question 3

Why was Julia such an important individual under Augustus in the imperial household and for the succession? (Any relevant points for 2 marks).

Answer 3

• In fact, Julia was married three times to potential successors: Marcellus, Agrippa and Tiberius.
• She also produced three male heirs: Gaius, Lucius and Agrippa Posthumous before being exiled for adultery in 2BC (Tacitus annals, 3.24; Suetonius, Augustus 65).

Question 4

Why was Tiberius such an important individual under Augustus in the imperial household and for the succession? (Any relevant points for 4 marks).

Answer 4

• Stepson (elder son of Livia)
• Forced to divorce Vipsania and marry Julia, whom he hated, in 11BC
• Given permission to take offices 5 years ahead of legal age in 24BC; praetorian rank in 19BC; headed important Illyrian campaign; received tribunician power for 5 years in 6BC
• Intended as regent for Agrippa’s sons, Gaius and Lucius Caesar
• Retired to Rhodes in 6BC until AD2
• Heir to a major part of Augustus’ estate
• Received the return of legionary standards by the Parthians in 20BC, “a diplomatic manoeuvre which Augustus chose to elevate to the status of the emblematic triumph of his reign”
• With Drusus he crushed the Alpine valleys from Switzerland to Austria (13-6)
• In AD6 he was close to making a sweep north past the Danube and into central eastern Europe
• German conquests celebrated with a triumph in 7 BC
• Velleius Paterculus (2.103.4-5); 2.121.1-123.2) presents the accession of Augustus’ stepson Tiberius as seamless and appropriate, having outlined the claims of the rival candidates and their various ends (93.1-100.1, 103.1-104.1).
• Augustus, knowing that he was dying, apparently called Tiberius to him and died in his arms, comforted by the fact that Tiberius would take over all aspects of his Principate.
• Writing in the reign of Tiberius, Velleius could hardly have told the real story: that Tiberius was far from his ideal successor and nowhere near his first choice.

Question 5

Why was Germanicus such an important individual under Augustus in the imperial household and for the succession? (Any relevant points for 2 marks).

Answer 5

• It appears that Augustus was not just concerned about the immediate succession; Tacitus (annals, 1.3.5) tells us that Tiberius adopted his nephew Germanicus in AD4, which created an ongoing line of succession (annals 4.57; Ovid, Fasti 1.1-14).
• The ramifications of this adoption would not be felt until well into Tiberius’ reign (see PP.34-36).
• Many said at the time that for Augustus the adoption of Tiberius “was a last resort.”
• This appears proven by the fact that for Augustus the adoption of Tiberius was coupled forcibly with the adoption by Tiberius of his nephew Germanicus, the son of Tiberius’ brother Nero Drusus.
• Germanicus was well-liked by Augustus, and had recently married Agrippina, the grand-daughter of the princeps.

Question 6

Describe Octavia and her importance under Augustus in the imperial household and for the succession? (Any relevant points for 2 marks).

Answer 6

• Augustus’ sister
• Brought a nephew, Marcellus, by her first marriage, and 2 nieces, both called Antonia, by her marriage to Antony; this was a source of further alliance making
• Only has influence before dynastic politics had become dominant
• Secured alliance between her brother and Antony
• Huge fidelity as opposed to Antony’s infidelity; enabled Augustus to put him in the moral wrong
• Divorced in 32
• Stood in limelight in 30s: face portrayed on coinage (first Roman woman to do so)
• Her son Marcellus’ quick promotion evidences her influence

Question 7

Describe Octavia and her importance under Augustus in the imperial household and for the succession? (Any relevant points for 2 marks).

Answer 7

• Only natural child, by first marriage to Scribonia.
• Used her for 3 dynastic alliances (Marcellus, Agrippa, and Tiberius).
• Bore 5 children.
• Depicted as the goddess Diana on coinage.
• In 2BC, Julia, “whose wild activities appear till then to have been known to everyone expect her father, was exiled for involvement with a string of lovers whose names look sufficiently aristocratic to cause speculation that more was at stake.” (Shotter).

Question 8

Describe Livia and her importance under Augustus in the imperial household and for the succession? (Any relevant points for 3 marks).

Answer 8

• Augustus’ formidable wife was Livia, mother of Tiberius and Drusus.
• It is impossible to discuss adequately her significance to Augustus’ reign, both good and bad. She is a constant presence at his court, often seen to be acting behind the scenes.
• Tacitus alleges that Livia had a hand in the deaths of Gaius and Lucius (annals, 1.3.3) in order to promote her own son Tiberius in the succession.
• Yet she is also seen as a positive influence in the case of Augustus dealing with Cinna, (p.24).
• For our sources, Livia is a polarising figure; their treatments of her often reveal more about their own biases and preconceptions.
• Tacitus’ opinion is clear when he describes her as being as much of a burden on the state as she was on Augustus’ own family (annals, 1.10.5).
• Heir to a major part of his state
• Augustus’ marriage to her brought the 2 sons of her previous marriage (Tiberius and Drusus) into family circle
• Rivalry with Julia becomes more and more intense during middle part of reign
• Livia dominated latter part of reign

Question 9

Why was Marcellus such an important individual under Augustus in the imperial household and for the succession initially? (Any relevant points for 2 marks).

Answer 9

• First, Augustus (who had no son) married his daughter Julia to his nephew Marcellus and accelerated Marcellus’ career.
• Nephew, married to Julia 25BC
• Given permission to take all offices 10 years before legal age; elected aedile at 18
• Died 23 BC
• In this year, Augustus acquired tribunician power, which he used to designate candidates for the succession (Tacitus, Annals, 3.56).
• The first indication of a future leader of the Julian faction came in the marriage of 25BC of Augustus’ daughter, Julia, to her cousin Marcellus.
• It was thought at the time that the implication of this marriage angered and hurt Agrippa who consequently absented himself in the east.
• Marcellus, however, did not live long enough for the rift to deepen, and after his death in 22BC a marriage was arranged between Julia and Agrippa.

Question 10

Describe Gaius and Lucius Augustus’ grandsons, and their importance under Augustus in the imperial household and for the succession? (Any relevant points for 2 marks).

Answer 10

• Grandsons of Augustus, adopted in 17BC
• Entered public life aged 15, in 5 and 2 BC
• Attended senate at 15, made priests and each proclaimed princeps iuventutis- ‘leaders of the young’
• To be consuls at 20
• Groomed as successors
• Gaius went to east in 1BC, died AD4 in Lycia
• Lucius died AD2
• Tacitus (annals, 1.3.2) tells us that the Senate decreed that the grandsons of Augustus, Agrippa and Julia’s eldest two sons, Gaius and Lucius, should each be known as princeps iuventutis (‘leader of the youth’), and both be made consuls designate at the age of fifteen clearly demarking both as potential successors despite their youth (Suetonius, Augustus, 26, 64).
• The historians’ accounts can be compared to Augustus’ own version in the RG (14) and is supported by a commemorative aureus. Dated 2BC-11AD, on the obverse Augustus is crowned with laurels, titled ‘Caesar Augustus, son of the deified, Farther of the Fatherland.’ On the Reverse, Gaius and Lucius standing, veiled, with shields, spears and priestly symbols between them; ‘Gaius and Lucius Caesar, Sons of Augustus, Consuls Designate, Leaders of the Younger Generation.’ It commemorates the awarding of their titles and consul designate nomination, given by the Senate.

Question 11

Why was it that Tiberius eventually succeeded Augustus? (Any relevant points for 2 marks).

Answer 11

• After the deaths of Gaius and Lucius (Suetonius, Augustus 65), Augustus adopted Tiberius, who had been away from Rome in self-exile on the island of Rhodes, due to his discontent with the promotion of Lucius and Gaius.
• As before, Augustus highlighted his final choice of successor on contemporary coinage.
• An aureus depicts Tiberius in AD13-14. On the observe, Augustus laureate; ‘Caesar Augustus, son of the deified, Father of the Fatherland.’ On the reverse, Tiberius, head bare; Tiberius, Son of Augustus, Tribunician power for the fifteenth time.’ From the final year of Augustus’ life, it illustrated in no uncertain terms that Tiberius will be Augustus’ successor.
• Augustus adopted Tiberius as his son AD4 (at the same time as his other grandson, Agrippa Postumus, who was exiled in AD7)
• Received tribunician potestas for 10 years, renewed in AD13 for life
• Reluctantly accepted by Augustus as possible successor
• Despite having his own son, he was made to adopt Germanicus, son of his dead brother Drusus
• Suetonius believes that ‘Augustus weighed Tiberius’ good qualities against the bad, and decided that the good tipped the scale’
• Tacitus believes ‘he intended to heighten his own glory by the contrast with one so inferior’