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Flashcards by michelle.lau, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by michelle.lau
almost 9 years ago
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| Question | Answer |
| Tacitus `The Fall of Messalina` | Tac accounts on in Book 9 Messalina, begin 6 years into C's reign - Tac written works on what happened after T's death in 37 AD to this point in C's reign is missing (lacuna) which means that the entirety of Gaius' reign and the first 6 years of C's reign is missing. |
| Messalina's influence - political/maiestas trials on Asiaticus | She believed him to be the lover of Poppaea Sabina (her rival) and also coveted his gardens (because they were apparently very beautiful!). She directed Suillius Rufus and Sosibius (Brit's tutor) to prosecute him and warn C of the power threat Aisiaticus held, as he was twice consul and apparently the instigator of Gaius' assassination. The trial against Asiaticus was held in cubiculum (in the bedroom) and not in the senate house. It is also said by Tac that Messalina organized the destruction of Poppaea; agents were to threaten her with imprisonment and terrorize her into committing suicide, all the while C knew nothing of this. |
| C on The Praetorian Guard | in 47 AD C awarded Rufrius Crispinus half a million sesterces and an honorary praetoriship (he was head of the Guard at the time). |
| C on the Cincian Law | The emperor's absorption of all judicial and magisterial functions opened up extensive opportunities for illicit gain, as Tac suggests. There became the problem of influential figures gaining a lot of money from peoples' bribes and gifts so Gaius Silius wanted to enforce the Cincian Laws, which prohibited the bribery of lawyers. Suillius was against the enforcement as he would have been affected by it. This is a key example of C letting senators debate and having an outcome that mediated between the two parties against each other in debate - 10,000 sesterces was the max for paying lawyers; a sum which suited C more than it did for the senators (C ultimately decides!) |
| C on Armenia (against Parthia) | Armenia initially a `buffer zone`. Parthia in civil war Gotarzes II vs his brother Vardanes allowed Mithridates (who had previously been recalled by Gaius) to establish himself on the Armenian throne. Because of this Gotarzes and Vardanes made a truce. This truce would not last; Gotarzes (having given up his claim to the throne to avoid rivalry with his brother) now fought against Vardanes - Vardanes won. Vardanes later assassinated during a hunting trip so people were split between who would be king - Gotarzes vs Meherdates (a Roman hostage). Gotarzes won, but his cruelty urged the people of Parthis to appeal to C, asking him to release Meherdates to inherit - Armenia client kingdom now. |
| Messalina vs Agrippina? | in 47 AD the secular games were held in honour of Rome's foundation, celebrated everyone 100 years (though C's celebration was only 64yrs after Aug's celebration). Both Britannicus and Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus (Nero) accompanied him. Nero got the greater applause which was apparently seen as "prophetic" as described by Tac. Agrippina was very popular and so was Nero (being related to Germanicus). Agrippina's direct link to the the Augustian family made her a target of Messalina. |
| C as a Censor | Tac suggests that C was busy with the role of being a censor while Messalina was off committing adultery (and then bigomy) - he issued an edict saying that there should be no unruliness in theatres after Publius Secundus was insulted. passed a law aginst the harsh treatment of debtors, forbidding loans to minors for repayment after their fathers' deaths. |
| The Cherusci | In 47 AD The Cherusci Tribe asked Rome for a King - civil war had annihilated the nobilty and the only remaining royal was Italicus and the daughter of the Chief of the Chatti. Italicus was kept a raised in Rome, trained to fight in both the Roman and German style. C encourage Italicus to inherit him claim. Accepted by Germans at first, but men who envied his power also feared Roman influence. Italicus however had a high amount of supporters and won. Later his arrogance got him ejected, but returned anyways afterwards (similiar to Armenia?) |
| C - Gauls into the senate | In 48 AD during debates that were held for enlarging the Senate, the chief of the "long-haired" Gauls proposed their right to hold office in the capital (i.e. join the senate). Senators against this argued that the Roman senate was glorious with Roman natives, rather foreigners; they also say that the Gauls would take their positions if they joined; Roman men were killed by the Gauls' ancestors - allow them to have citizenship but do not cheapen the glory of office they say. C however, contradicted them on the spot - C had Sabine ancestory (Clausus who was made a citizen and patrician at the same time so C should do the same), wars with Gaul was the shortest out of all Roman wars. another key example for C allowing debate but the outcome is decide by him. |
| Messalina and Silius' affair | Silius is described as the most handsome man in Rome. Silius was forced by Messalina to divorce his wife as refusal meant his death, but to comply, meant scandal (Messalina was that powerful that men feared for their lives). She clung to him in piblic and C's imperial slaves were moved to Silius' house. When Claudius was at Ostia, Messalina and Silius married. Narcissus had employed 2 of C's favourite mistresses to tell him of Messalina's affair, with bribes. Narcissus made a praetorian guard for one day. Messalina cried to C, to try and save herself, but Narcissus shouted her down with the story of her wedding while distracting C with a list of all her immoralities. |
| Messalina's death | Messalina escaped to the Gardens of Lucullus. C was said to have returned home for dinner and said the "poor woman" should appear the next day to defend herself. Narcissus, knowing that if Messalina remained alive, he would be in danger, so ordered a Guard who was standing by, and some staff officers to kill Messalina. C with help from the senate, decreed that all Messalina's statues should be removed. Narcissus was rewarded an honorary quaestorship. |
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