Suetonius' Lives of the Caesars is one of the most important sources for the period following Nero's Death. Among his "Twelve Caesars" are Galba, Otho, Vitellius, Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian Suetonius includes all sorts of fascinating biographical details about the men he describes--along with plenty of sometimes unverifiable gossip and rumor.For extra credit, please read Suetonius account of any one of the caesars of this period (links above) . Pick an incident from the life of this caesar that shows a way in which Augustus' system (the Principate) can work well, or an incident that shows that system created by Augustus was not working out particularly well.
If you have fallen behind on your blogs, you can add to your extra credit by doing an extra blog entry on a *different* ceasar than you talk about in your first post.
During Galba's rule he made a point of revoking all the various grants and rights that had been enacted by the Julio-Claudians, particularly Nero. he even demanded that all gifts given to Roman actors and athletes be returned, even if they had already been given away or sold. on the other hand he allowed all his friends and comrades to do do what ever they wanted free of consequence. The final straw was when " the Roman people called for the punishment of Halotus and Tigellinus, the most utterly abandoned of all Nero's creatures, not content with saving their lives, he honored Halotus with a very important stewardship and in the case of Tigellinus even issued an edict rebuking the people for their cruelty" -Sean M.
ReplyDeleteDuring the year of the four emperors the people of Rome were in search of the best ruler possible. Someone who could keep up the ideals of Augustus and rule like Augustus had earlier. Augustus had set a precedent that would be hard to live up to. Much like George Washington had as the first president. The last few emperors of Rome hadn't done a good job and failed as emperors. Vespasian was the one man during the year of the 4 emperors who was the best suited to rule and the best suited to carry on the ideals of Augustus
ReplyDeleteGalba was the firt of the Four Emperors and he did not live up to what Augustus had set up. Augustus was popular amongst all of the classes of people. He did a very good job and pleasing the wealthy and providing for the poor. Galba on the other hand found himself hated by pretty much every group the wealthy, middle class and the poor and he didn't do much to help reverse the situation.
ReplyDeleteThe one thing that really stuck out at me is the fact that during this turmoil of the year following Augustus' death or better know as the year of the four kings. Galba I feel did not do much to help keep what Augustus had setup moving forward. The only similarity that I see is that Augustus made the Senate declare Julius Caesar a God. Galba does the same thing, except not with one of his predecessors, but he declares that he is God by saying he can trace his lineage back to ancient gods like Jupiter. This to me shows just how much he thought of himself and wanted everyone to to think the same thing because he was not as well liked as Augustus.
ReplyDeleteI chose Otho, the part I chose " His shoe came untied and he stopped, whereupon without delay he was at once taken up on the shoulders of his companions and hailed as emperor. In this way he arrived at headquarters, amid acclamations and drawn swords, while everyone whom he met fell in, just as though he were an accomplice and a participator in the plot. He then sent emissaries to kill Galba and Piso, and made no further promises in the assembly to win the loyalty of the soldiers than to declare that he would have that--and only that--which they should leave to him.
ReplyDeleteVII. Next, as the day was drawing to its close, he entered the Senate and after giving a brief account of himself, alleging that he had been carried off in the streets and forced to undertake the rule, which he would exercise in accordance with the general will, he went to the Palace. When in the midst of the other adulations of those who congratulated and flattered him, he was hailed by the common herd as Nero, he made no sign of dissent; on the contrary, according to some writers, he even made use of that surname in his commissions and his first letters to some of the governors of the provinces. Certain it is that he suffered Nero's busts and statues to be set up again, and reinstated his procurators and freedmen in their former posts, while the first grant that he signed as emperor was one of fifty million sesterces for finishing the Golden House. It is said that he had a fearful dream that night, uttered loud groans, and was found by those who ran to his aid lying on the ground beside his couch; that he tried by every kind of expiatory rite to propitiate the shade of Galba, by whom he dreamt that he was ousted and thrown out; and that next day, as he was taking the auspices, a great storm arose and he had a bad fall. It didn't end so well for Galba and is chosen heir. Otho chose himself, he wasn't chosen as the successor.
Christina Grimme
Otho was, I think, an example of a failure of that system. What I am talking about specifically is the way that he became the emperor. It was really something that he had decided that he wanted to do. One reason being that he apparently had such great debts that becoming the emperor was the only way that he could possibly have paid them off, which is almost impressive if you think about it. He couldn't have paid them off with any other job. He was not chosen by others to be heir of Galba, the emperor before him. He chose himself to become the emperor and then did what was necessary for that to happen, which was unfortunate for Galba and the person that he had chosen to be his heir.
ReplyDeleteMallory Schlechter
Titus, it seems, was a very good emperor. The reading stated that the people were worried that he would be terrible, that he would be another Nero, but it turned out that the things that they were worried about would not end up happening. He did many good things during his time as emperor. He was a kind emperor and would never let anyone go away from talking with him without hope, he thought that it would be wrong for them to go away without at least a little hope. He then made it unlawful for anyone to be tried for the same offence under many different laws. He seems to be an example of a very good emperor.
ReplyDeleteMallory Schlechter