The Senate
Seats
in the senate were held for life unless members were found guilty of serious
misconduct. It served as an advisory body to the consuls and it had the power
to veto resolutions of people’s assembly if the latter acted against the
senate’s advice.
Augustus,
a conservative, preferred to maintain the Republican format so long as it was
efficient. Running the empire was also an enormous task and therefore the
emperor depended on their help. Despite sharing the workload, power was not divided and the emperor had
overall authority. Under Augustus, the senate therefore retained the power
to:
·
Hold the annual magistracies (see cursus
honorum) and chief military positons. Especially important was the fact that
Augustus maintained the glory of the consulship which was a stepping stone to
governing important provinces like Africa and Asia. This maintained a career
ladder and competition.
·
Control of the treasury.
·
Administer the more peaceful provinces.
·
The Praetorship continued to be the prerequisite
for entry into the senate.
They
could also:
·
Vote honours upon the emperor and act as his
advisory body.
·
Have the right to choose the new princeps (in
theory) and either honour or condemn him after his death.
However
Augustus made the following changes:
·
Reduced the number of senators to 600 (removing
the “orcus men” who had bribed their way into the senate following Caesar’s
death).
·
Introduced a monetary qualification of 1 million
sesterces to enter the senate.
·
Enabled worthy men of the equestrian order to
enter and personally assisted some with the monetary qualification.
·
Increased fines for non-attendance and forbade
senators to leave Italy without permission.
·
Reduced the number of sessions to 2 a month to
allow senators to allow senators to carry out their duties.
·
After 5BC, shortened the length of consulship
from 1 year to 6 months to allow more senators the chance to hold this
position.
·
The senate, sitting with the two consuls, formed
one of two new criminal courts, trying important political cases and those
involving senators and other prominent people.
Task
We
are now going to look at Tiberius’ relations with the Senate. Reda the summary
notes the follow as well as Suetonius #27-#33, that you have been given and use
a highlighter to indicate those areas where:
a.
The Senate was given more power and influence.
b.
The power and influence of the senate was kept
more or less the same.
c.
Power of the senate was reduced or taken away.
Summary Notes on
Tiberius and the Senate
1.
Tiberius attempted to uphold the traditional
rights of the senate, treating it with dignity and as a partner in running the
Empire.
a. “In
the first place public business – and the most important private business – was
transacted in the senate. Among its chief men, there was freedom of discussion;
their lapses into servility were arrested by the emperor himself. His
conferments of office took into consideration birth, military distinction and
civilian eminence and the choice manifestly fell on the worthiest men. The
consuls and praetors maintained their prestige. The lesser offices, too, each
exercised their proper authority. Moreover, with the exception of the treason
court, the laws were duly enforced.”
i.
Tacitus, Annals
page 160
2.
Tiberius even sought the aid of the senate on
matters which were not its concern (he appears to have ben genuinely hesitant
about the responsibility of handling the empire).
a. “[…]
asking for advice in every matter that concerned the national revenue, the
allocation of monopolies, and the construction of repair of public buildings.
He actually consulted them about the drafting or disbanding of troops, the
stationing of legions and axillaries, the extension of military commands, the
choice of generals to conduct particular campaigns and how to answer particular
letters from foreign potentates.”
i.
Suetonius, Tiberius,
30
3.
He showed courtesy and respect when addressing
not only individual senators but the House as a whole, and stood in the
presence of the consuls.
a. “Tiberius
made a habit of always allowing the consuls the initiative as though the
Republic still existed.”
i.
Tacitus, Annals,
page 35
4.
He refused any titles which the nobility might
find offensive such as “imperator” and “father of his country”, as well as
refusing to have a month named after him or temples constructed in his honour.
He also hated flattery.
a. “He
vetoed all bills for the dedication of temples and priests to his divinity and
reserved the right to sanction even the setting up of his statues and buss…
such was his hatred of flatterers that he refused to let senators approach his
litter, whether in greeting or on business… [and] if anyone, either in
conversation or a speech, spoke to him in too fulsome terms, Tiberius would
interrupt and sternly correct the phrase.”
i.
Suetonius, Tiberius,
26-7
5.
He enlarged and developed some of the senate’s
duties. Under Tiberius, the senate became practically the only legislative bod
after AD14, as he transferred the election of magistrates to it from the
People’s Assembly.
6.
He followed Augustus’ example of commenting
candidates for election but he did it on a smaller scale and so competition in
the senate for official positions became a real contest, without the
opportunity for bribery that had occurred in the assembly. Tiberius never
overrode the normal electoral system.
7.
Under Tiberius the senate became the chief
criminal court, particularly for treason trials.
8.
In theory, the senate retained wide powers over
the provinces and the state treasury.
9.
Tiberius increased the administrative duties of
the senate.
10.
Tiberius was keen to retain worthy men and
therefore was inclined to help them financially with the property
qualification, although not if their poverty was due to their own extravagance.
He objected strongly when a young nobleman, Marcus Hortensius, who had been
given one million sesterces by Augustus to marry and have a family, asked for
assistance from the floor of the senate.
a. “If
every poor man is to come here… and start requesting money for his children,
the applicants will never be satisfied and the nation’s finances will
collapse.”
i.
Tacitus, Annals,
page 95
11.
He invited the senate to discuss provincial
petitions from delegations of Ephesians and Magnesians and from many other
cities. He was therefore allowing the senate to participate in decision making,
such as choosing a governor of Arica. The senate however could not decide and
had requested Tiberius to make the choice (he wrote a letter to the senate
complaining about this) but when he suggested two names, Lepidus and Blaesus,
the senate (according to Tacitus) chose Blaesus as he was Sejanus’ uncle.
12.
Tiberius encouraged the senate to be
independent, and on a few occasions it did overrule him.
a. “If
decrees were passed in defiance of his wishes, he abstained from complaint” and
once, when a motion was being voted on, “he went into a minority lobby and not
a soul followed him.”
i.
Suetonius, Tiberius,
31
13.
However Tacitus complains that the servility of
the senators increased under Tiberius. It is possible this servility was due to
the fact Tiberius’ character appeared threatening and senators never really
knew what he was thinking (and he often spoke quite cryptically). Senators
therefore preferred not to take chances by speaking their minds, even more so
because there was no clear definition of treason.
a. “All
ex-consuls, most ex-praetors, even many junior senators completed with each
other’s offensively sycophantic proposals.”
i.
Tacitus, Annals,
page 150
14.
There were some individual cases of independence
from the senate e.g. the distinguished lawyer, Marcus Antisus Labeo, but this
won him no imperial favours and his political career suffered as a result (never
achieving more than the Praetorship). Another example of independent speech
came from Aulua Cremutius Cordus, who was accused of praising Brutus in his History and of referring to Cassius as
the “last of the Romans.” He defended himself bravely, pointing out that Julius
Caesar and Augustus had not condemned writers for their words but when he
concluded his defence and left the senate he committed suicide (condemnation
was certain as the prosecutors were Sejanus’ men). The senate ordered
Cremutius’ books to be burnt, showing the depths to which they had sunk.
15.
Tiberius dependence on Sejanus (Prefect of the
Praetorian Guard) caused fear amongst the senate. Sejanus interfered in public
business and influenced the decisions of both Tiberius and the senate. He also
began a series of prosecutions of senators who had shown any friendship to the
family of Germanicus. Therefore senators feared for their own safety.
a. “[…]
sought relief in flattery. Though assembled to consider some unrelated
business, they voted the erection of altars to Mercy and Friendship – the
latter to be flanked by statues of Tiberius and Sejanus.”
i.
Tacitus, Annals,
page 194
16.
Relations with the senate deteriorated further
once Tiberius had retired to Capri. The once proud senators begged that
Tiberius or Sejanus make an appearance in Rome, but when neither did, senators
and knights flocked to Campania “anxiously regarding Sejanus” (Tacitus, Annals, page 194( they waited for an
interview but were denied access to him and returned to Rome.
Discussion Point: Tacitus takes a
detailed interest in the relationship between Tiberius and the Senate. Why
might this be? Using your knowledge of Tacitus not down what would apply to
this (source analysis).
How bad do you think Tiberius’ relationship
with the senate actually was during his rule? (20 marks, June 2012)
How far was the senate able to exercise real
power during Tiberius’ reign?
(20 marks, June 2010)
Tiberius and Rome
The
main sourced for the period (Suetonius and Tacitus) portray Tiberius as hated
by most ordinary Romans. One reason for this was that under Augustus and
beforehand during the Republic, citizens of the city were used to acts of
generosity from politicians, who in turn sought popularity and support (a
common historical term for this phenomenon is “Bread and Circuses”). It is true
that under Tiberius, there were fewer gladiatorial shows (for entertainment)
and public works e.g. Aqueducts (which provided employment as well as
beautifying the city). Yet Tiberius, perhaps due to his harsh background, did
not seek to court popularity in this was. Ge was nonetheless an able
administrator, and under his reign Rome benefitted in numerous ways.
Positive aspects of
Tiberius’ treatment of Rome
|
Negative aspects of
Tiberius’ treatment of
Rome
|
Rome had excellent civil administration
under Tiberius, who focused on continuing Augustus’ arrangement as much as
possible.
|
Tiberius was unpopular in Rome. He was
blunt, overly serious, morose, suspicious and insecure. He lacked charm, and
had a cryptic manner of speech.
|
Tiberius alleviated food shortages. His
foreign and provincial policy largely ensured that the grain supply to Rome
was secure.
|
Tiberius cut public expenditure to
protect the finances of the empire and ensure political stability. However, the
urban plebeians who wished for/benefitted from gladiatorial shows and
building programmes, resented this greatly.
|
Tiberius maintained law and order in
the city through a city prefect, and took measured to safeguard the
countryside form brigandage.
|
Tiberius’ retirement to Capri gave
Sejanus huge political influence over the city, which was resented by all
classes of Roman society.
|
He gave substantial relief to help
victims of amphitheatre tragedy and a fire on the Aventine.
|
|
Tiberius reduced the Sales Tax on
traded goods.
|
|
Tiberius chose the officials in charge
of overseeing Rome’s administration carefully.
|
|
Tiberius often helped individual
senators financially in order to retain their service for the state. He gave
one senator, Celer, one million sesterces. However, he had little time for
senators whose poverty was due to their own extravagance. When Marcus
Hortensius, asked the senate for help, having already been given 1 million
sesterces by Augustus, Tiberius initially asked the senate to reject him. Due
to the senate’s silence, Tiberius compromised by offering 200’000 sesterces
for each of Hortensius’ children.
|
|
Tiberius and Rome
extension questions
1.
On balance, do you view Tiberius’ administration
of Rome as largely beneficial or negative? Provide analysis of the evidence to
back up your opinion. (4 marks)
a. Overall
his administration was largely beneficial to Rome. Whilst he wasn’t very
popular with the Plebs for hosting minimal gladiatorial events, he did kee Rome
safe from brigandage, and made sue the food shortages were alleviated, which
would have prevents rebellions. Similarly he prevented bankrupting Rome by
cutting public expenditure, therefore sacrificing his own popularity for the
good of Rome.
2.
Why do you think that Tiberius’ overall
administration of the city was disliked by most contemporary Roman citizens?
Explain your answer (2 marks)
a. He
was mainly disliked as he reduced the number of gladiatorial events. Similarly
as the sales tax was cut, there was less money to spend on public works
projects – this contrasts with Augustus who held many events and increased the
number of building projects.
3.
Why do you think it was important for Tiberius
to maintain the support of the city of Rome, not only the senate and the
equestrian orders but the urban plebeians too? (2 marks)
a.
If he did not maintain support from the Plebs by
alleviating the food shortage, they would likely rebel which could cause
problems for Tiberius, and possibly result in his downfall. He would also have
to please the equestrians as they could pose a threat to him, being members of
the Praetorian Guard, and being allowed to carry weapons in Rome.
Tiberius and
Religion
The Imperial Cult
·
Tiberius was never deified (made a god), either
in his lifetime or after his death. His predecessor Augustus had, having been
voted “Divine Honours” by the senate. Tiberius actively refused to be
worshipped as a living god, an honour the senate offered him, until his death
in AD37. He allowed only one temple to be built in his honour during his reign,
at Smyrna (modern day Israel).
·
That said, Tiberius maintained the Imperial
cult, insofar that he continued to uphold the divinity of Augustus. This meant
that the future Julio-Claudian emperors (Caligula and Claudius in particular)
would be able to claim divine status also. During is reign he dedicated temples
to Augustus, such as at Nola in Italy. Suetonius claimed that during Tiberius’
reign it became a capital offence to beat a slave or change his clothes near
the state of Augustus, or to carry a coin bearing his head into a brothel or
toilet.
·
During the Maiestas (treason) Trials, Tiberius
ensured that any serious offence given to Augustus was considered reasonable
against his divinity. However, Tiberius made it very clear that neither insults
against himself or mother Livia were treasonable. When the knight Flanius was
accused of blasphemy for having sold a statue of Augustus as part of his
property, Tiberius rubbished the charge on the grounds that “Augustus had not
been voted divine honours in order to ruin Roman citizens”.
·
Like Caesar and Augustus before him, Tiberius
held the position of Pontifex Maximus. This made him the most prominent priest
in the Empire, in addition to his power as Emperor he was also head of the
Roman Pantheon of Gods. This includes traditional gods such as Jupiter, Diana
and Minerva. However Gods were often integrated into this from other cultures,
and most importantly past emperors were added – Caesar, Augustus, Claudius and
Livia were all deified.
Tiberius’ Personal
Religious Attitudes
·
Suetonius tells us that, as a younger man, Tiberius
demonstrated considerable piety and humility towards the Gods.
o “He
(Tiberius) forbad temples, flamens, or priests to be appointed for him, as
likewise the erection of any statues and effigies for him, without his
permission; and this he granted only on the condition that they should not be
placed among the images of the gods, but only among the ornaments of the
houses”.
·
Tacitus noted that Tiberius repaired or restored
temples that had fallen into disrepair in the reign of Augustus, such as the
temples of Ceres and Janus.
·
In his later life, Suetonius claims that
Tiberius had little respect for religion, but was superstitious, addicted to
astrology and persuaded that everything depended on fate, wearing a laurel
crown during lightning storms because he believed it protected him
Foreign Cults
·
In the city of Rome itself, Suetonius tells us
that Tiberius prohibited all worship of foreign cults, “forcing converts to
these to burn their vestments and sacred utensils”.
·
In response to the increasingly active Jewish
community, in AD19 he ordered all young Jewish men to join the Roman army. All
the rest of the city’s Jewish population was banished from Rome under pain of
slavery if they returned.
·
He also expelled astrologers and worshippers of
the Egyptian Goddess Isis. Tacitus wrote that the senate even executed several
though apparently permitted them to stay in return for a promise that they
would cease their practises.
·
That said, he maintained a close relationship
with the astrologer Thrasyllus, who he had taken into his family and had known
since his exile in Rhodes.
·
Tiberius oppressed the Druids in Gaul: this
caused sever discontent.
Tiberius and
Frontier Policy
Tiberius
followed Augustus’ advice to avoid an extension of the empire beyond its
present frontiers except where it was necessary for security, such as in the
east. He strengthened the eastern frontiers by “astute diplomacy without
warfare” and limited annexations of client-kingdoms, which Augustus had implied
was acceptable once they were sufficiently Romanised. Tiberius paid particular
attention to improving the discipline of the troops on the frontiers and to
maintain the economy in the forced after the initial mutinies in Germany and
Pannonia in AD14.
The Rhine
·
The northern frontier was maintained at the
Rhine after Germanicus’ attempts to extend it to the Elbe were curtailed by
Tiberius.
·
His belief that the rebellious tribes just
beyond the Rhine could be “left to their own internal disturbances” was
justified when some years later, after the Romans had gone, national/tribal
rivalries turned the German tribes against each other.
The Danube
·
Tiberius used a number of methods to secure the
Danubian frontier. He hired a native leader to use the Suebi and Marcomanni
(Germanic Tribes) to keep watch on the Upper Danube.
·
He strengthened the middle Danube region by
combining the previous senatorial provinces of Achaea and Macedonia with Moesia
under the competent imperial legate, Poppaeus Sabinus, who was left in charge
of this large province for twenty years.
·
The Lower Danube are had been divided by
Augustus between two Thracian kings. As a result of the trouble between them,
during which one of them was killed, Tiberius replaced them and appointed a
Roman resident to supervise the new kings. There was continuous trouble in this
area until 46, when it was finally organised as a province,
The East
·
Germanicus was sent to the east in AD17 to
settle the question of kingship in Armenia, where he appointed Ataxias III to
the throne.
·
The client-kingdoms of Cappadocia and Commagene
were annexed, and Cicilia was added to Syria.
·
Later, Tiberius installed a new king of Parthia.
Africa
·
The only serious frontier trouble spot for
Tiberius was in Africa. Tacfarinas, a Numidian and once member of the Roman
army, trained his troops in Roman tactics. He carried out a successful
guerrilla campaign on the province of Africa for seven years (17-23).
·
In 21, Julius Blaesus (Sejanus’ uncle) was put
in command and succeeded in breaking the back of the insurrection. In two years
peace returned to the province.
The Gallic Revolt
Background
In
addition to unrest in Africa, Tiberius also faced a minor revolt in Gaul. The
local population faced an ever increasing burden of debt to Roman creditors.
Tiberius in his religion policy was also heavily repressing the Druids in the
region. Two tribes – the Treviri led
by Julius Florus and the Aedui led by Julius Sacrovir led a revolt against the Romans.
Both
Sacrovir and Florus were ethnic Gauls but the deeds of their ancestors and
their service to Rome had earned their families Roman citizenship, so both were
Romanised. They both agreed that Florus should incite the tribes in Belgae to
rebel against Roman rule and Sacrovir the Gallic tribes further south.
The Revolt
The
Rebellion spread slowly at first but eventually spread to many tribes, Tacitus
reports that 64 tribes revolted. Sacrovir managed to capture the capital
Augustdunum. Gaius Silius, the governor of Upper Germania was given the task of
putting the revolt down.
Silius
quickly defeated Aedui at Augustdunum and Sacrovir committed suicide shortly
thereafter. Tiberius then wrote to the senate advising them out the outbreak
and termination of the rebellion. He also gave excuses that he tasked his
generals with dealing with this as he and Drusus were needed to provide central
leadership to the whole empire.
Task – Source Analysis – Tacitus and
Speeches. One of Tacitus’ favourite literary techniques is the use of
speeches to emphasise his point and often re-enforce his political views.
What
does the below speech tell you about the Roman Empire and Tiberius’ administration
– according to Tacitus?
“Germanicus’ death has demoralised the
Romany army!’ they cried (Gallic conspirators). “Besides, look at the contrast
between your strength and Italy’s weakness, Think of the unwar-like population
of Rome. How the army needs us provincials! This is an ideal opportunity to
regain independence.” (Tacitus, III, 41)
“Was Sacrovir too’ they inquired (Roman
citizens) ‘going to appear before the senate for treason? Here at last are men
to put a forcible stop to these bloodthirsty imperial letters – and even war is
a welcome change from the miseries of peace!” (Tacitus, III, 45)
Tiberius and the
Provinces
Public
Provinces – those which had been under Roman rule for a long time and were
relatively peaceful. These were administered by the Senate. (Remember though
that the Emperor had maius Imperium)
Imperial
Provinces – Those which had recently been subdued or were more unruly and
barbaric. These “armed” provinces were under the control of the Emperor. They
could be transferred to Senatorial control after a period.
Notice
that the most important provinces were governed by Equestrians e.g. Egypt.
Provincial
Petitions to Tiberius
Tiberius,
according to Tacitus, “allowed the senate a shadow of its ancient power by
inviting it to discuss provincial treaties”. This involved representatives of
the various provinces, mainly form the east, coming to the senate to ask Rome
for favours, to complain against neighbours or had governors, or to generally
seek Rome’s backing for various actions.
Tacitus
implies that Tiberius did not truly seek the Senate’s advice on foreign policy
matters: it is true that generally Tiberius made such decisions on his own
authority. It could be argued that the emperor wished for an appearance of
legitimacy in how he handed foreign petitions. However, it seems difficult to
believe that Tiberius, who appears to have wished to expand the senate’s
influence on the matters of government (at least early on), would have had the
senate hear provincial petitions if he intended to ignore all their advice.
Discussion Point: Do you agree or disagree
with Tacitus’ interpretation of the senate hearing provincial treaties?
Tacitus
gives the following reasons for the provincial petitions:
1.
Too many people in Greek cities were escaping
punishment due to overly-generous rights of sanctuary in religious temples.
2.
This meant that temples were filled with slaves,
debtors and even those suspected of murder.
3.
Previous attempts to deal with this problem had
caused serious unrest.
4.
Therefore the cities were requested to submit
their charters and their representatives to investigation in Rome.
Cities
came to argue their case, based on past services to Rome or due to the
religious significance of their temples. Tacitus noted that “it was a splendid
sight… to see the senate investigating privileges conferred by its ancestors…
and it was free, as of old, to confirm or amend”.
The following cities made petitions through
representatives:
Ephesus:
·
Argued that the gods Apollo and Diana were born
in their city.
·
Therefore they deserved to preserve the rights
of sanctuary in their temple.
Magnesia
·
Argued that Rome had formerly given the city
rights of asylum at one of their temples.
·
Julius Caesar had confirmed this.
·
They were honoured by Augustus for having been
loyal against the Parthian invasion.
Hierocaesarea
·
Argued that many Roman generals recognised and
respected rights of temples.
The
senate, according to Tacitus, got bored, as the “local rivalries proved
wearisome”. Other cities continued to protest that their sanctuaries deserved
recognition, and in the case of Crete, they asked for and received a statue of
the divine Augustus. Decrees were then passed, and bronze tablets were ordered
to be placed in temples.
Tacitus
notes in his Annals that he only mentions
praiseworthy or scandalous proposals made in the Senate at this time, as he
argues that “it is the historian’s foremost duty to ensure that merit is
recorded, and the confront evil words and deeds with the fear of posterity’s
denunciations”. He argued that the senate had by this time become so slavish
that even Tiberius himself used to leave the senate house, muttering in Greek
“Men fit to be slaves”.
The Positive Aspects of Tiberius’ Provincial Policy
1.
Tiberius maintained strict discipline of troops
in the provinces and secured the frontiers by diplomacy of possible, by war
only if necessary.
2.
Special attention was paid to the choice of
governors; he retained many governors at their posts for extended periods, to
increase efficiency e.g. Gaius Poppaeus Sabinus was governor of the Danube for
20 years.
3.
Tiberius sought to maintain justice not only for
provincials but also for Roman citizens: the people of Cyzicus were deprived of
their liberty for abusing Roman citizens.
4.
Imperial legates were strictly supervised in
order to avoid oppression; prosecutions of governors and procurators charged
with extortion were swift.
5.
Infrastructure such as road-building was
established to improve communications across the empire, and new settlements in
Syria, Spain, Salmatia and Pannonia,
6.
Generous provision was given to provincial
cities during disasters, e.g. the earthquake in Sardis (AD17). Tiberius
promised it ten million sesterces and remitted all taxation by the treasury or
its imperially controlled branches for five years.
7.
Tiberius avoided interfering in senatorial
provinces, but kept a close eye on their administration.
8.
He gave provincial assemblies (governments)
larger degrees of autonomy.
9.
He did not encourage worship of himself in the
provinces, reminding the senate “I am a human, performing human tasks”.
10.
He checked the over-taxation caused by the
equestrian tax companies and protected very rich provinces such as Egypt from
excessive taxation.
The Negative Aspects of Tiberius’ Provincial Policy
1.
There was a brief rebellion in Gaul in AD21 due,
according to Tacitus, to the burden of debt owed to Roman creditors. An added
grievance may have been Tiberius’ persecution of the Druids.
2.
Tiberius’ policy of leaving governors in office
for long periods in order to benefit the provincials fell down when he made a
poor judgement about a governor. Pontius Pilatus was governor f Judea for 10
years (26-36), provoking the locals unnecessarily when imperial standards were
brought into Jerusalem: it took the governor of Syria Vitellius to placate the
Jews when Pilate was sent to Rome for trial.
3.
The senate resented his guidance and control
over the provinces through his use of imperial legates, and were particularly
affronted when he encroached on the senatorial sphere by refusing to permit a
change of proconsuls for Africa and Asia and keeping the same men there for 6
years.
Tiberius and Imperial Women
Tacitus, in attempting to condemn Tiberius, appears to
highlight the intrigues of Livia in his work. The popular image of Livia, as
defined by Robert Graves’ representation of her in “I, Claudius” (based heavily
on Suetonius) s of an arch-schemer who effectively ruled the empire until her
death, first through Augustus and then Tiberius/ While this is most likely an exaggeration
of her influence, there is doubt that from the outset of the Julio Claudian era
that the women of the imperial family were major players in the constant
power-struggle of the imperial court.
Julia the Elder: Daughter of Augustus. Married for the third
time to Tiberius after previous attempts to secure a successor by Augustus
failed. She played little part in the politics of the era, becoming instead
notorious for her numerous affairs. Banished by Augustus for adultery to an
isolated island, later allowed to live in Rhegium but died in poverty after
Tiberius supposedly cut offer her allowance.
Livia: Augustus’’ wife (the Augusta) and Tiberius’ mother.
According to Tacitus, Tiberius wanted the senate to clearly choose him as
emperor because he didn’t want it to appear that he had “wormed his way in… by
the intrigues of an old man’s wife”. Livia is described by both Suetonius and
Tacitus as having significant influence on Tiberius until her death in AD29.
Tiberius has reserved “a deep seated deference of Livia” throughout her life,
which Tacitus infers to discredit Tiberius but that may well indicate Tiberius’
dutiful nature as a son. She was involved in the alliance with her
grand-daughter Livilla (both being manipulated by Sejanus_ in bringing down
Agrippina the Elder.
Agrippina: Wife of Germanicus, Tiberius’ adopted son. She
was praised by Tacitus in particular and Suetonius as a model Roman woman, and
often as the last true ancestor of Augustus’ bloodline. While in Germany during
the mutiny at the outset of Tiberius’ reign, she refused to be sent away by Germanicus,
”reminding him that she was of Augustus’ divine bloodline and would live up to
it”. After Germanicus’ death, Agrippina became bitter against Tiberius,
convinced he had been behind her husband’s death. She ignored Germanicus’
advice to avoid antagonising those in power, forming a party of supporters for
her three sons. These actions, and her constant hectoring of Tiberius, resulted
in the fall of her party and the death of her sons Nero and Drusus Caesar. Her
last son Caligula would survive to be the next emperor. She was described by
Tacitus as having “no feminine weakness. Intolerant of rivalry thirsting for
power, she had a man’s preoccupations”.
Livilla: Wife of Drusus, Tiberius’ natural son. She was
seduced by Sejanus, who was hungry for power and sought to intermarry with the
imperial family. She plotted with her grandmother to bring down Agrippina.
Tiberius refused Sejanus’ request to marry her and instead offered Livilla’s
daughter. She died shortly after Sejanus’ fall, either through execution or
suicide. The historian Cassius Dio states that her mother, Antonia Minor,
locked her in a room until she starved to death.
Tiberius and His Family (Later on in Reign)
Livia
Full name
|
Livia Drusilla (changed to Julia Augustus in AD14)
|
Dates and place of birth
|
30 January in 58BC, Rome
|
Parents
|
Marcus Livius Drusus Claudianus
Aufidia
|
Grandparents
|
Aufidius Lurco
|
Married to
|
Tiberius Claudius Nero
Augustus
|
Children
|
Tiberius
Drusus
|
Political Influence
|
Had her own finances
Had her own circle of clients
|
Key events involved in
|
Possibly involved in the deaths of Postumus, Gaius, Lucius, Agrippa
and Agrippina
Championed Drusus and Tiberius for promotion
|
Death: How
|
Illness
|
Death: Where
|
Rome
|
Death: When
|
28th September 29AD aged 87
|
What impact did this have on Tiberius?
|
He never returned to Rome
Sejanus lost any restricting influence – Heightened the reign of
terror
|
Agrippina the Elder
Full name
|
Vipsania Agrippina
|
Dates and place of birth
|
14BC, Rome
|
Parents
|
Marcus Agrippa and Julia the Elder
|
Grandparents
|
Augustus and Scribonia
|
Married to
|
Germanicus, son of Drusus the Elder
|
Reasons for the marriage
|
Strengthens Germanicus’ claim to the princeps
|
Children
|
Gaius Caligula, Drusus Caesar, Nero Caesar, Agrippina the Younger,
Julia Drusilla, Julia Livilla
|
Political influence
|
Key role in prosecuting Piso
Built up a part of supports for her sons so that they would become
emperor – Agrippina’s party
|
Death: How
|
Self-starvation or having been starved to death
Tacitus also states that she lost an eye during her imprisonment
awaiting charge by the Senate
|
Death: Where
|
Pandataria
|
Death: When
|
29AD
|
Death: Why
|
False charges of planning to take sanctuary beside a statue of
Augustus
|
What impact did this have on Tiberius?
|
Tiberius had her name slandered after her death
Had the senate make her birthday a day of ill-omens in the Roman
calendar
|
Tiberius’ Last Days and Death
·
Tiberius died on 16 March 37AD at Misenum,
probably of disease and old age, aged 77-78.
·
Suetonius writes that he may have been
smothered, or poisoned slowly by Caligula, or denied food, or died of natural
causes.
·
Tacitus records that on hearing of the death,
the crowd rejoiced, only to become silent upon hearing he had recovered, and
rejoiced again after hearing Macro (who had replaced Sejanus as Prefect of the
Praetorian Guard and Caligula had smothered him).
·
Suetonius also states that people ran about
crying “may the earth… and the infernal gods, allow him no abode in death but
among the wicked”, and wanted to drag his body on a hook down the Gemonian
steps.
·
These accounts were most likely a reflection of
how much the senatorial class hated him, rather than an accurate depiction of
his unpopularity among all Romans.
That said, we can be sure that
Tiberius was unpopular among many by the end of his reign:
·
The Senate refused to vote him divine honours.
·
Mobs filled the streets of Rome shouting “To the
Tiber with Tiberius!” – A method usually used for disposing of the corpses of
criminals.
·
He was cremated, and is ashes were laid in the
mausoleum of Augustus.
·
In his will, Tiberius left his powers jointly to
his grandsons Gemellus and Caligula.
The Strengths and Weaknesses of Tiberius’ Reign
Strengths of Tiberius’ reign
|
Weaknesses of Tiberius’ reign
|
Continuation
of Augustus’ arrangements as much as possible.
Excellent
civil administration:
· Alleviated
food shortages.
· Maintained
law and order in the city through the city prefect.
· Gave
substantial relief to help victims on an amphitheatre tragedy and a fire on
the Aventine.
· Supervised
carefully the empire’s revenue.
· Cut
down public expenses – erected few public buildings and reduced gladiatorial
shows.
· Took
measures to safeguard the countryside from brigandage.
· Reduced
sales tax.
· Chose
officials carefully.
Attempt
to work with the senate:
· Took
no exceptional honours.
· Upheld
traditional rights.
· Treated
it with respect.
· Consulted
it.
· Extended
its administrative and legal functions.
Provincial
and frontier policies:
· Maintained
peace and prosperity.
· Settled
disputes in provinces fairly.
· Gave
extensive tax relief after earthquake damage.
· Built
roads and bridges.
· Built
public buildings in provinces.
· Chose
best men wherever possible.
· Maintained
through discipline, loyalty and efficiency in armies.
|
Servility
of senators – little co-rule, dependence on Tiberius.
Treason
trials and growing numbers of delatores.
Crisis
as a result of Germanics’ death.
Influence
of Sejanus and elimination of members of imperial family.
Retirement
of Tiberius to Capri – alienation of senate.
Vengeance
taken on Sejanus’ supporters.
Gaius
given no training for public life – contributed to the difficulties of his
reign.
Praetorian
Guard conscious of increased power – repercussions for future influence on
succession.
|