Tacitus - Question and Answer

How does Tacitus express resentment through his historiographical style?

Tacitus Tension - liberty vs slavery

(Tac 1.1) "In the beginning, the city of Rome was ruled by kings (from its founding in 753BC); freedom and the consulate (libertatem et consulatum) were instituted by Lucius Brutus (consul in 509BC)"

Tacitus complaint

(Tac 1.1) But while the successes and disasters of ancient Rome have been related by famous writers; and there was no lack of noble intellects to speak of the Augustan age, until the tide of adulation deterred them; (donec gliscente adulatione deterrerentur) reports of the actions attributed to Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero were distorted by fear while they lived, and by enduring hatred once they were dead.

Tacitus purpose -

"I plan to describe only a small part of Augustus' reign, the last, then the principate of Tiberius and the rest, without anger or partisanship, distanced as I am from such motives."

How far away? Senator under Domitian career flourished in AD 81 as quaestor Augusti

Moral History

Tacitus digression - "now, after a revolution, when Rome is nothing but the realm of a single despot, there must be good in carefully noting and recording this period, for it is but few who have the foresight to distinguish right from wrong or what is sound from what is hurtful, while most men learn wisdom from the fortunes of others. Still, though this is instructive, it gives very little pleasure."

How does Tacitus compare his history writing to those set before him?

Retribution (4.32-33)

"That much of what I have recorded and of what I shall recall seem perhaps insignificant and trivial to recall I am not unaware; but no-one should compare my annals with writings of those who compiled the affairs of the Roman people of old"

"It is the localities of peoples the fluctuations of battles and the fates of brilliant leaders which rivet and reinvigorate readers minds; but in my case it is savage orders constant accusations deceitful friendships the ruin of innocents and always the same reasons of extermination I link together confronted as I am by the satiety of similar material.

How does Augustus present his military achievements in Pannonia the Res Gestae?

Augustus presents the subjugation of Pannonia as achieved through his own agency as well as Tiberius his successor.

Augustus RG 30

"The Pannonian people had never had an army come near them before I became leader. I made them subject to the rule of the Roman people once they were subdued through the agency of Tiberius Nero who at the time was my stepson and deputy and I advanced the boundary of Illyricum to the bank of the Danube"

Historical context: Augustus campaigned in Dalmatia in 35/34 BC for which he celebrated a triumph. He ignores the achievements of L Scipio who conquered the Scordisci near the Danube in the late 80s BC. Tiberius campaigned in Pannonia in 12-9 BC. He makes no mention of the revolt in Pannonia AD 6-9 which creates a misleading impression of the finality of the Pannonian revolt.

How does Tacitus present the affairs in Pannonia on Tiberius's accession?

Pannonian revolt (16.1) AD 14 - transition from domestic to foreign affairs

Hic rerum urbanarum status erat, cum Pannonicas legions seditio incessit, nullis nouis causis nisi quod mutatus princeps licentiam turbarum et ex ciuili bello spem praemiorum ostendebat

This was the condition of City affairs when mutiny befell the Pannonian legions, not from any novel causes except that it was a change of princeps which offered the licence for disruption and, resulting from civil war, the hope of prize

The Army in a state of sickness

Blaesus orders his men to be flogged (21.1) 'adfici verberibus claudi carcere' - identical punishments for sufferes of chronic insanity but when the inmates are released they are 'flagrantior inde vis' Drusus is advised to resort to stronger remedies '(fortioribus remediis) but the remedy is to slaughter the ringleaders.

The demands of the soldier - denarius and 16 years discharge and the veterans should not be kept under the banner

What brings an end to the revolt

Drusus and his "rawness of speaking" vs "The menace of the night likely to erupt into crime was allayed by chance for when the sky suddenly cleared the moon was seen to be waning. ignorant of the reason the soldiery interpreted the omen of their immediate circumstance assimilating the eclipse of the planet to their own toil: there would be a successful outcome to their proceedings if the goddess's glitter and brilliancy were restored to her."

How does Augustus present his military achievements in Germany in the Res Gestae?

Augustus states he pacified all of Gaul until the Elbe:

Res Gestae 26

I extended the territory of all those provinces of the Roman people on whose borders lay peoples not subject to our government. 2 I brought peace to the Gallic and Spanish provinces as well as to Germany, throughout the area bordering on the Ocean from Cadiz to the mouth of the Elbe

Historical context: Roman advances were consolidated in AD 1-4 by M Vincinianus and C Saturninus with Tiberius in AD 4-6 interrupted by Varus disaster in AD 9. The destruction of three legions is omitted.

How does Suetonius present Augustus's reaction to the Varus disaster?

Suetonius highlights Augustus's mourning at the loss of his three legions (23)

In fact, they say that he was so greatly affected that for several months in succession he cut neither his beard nor his hair, and sometimes he would dash his head against a door, crying: "Quintilius Varus, give me back my legions!" And he observed the day of the disaster each year as one of sorrow and mourning.

How does Tacitus present the military achievements of Augustus in Germany during the German mutiny?

German army initially in revolt:

Soldiers are 'in rabiem prolapsum est' (31.1) continuation from the Pannonian mutiny

Germanicus arrival - the soldiers demand a 'merderetur fessis' (a remedy for their exhaustion' and offer support help Germanicus take the principate at which he jumps down from the tribunal 'qausi scelere contaminaretur' he withdraws to his tent to 'consultatum de remedio'

(Tac 40.41) - This gave the appearance not of a Caesar in his pomp, in his own camp, but of a scene in a captured city.

Non florentis Caesaris neque suis in castris, sed velut in urbe victa facies gemitusque ac planctus etiam militum auris oraque advertere.

Mutiny compared to civil war (49)

"it was a different scene from that of all the civil wars which have taken place. It was neither in battle nor from opposing camps but from the same beds that men whom the day found eating together and the night resting together split into factions and thrust in their weapons"

How does Tacitus present the military achievements of Augustus in Germany during the German campaigns?

The haunting image of Varus that appears to Caecina

(Tac 65) "As for the leader an ominous slumber terrified him: he imagined that he witnessed Quintilius Varus smeared in blood and emerging from the marshes and heard him apparently calling but he did not follow and pushed away the hand extended to him"

How does Tacitus intensify the historical context:

The description of Varus's camp "An survivors of the disaster who had slipped away from the fight or their bonds reported that here the legions had fallen" "how many gibbets there had been"

"so the roman army there present six years after the disaster with non knowing whether it was someone else's or his own family's remains that he was covering with earth but all sorrowing ferocious in their anger"

How does Augustus present himself as a constitutional ruler in his Res Gestae?

Augustus highlights the legality of his actions in 28-27 BC

Res Gestae 30

"I had extinguished all Civil Wars I was in control of all affairs in accordance with the prayers of my fellow citizens I transferred the rights of ownership from my power to the senate and people of Rome"

Historical context: Augustus claims to have restores 'laws and rights to the Roman people' as commemorated on an aureus issued in 28 BC 'leges iura Populo Romano restituit coinage.' In Feb 28 BC he recommended the traditional practice of handing over the fasces. A new lex annalis passed under Augustus which changed the governing age of magistracies 18 BC.

How does Tacitus present Augustus as a constitutional ruler?

The Janus face of Augustus: Two accounts of Augustus's life at (1.9-10)

"Among the perspicacious however his life was variously extolled or criticised"

The Good Elements: "The former said that because of his devotion to his parent and the requirements of the state in which at that time there had been no place for law he had been driven to civil war"

The Bad Elements: "it was said on the other side that his devotion to his parent and the times in the state had been taken up as a screen in reality it was his desire for domination that veterans had been mustered by his lavishness an army procured by a juvenile in private capacity"

More weight is given to the negative than the positive

How does Tacitus present Tiberius?

Tiberius secrecy and moroseness

“morum quoque tempora illi diversa: egregium vita famaque quoad privatus vel in imperiis sub Augusto fuit; occultum ac subdolum fingendis virtutibus donec Germanicus ac Drusus superfuere; idem inter bona malaque mixtus incolumi matre; intestabilis saevitia sed obtectis libidinibus dum Seianum dilexit timuitve: postremo in scelera simul ac dedecora prorupit postquam remoto pudore et metu suo tantum ingenio utebatur.”

His character also had different phases. His life and reputation were excellent while he was a private citizen or an official under Augustus. As long as Drusus and Germanicus lived, Tiberius was secretive and craftily affected decency; he was still a mix of good and evil while his mother was alive. As long as he loved or feared Sejanus, his cruelty was hated but his lust was hidden. Finally, when shame and fear were removed, he followed his own true inclinations and plunged equally into crime and dishonor

How does this compare to Suetonius:

Suet (27) "Alas for the wretched Roman people who will be at the mercy of such slow-grinding jaws" - rumour

Suet gives his own opinion citing letters from Augustus "One man alone through his care has saved our state"

How does Tacitus present Claudius?

Tacitus satirises the contrast between Claudius policy at home vs abroad.

At 12.22 - AD 49 Lollia Paulina had been charged with maiestas supposedly through charges engineered by Agrippina. Claudius typically "without hearing the defendant" gave prefatory marks about her brilliance and soon after added "that her plans were ruinous to the state and her means for crime should be removed: accordingly her property was confiscated she withdrew from Italy"

Just after this passage he describes Claudius's expansion of the pomerium (12.23) "and the perimeter of the city was augmented by Caesar and old time convention whereby those who extended the empire are permitted to enlarge the boundaries of the city also and yet no roman leader had out it into practice despite the great nations subjected except L Sulla and Divine Augustus"

AD 49 - Nine cippi discovered in Rome 'auctis populi Romani finibus pomerium ampliavit termina' and Tacitus remarks "and the boundaries which Claudius laid down at that time are easy to recognise and written down in the public records"

Claudius speech to Meherdates (12.11)

He is 'seque divo Augusto adaequabat'

Claudius' pompous lecture to the Parthians at 12.11 on the principles of good government is replete with ironies for his own rule. Having identified himself with Augustus' policy (12. 11.1), he extols the Augustan virtues

addidit praecepta (etenium aderat Meherdates), ut dominationem et servos, sed rectorem et cives cogitaret, clementiamque ac iustitiam, quanto ignota barbaris, tanto gratiora capesseret (12.11.2).

· He added some advice for Meherdates, who was present, and told him not to be thinking of a despot and his slaves, but rather of a ruler among fellow citizens and to practise clemency and justice which barbarians would like the more for being unused to them

How does Augustus present the Imperial Domus?

A cohesive unit

Pietas

RG 2 "those who killed my father I drove into exile by way of courts of law exacting retribution for the crime"

RG 5 "my sons which fortune snatched away"

How does Tacitus present the Domus?

Factionalism and strife

Tacitus 1.3 "Nevertheless as buttress for domination Augustus promoted Claudius Marcellus his sister's son and just a juvenile by means of pontificate and curule aedileship and M Agrippa ignoble in status and good at soldiering and his partner in victory twin consulships and subsequently after Marcellus's death took his as his son in law"

"Tiberius Nero and Claudius Drusus his stepsons he enhanced with the name commander even though his own house was still intact for he had brought Agrippa's progeny Gaius and Lucius into the family of the Caesars even though his own house was still intact"

Germanicus and Drusus:

"News of all this affected Tiberius with delight and concern he rejoiced at the suppression of the mutiny but because Germanicus had won the soldiers good will by lavishing money he was tense." Nevertheless he reported to the senate on the mans achievements and commemorated his courage in a lengthy account whose verbal embellishments were aimed too much at display for it to be believed that he felt deeply. He praised Drusus and the end of the Illyricum disturbance in fewer words and more earnest and convincing speech"

How does Tacitus present Germanicus?

How accurate?

Tacitus downplays the honours voted for Germanicus after his death - 'gnaris omnibus laetam Tiberio Germanici mortem male dissimulari.' - everyone was aware that the delight of Tiberius at Germanicus 's death was being badly dissembled 'not even the customary honours due to any noble' (Tac.2.5)

At Germanicus funeral no songs speeches or images of the dead man before the bier compares it to Drusus example 'there were those who missed the procession of a public funeral and compared the honorific and magnificent things Augustus had done for Drusus .. he had proceeded ' Ipsum quippe asperrimo hiemis' - promotion of personally

Tacitus highlights the negative role of Tiberius played in not letting Germanicus have the 'clipeus auro' voted by the senate 'when they proposed a shield distinctive for its gold and size' 'Tiberius asserted that they would dedicate the normal one' 'identical to the rest' (Tib 2.83) 'adseveravit Tiberius solitum paremque ceteris dicaturum"

Tab Habena reports Germanicus was honored with silver shield when declared princeps iuventis by equestrian order - in keeping with The final decision that resulted from the i Tiberius can be seen in the Tabula Hebana, lines 1-4. text includes no facts about the portrait, there is no doubt t ing with an imago clipeata, probably made of silver, since imago of this metal in the senatus consultum concerning funerary honors decreed for Drusus in AD 23

Political?

Tacitus's also chooses to introduce Germanicus as a symbol of hope for the Republic. He talks about the influence of Germanicus's father, Drusus and 'how the memory of Drusus still loomed large, it was believed he would have restored freedom had he come to power - hence support for young Germanicus in whom they placed the same hopes (Tac.1.33)