Suetonius

Question 1

When did Suetonius write ‘The Lives of the Twelve Caesars’?

Answer 1

121AD

Question 2

Why is the timing of when Suetonius was writing significant?

Answer 2

He wrote under Emperor Hadrian, and he was also a biographer, which meant he could:
-write more candidly
-had access to Imperial archives
-used gossip and hearsay
-could not invent information due to the events being recent history for him

ALSO, he is distanced by 100 years and is still living under a principate state, meaning he is aware that Augustus’ intention was never to restore the republic.

Question 3

What does D.Wardle say about Suetonius?

Answer 3

“One of the major problems identified…is that of generalization, which results in exaggeration.”

Question 4

7. His Various Names

Answer 4

“he should take the name Romulus”- chose not to due to associations with fratricide.

Question 5

8 A Brief Summary of His Life

Answer 5

“he was decorated by Caesar… even though he was too young to fight”

“the will named him as the main heir”

Question 6

9 His Involvement in Civil War

Answer 6

“He fought in five civil conflicts”

Question 7

10 Mutina

Answer 7

“Augustus considered it his duty to avenge Caesar’s death” - upholding mos maiorum

“he joined the optimates” - Augustus’ political scheming

Question 8

11 Claims Against Him of Treachery

Answer 8

“Rumours spread that Augustus had engineered the fate of both Hirtius and Pansa”

“suspicious”

Question 9

17 His Victory over Antony and Cleopatra

Answer 9

Claims that he “opened and read aloud in public” Antony’s will that was damning of his burial site

“he achieved his great naval victory at Actium (in 31 BC), where the battle raged to so late an hour that he spent the night on board.” - Augustus was actually present at Actium- links to his Imperator status

“Augustus drove him [Antony] to commit suicide.” Brutal image that does not converge with clemency.

Claims Augustus killed Antony’s son who was actually Roman, and demonstrates the son gave “futile pleas for mercy.”

Question 10

20 His Imperial Campaigning

Answer 10

“Augustus commanded in person only two foreign campaigns… His other wars were conducted by his generals.” - goes against Augustus’ imperator title and provides a damning view of the emperor.

Question 11

28 Sole Ruler

Answer 11

“Augustus twice considered restoring the Republic” - implies a mocking tone and that he did not actually do it.

“he decided to retain power in his own hands” -goes against this restorative image/ paterpatriae Augustus tried to convey.

“making every effort to obviate any dissatisfaction with the new regime” - destroyed oppostion

Question 12

29 Public Works

Answer 12

Palatine Temple of Apollo, Temple of Mars Ultor, Temple of Jupiter- this demonstrates Augustus’ piety and dedication to the gods.

Augustus geographically embellished his family into Rome in order to promote the image of imperial family (Gaius and Lucius, Livia, Octavia, Marcellus)

Question 13

31 Religious Reforms

Answer 13

“burned more than two thousand [books], keeping only the Sibylline Books, which he edited.” - Augustus is controlling and changing religion in his favour; Suetonius presents him using religion as a tool rather than being actually devout.

“restored the calendar”

“Vestal Virgins”- promoting the role within his family

Question 14

34 Revision of the Laws

Answer 14

Talks of the Lex Julia affecting the “Senatorial and Equestrian orders” - classes which are most affected by moral decadence

“aroused open rebellion against its overly stringent powers”

Extends exemptions for widows remarrying to three years and he “shortened the legal period between betrothal and marriage, and limited the number of divorces.”

Question 15

53 His Public Manner

Answer 15

“Augustus quelled the indecorous adulation” - disapproved of being called ‘lord’

“affable in dealing with request”, walked through the streets of Rome, did not bother people with formal ceremonies, exchanged social calls, did not allow Senate to rise when he arrived- positioning himself as modest paterpatriae

Question 16

56 His respect for Established Law and Custom

Answer 16

“vetoed a law that would have suppressed freedom of speech.”

“man of the people”

“He wished his friends too to be prominent and influential in public affairs, but insisted they be subject to common law” - Tactius believes this was a veiled manipulation tactic and would have pushed his acquaintances through office anyway.

Question 17

64 His Grandchildren

Answer 17

“He brought up his daughter and grand-daughters strictly”

For his grandsons he “for the most part acting as their tutor”

Abiding by Roman traditional values and up keeping the image of imperial family.

Question 18

65 Deaths and Scandal

Answer 18

“He was able to come to terms with the death of kin more easily than with their misbehavior.”

Reported speech: “If only I were Phoebe’s father” - would much rather have had Julia kill herself than become an adulteror

He wished he had never had children: “Would I have never married and childless had died.”

Question 19

68 Accusations of Homosexuality and Effeminacy

Answer 19

“Sextus Pompey taunted him with the charges of effeminacy”

“Mark Antony accused him of unnatural relations with Julius Caesar”

“submitted to Aulus Hirtius in Spain, for three thousand gold-pieces”

“soften the hairs on his legs”

Reported speech from an outburst in a theatre: “See, how this sodomite’s finger rules the orb!”

Question 20

69 His Adulteries

Answer 20

“Not even his friends denied he was given to adulterous behaviour, though they justified it as a matter of policy not passion”

“discovered his enemy’s intentions through their wives and daughters”

Question 21

70 His Other Vices

Answer 21

The Feast of the Twelve Gods- “Apollo the Tormentor”- held the feast during a grain blockade

Question 22

71 His Reputation

Answer 22

“The charge of lasciviousness, however, he could not shake off”

“still had a passion for deflowering virgin girls”

“refuted accusations of homosexuality”

“He never denied his reputation as a gambler”

“keeping the game table warm all day long”

Question 23

95 Omens of Imminent Power

Answer 23

In regards to Caesar’s comet: “an omen that the soothsayers skilling in such things unanimously proclaimed as the sign of a great and fortunate future.”