Emperors - Tiberius

Question 1

When did Tiberius reign?

Answer 1

AD 14- 37

Question 2

How does Tacitus generally portray Tiberius? And why?

Answer 2

In a negative light. Largely because his account is not first hand. As a senator, Tacitus often writes within the context of the relationship between emperor and senators.

Question 3

How does Dio Cassius portray Tiberius generally? Why?

Answer 3

negatively. He used the same traditions and documents as Tacitus, including using the Annals as his main source

Question 4

How does Suetonius portray Tiberius generally?

Answer 4

As being respectful and courteous to the senators at first but changing after his son’s death in AD23.

Question 5

How does Velleius Paterculus generally portray Tiberius? And why?

Answer 5

largely positively.

Question 6

When did Velleius Paterculus write his History of Rome?

Answer 6

AD 30

Question 7

When did Suetonius write his Life of Tiberius?

Answer 7

AD 120-125

Question 8

When did Tacitus write his Annals?

Answer 8

early 2nd century AD

Question 9

When did Dio Cassius write his Roman History?

Answer 9

3rd century AD

Question 10

What two issues faced Tiberius at the start of his reign and why?

Answer 10

• rebellion of the Pannonian legions
• mutiny of the German legions at Mainz
• these were not political but because many soldiers were underpaid or hadn’t been released from service after completing their terms. Highlights that crisis was more likely during power transfers

Question 11

Who did Tiberius send to subdue the rebellion of the Pannonian legions?

Answer 11

Drusus the younger (his son)

Question 12

Who did Tiberius send to subdue the rebellion of the German legions at Mainz?

Answer 12

Germanicus

Question 13

Where did Tiberius send Germanicus in 17AD?

Answer 13

To settle discontent in the eastern provinces of Judaea and Syria

Question 14

Who did Tiberius make governor of Syria, and send at the same time as he sent Germanicus?

Answer 14

Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso

Question 15

Conflict between Piso and Germanicus - summary and result?

Answer 15

• 18AD Germanicus travelled through Syria and was welcomed,
• Piso was following behind and undermining him. He then arrived at Syria first and turned the legions to his side. - 19AD Germanicus visited Egypt and on his return Piso decided to leave Syria.
• At this time Germanicus became seriously ill and was convinced Piso poisoned him. - Told his wife Agrippina not to trust those in power.
• Piso stood trial (main charge stirring up civil war in Syria) and killed himself when realising that Tiberius wouldn’t help him

Question 16

How does Tacitus portray Sejanus?

Answer 16

Perverse, corrupt and power-hungry. In Tacitus’ black and white view, Sejanus was very much a villain (along w T)

Question 17

From when was Sejanus Prefect of the Praetorian Guard?

Answer 17

AD 14-31

Question 18

How does Velleius Paterculus portray Sejanus and why does it differ from Tacitus?

Answer 18

As a ‘distinguished assistant’ held in high regard by both the people and the emperor. This was written before Sejanus’ eventual downfall, and displays the sycophancy of the senators towards powerful men

Question 19

How does Dio describe Sejanus’ treatment by the senate and emperor?

Answer 19

treated ‘as if he were actually emperor’
Tiberius called him ‘sharer of my Cares’

Question 20

‘it was he who appeared to be emperor and Tiberius a kind of off-shore monarch’

Answer 20

Dio on Sejanus’ power after he convinced Tiberius to leave Rome in 25AD

Question 21

When was Sejanus executed and why?

Answer 21

in 31AD. Tiberius supposedly was prompted by Sejanus’ persecution of Germanicus’ sons or was told by Sejanus’ abandoned wife of his part in the death of Drusus.

Question 22

Who was Tacfarinas?

Answer 22

an auxiliary deserter

Question 23

When did Tacfarinas and his troops launch raids on Roman territory and fight regional Governors in Africa?

Answer 23

between 15 and 24 AD

Question 24

Tacitus on how Tacfarinas was defeated?

Answer 24

Publius Cornelius Dolabella orchestrated an early morning attack where Tacfarinas was killed

Question 25

What does Tacitus’ portrayal of Tacfarinas’ challenge present about Tiberius?

Answer 25

How he would use others to solve crises. This is also seen with the mutinies in Pannonia and Germany

Question 26

Maiestas trials?

Answer 26

maiestas was a charge of treason against the workings of the Roman state which would be tried in the senate. Punishment was usually death and confiscation of property

Question 27

Sententia and Tacitus?

Answer 27

this is a particular style of Tacitus’ writing where his opinion is introduced at the end of a section

Question 28

Who were delatores and how were they connected to maiestas trials?

Answer 28

professional informants, they could come from any social class and would be rewarded with a quarter of the value of the property of those who were convicted of treason.

Question 29

When did Younger Seneca write ‘on benefits’?

Answer 29

AD 56-62

Question 30

Purpose of Younger Seneca ‘on benefits’?

Answer 30

A series of moral essays designed to teach Nero - they imply that Tiberius’ actions shouldn’t be followed

Question 31

‘treason trials became so commonplace that they amounted to a form of national madness’

Answer 31

Younger Seneca on treason trials. This source also records an attempted false allegation

Question 32

How many treason trials under Tiberius does Tacitus detail?

Answer 32

Around 80

Question 33

Why does Tacitus particularly highlight the maeistas trials?

Answer 33

because they targeted senators, and he had personal experience of them in the 90sAD under Domitian

Question 34

What is evidence of the worship of Tiberius’ genius by a leading citizen of Rome?

Answer 34

An inscription from AD27

Question 35

What coinage shows the political and religious significance of Tiberius’ close relationship to the Divine Augustus?

Answer 35

A Sestertius of Tiberius from AD 34/35 which depicts Augustus and is ‘to the Divine Augustus from the Senate and People of Rome’

Question 36

What is the emperor-worship inscription from 15AD?

Answer 36

An inscription found in Gytheion, Greece which is a petition to Tiberius detailing arrangements for an 8day festival in honour of members of the imperial family
- Tiberius declined all these honours

Question 37

Suetonius on Tiberius’ attitude to religion and the divine cult?

Answer 37

‘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 busts’

Question 38

‘Tiberius showed large-scale generousity no more than twice’

Answer 38

Suetonius on Tiberius’ relationship with the plebs

Question 39

‘no magnificent public works marked his reign’

Answer 39

Suetonius on Tiberius

Question 40

Who describes the joy of Rome when news of Tiberius’ death reached them. ‘To the Tiber with Tiberius!’

Answer 40

Suetonius

Question 41

‘men primed for slavery’

Answer 41

Tacitus on how Tiberius saw the senate

Question 42

Portrayal of Tiberius with money?

Answer 42

He was careful with money, Gaius inherited a cash surplus. Despite not being generous with the people that the sources mention, he was able to provide earthquake relief and tax remission for the province of Asia.
Paterculus - portrays him as generous